A quantitative measure of user circulation requirements and its possible effect on stack thinning and multiple copy determination

Abstract

AbstractThe strategy outlined in this article describes a possible aid to the librarian for thinning a library's stacks according to the criterion of user needs. The method uses the last circulation date as a parameter of user circulation requirements. The resulting stack collection would, by design, satisfy over 99 percent of the user circulation requirements and yet be of minimum size. Preliminary, but not yet fully validated research, indicates that the number of volumes in a library's holdings may be reduced by 60 to 70 percent and yet satisfy well over 99 percent of the user requirements. It may also be possible to determine which books should have multiple copies in order that user disappointment can be minimized. The effective result of this approach is that there now may be a quantitative method of maintaining the library's holdings at a reasonable level and, in addition, a reduction in the disappointment of the user who is unable to find the book he wants because of use by another.