Search

After repeated efforts to streamline their gifts-in-kind selection and processing, librarians still face concerns over the small percent of books added and the amount of staff time required. The primary problem is that the purpose of the gifts program is to add reasonable and relevant materials to the collection, and too little of what is received fits that description. Resulting questions include whether the library needs to continue to receive gifts, and if so, whether there are ways to identify which books might be worth adding to the collection. To answer these questions, the authors reviewed circulation records of gift books acquired over a seven-year period and compared those lists with required reading lists for classes, interlibrary loan reports, and lists of financial donors. Results indicate that gift books do circulate, and that required readings lists can be helpful in gift book selection. Librarians are also encouraged to analyze circulation rates by subject on a periodic basis to hone their selection of gifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As libraries increase their electronic journal collections, would dependence on interlibrary loan decrease? This paper reports a case study at the University of Nevada, Reno, University Libraries (UNR) focusing on the usage of the Elsevier online journal package and interlibrary loan (ILL) borrowing activities. It analyzes four-years'' worth of UNR usage and ILL statistics, gathered between July 1999 and June 2003. It also provides observations and explanations from a perspective beyond statistics, at the level of library services and the campus demographic and research environments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]