A simple objective method for determining a dynamic journal collection.

In order to determine the content of a journal collection responsive to both user needs and space and dollar constraints, quantitative measures of the use of a 647-title collection have been related to space and cost requirements to develop objective criteria for a dynamic collection for the Treadwell Library at the Massachusetts General Hospital, a large medical research center. Data were collected for one calendar year (1977) and stored with the elements for each title's profile in a computerized file. To account for the effect of the bulk of the journal runs on the number of uses, raw use data have been adjusted using linear shelf space required for each title to produce a factor called density of use. Titles have been ranked by raw use and by density of use with space and cost requirements for each. Data have also been analyzed for five special categories of use. Given automated means of collecting and storing data, use measures should be collected continuously. Using raw use frequency ranking to relate use to space and costs seems sensible since a decision point cutoff can be chosen in terms of the potential interlibrary loans generated. But it places new titles at risk while protecting titles with long, little used runs. Basing decisions on density of use frequency ranking seems to produce a larger yield of titles with fewer potential interlibrary loans and to identify titles with overlong runs which may be pruned or converted to microform. The method developed is simple and practical. Its design will be improved to apply to data collected in 1980 for a continuous study of journal use. The problem addressed is essentially one of inventory control. Viewed as such it makes good financial sense to measure use as part of the routine operation of the library to provide information for effective management decisions.