---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 1997 00:17:30 EST
From: Albert Henderson <70244.1532@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject: Summary: collection development and indexing (Steve Black)

Steve Black <blacks@ROSNET.STROSE.EDU> summarized:

[snip]
> The reason I asked is we recently completed a use study, and I've been
> working on correlating CD-ROM index use with journal use.  My initial
> analyses surprise me, because the correlation is less than I expected for
> the collection as a whole.  But I've got quite a lot of work left to try
> to find out whether I have a problem with my methodology, or whether
> journal use is less connected with CD-ROM use than I presumed.

Researchers have never been fully sold on databases as long as there are
means that they feel are more convenient and productive.

1977 surveys reported by Donald W. King et al. indicated that "browsing in
an issue"  was the leading procedure for finding articles read.
(Scientific Journals in the United States. Stroudsburg PA: Hutchinson
Ross. Table 6.4)

Julie Hallmark's 1994 survey indicated that personal contact and
references in the literature led to articles cited, with browsing in
journals still ahead of databases. (College & Research Libraries
55:199-209)

For another interesting perspective, check out "Effectiveness of
bibliographic data bases ..." by Lewis L. Deitz and Laura M. Osegueda in
Bulletin of the Entomological Society of America. Summer, 1989. p. 33-39.
Eight databases produced only one-half the total relevant items found on a
popular topic using a broader range of techniques.

Albert Henderson, Editor, PUBLISHING RESEARCH QUARTERLY
70244.1532@compuserve.com