THE MEASUREMENT OF THE SCATTERING AND OBSOLESCENCE OF PERIODICALS

The exponential growth of periodical literature has resulted in demands for more library shelf space and higher library subscription expenditures. Shelf space and expenditures have fallen short of demand. The literature of librarianship reports that the space problem has been addressed by weeding less-used titles and volumes from library shelves. The financial problem has been addressed by cancelling subscriptions.;Several questions have been raised concerning measurement of scattering and obsolescence. First, the accuracy, stability, and practicality of frequency data have been questioned. The use of binary data has been proposed as an alternative. Second, the relevance of frequency data to problems of shelf space and cancellation has been questioned. As an alternative, the use of normalized data has been proposed. Third, assuming that normalized data should be used, there is the question of which normalization factor to use. Fourth, researchers have asked whether liberal arts and science libraries display different patterns of obsolescence.;The present study investigated all of these questions. Scattering and obsolescence were studied in two major libraries of Case Western Reserve University. One of the libraries was a liberal arts library. The other was a science library. Each question was investigated by comparing appropriate data. In the investigations of both scattering and obsolescence, volume-normalized, space-normalized, and page-normalized data were used. In addition, the scattering studies employed cost-normalized data.;The scattering study had several consequences. Concerning whether frequency and binary data provide similar information, the study was inconclusive. . . . (Author's abstract exceeds stipulated maximum length. Discontinued here with permission of school.) UMI.;Studies of scattering and obsolescence provide information relevant to weeding and cancellation decisions. Scattering is the distribution of uses among titles in a periodicals collection. In a scattering study, titles are ranked by the number of uses received in a frequency of use study. Lower ranking titles are then considered for weeding or cancellation before higher ranking titles. Obsolescence is the decline in use of periodical volumes with increasing age. In an obsolescence study, the number of frequency uses reported for the volumes published in each year is plotted against the age of the volumes. A cutoff date is established, and volumes older than the cutoff date are considered for weeding.