Patterns of journal use in a departmental library: A citation analysis

Katherine W. McCain and James E. Bobick

Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 1981, vol. 32, issue 4, 257-267

Abstract: Citation analysis of faculty publications, doctoral dissertations, and preliminary doctoral qualifying briefs produced by faculty and students of the Biology Department, Temple University, is used to assess journal use in the Biology Library during the years 1975‐1977. There are 3739 citations to 336 journals in the combined sources ranking. The distribution of citations in each user group ranking and the combined sources ranking takes the form of a Bradford distribution; slope and x‐intercept values are given for each ranking. Sixty highly cited titles are examined in detail. Dissertation citations are dependent on active faculty participation in the doctoral program. Citations in qualifying briefs cover a broader range of topics and interests than either of the other two sources. Citation frequencies of volumes published in the periods 1960‐1969 and 1970‐1977 are examined. The post‐1960 citation frequency for 51 titles is 80% or higher. Several collection maintenance and development decisions have been made, based on the results of this study. Citation analysis is shown to be a useful tool in assessing actual and potential journal use by a heterogeneous clientele in a departmental library.

Date: 1981
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