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Resources for college libraries what do the numbers mean
Sue Beidler from Lycoming College discusses how the college uses Resources for College Libraries (RCL) and Bowker's Book Analysis System (BBAS) to analyze its collection. Lycoming has a collection of around 155,000 volumes and uses RCL and BBAS to evaluate gifts, aid in weeding decisions, assess collection strengths/weaknesses by discipline, and track changes in holdings over time. While useful, the analyses can only be compared to the current RCL database and exported statistics cannot be manipulated. Beidler discusses how comparison data from similar size/type libraries could provide additional context for the numbers.
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Resources for college libraries what do the numbers mean
- 1. Resources for College Libraries: What do the Numbers Mean? Sue Beidler Lycoming College Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 2. Agenda Overview of Lycoming’sEnvironment Overview of Resources for College Libraries What is BBAS (/Bowker’s Book Analysis System)? How We Use RCLWeb How We Use BBAS Discussion Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 3. Overview of Lycoming’sEnvironment Lycoming College: private, 4-year, approx.1400 FTE Traditional Liberal Arts 5 Librarians, 6 support staff An active collaborative instruction program that teaches the responsible use of research sources, building the skills to find, evaluate, and integrate information is a key aspect of our mission. Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 4. Overview of Lycoming’sEnvironment Local ILS: TLC’s Library•Solution 4.2 Collection of approx. 155,000 cataloged volumes Annual monograph/standing order budget of approximately $120K 2,300 new cataloged volumes added annually Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 5. Overview of Resourcesfor College Libraries Successor to Books for College Libraries (BCL3) Collaborative project between ACRL, CHOICE, and R.R. Bowker Available in print and as an online tool (RCLWeb) First released in 2006 Online version is updated quarterly Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 6. Overview of BBAS (Bowker’sBook Analysis System) Electronically compares local collection to the RCL database Provides array of reports that can be customized Duplicate titles Invalid ISBNs Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
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- 8. Overview of BBAS (Bowker’sBook Analysis System) Electronically compares local collection to the RCL database Provides array of reports that can be customized Duplicate titles Invalid ISBNs Statistical reports by RCL Subjects, LC Classification or Core titles in library Core titles NOT in library Total # of core titles % of core titles held Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
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- 10. Lycoming’s Uses forRCLWeb Evaluating gift books for inclusion in our collection Generally do a quick title search in RCLWeb for possible keepers Are likely to keep the book if any edition is in RCL Sometimes will also search by author – if there are a number of titles by the author we may keep if the title is curriculum related Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 11. Lycoming’s Current Usesfor RCL Book Analysis results Retrospective Collection Development – Photography Project Overview of Project Used “Don’t have” list to work from with faculty Improved from 27.74% coverage in 2007 to 51.82% coverage in 2008 as a result of this project Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 12. Lycoming’s Current Usesfor RCL Book Analysis results Weeding/De-selection decisions Faculty from specific disciplines selected each year They’re set loose in the stacks with very general guidelines Any items they think should be withdrawn are put on a book truck I pull up the list of RCL titles we have in that call number range – anything on the RCL list goes back to the shelves immediately, but is marked that it is in RCL Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
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- 15. Lycoming’s Current Usesfor RCL Book Analysis results Assessment Meetings with academic departments regarding the collection Sometimes used in preparation for the meeting – a gauge of strength or weakness Sometimes used as follow-up – Mathematical Sciences – even though there was no response from the faculty Track changes in our holdings from year to year, by discipline Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 16. Lycoming’s Current Usesfor RCL Book Analysis results Challenges Analysis is always done against the current RCL database Must save analyses at the time you run them Exported statistics cannot be manipulated Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 17. What do thenumbers mean? Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 18. What can theanalysis tell us? RCLWeb Book Analysis System Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 19. How would/could wego about developing comparisons with similar size/type libraries? Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 20. How might wedetermine comparison libraries? Charleston Conference November 4, 2010
- 21. Contact Information Sue Beidler SnowdenLibrary Lycoming College 700 College Place Williamsport, PA 17701 570-321-4084 beidler@lycoming.edu Charleston Conference November 4, 2010