PROGRESS IN DOCUMENTATION:
- 1 January 1973
- journal article
- Published by Emerald Publishing in Journal of Documentation
- Vol. 29 (1) , 85-106
- https://doi.org/10.1108/eb026552
Abstract
The task of the librarian is to achieve his library's objectives. A simplistic statement, perhaps, but it is rare that a library's objectives are defined in any terms other than the broadest—for example, ‘to meet the needs of its users’. In fact, the definition of objectives in any service organization is likely to be an iterative process, but the explicit commitment to users‘ needs (however mystical this concept may be) requires the librarian to examine users’ behaviour as a first step to determining policy. Since a complete state‐of‐the‐art in user behaviour would fill a substantial book, this survey is restricted to drawing together some threads of research of potential application in university libraries. Methodological problems are not discussed here, since these are adequately reviewed elsewhere.Keywords
This publication has 34 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Short Loan Collection in a University LibraryJournal of librarianship, 1972
- MEASURING READERS' FAILURE AT THE SHELF IN THREE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIESJournal of Documentation, 1972
- ACCESS AND RECOGNITION: FROM USERS' DATA TO CATALOGUE ENTRIESJournal of Documentation, 1970
- The Information Service in Practice: An experiment at The City University LibraryJournal of librarianship, 1969
- Selective Dissemination of InformationAmerican Behavioral Scientist, 1967
- STUDENT ATTITUDES TO THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY: A SECOND SURVEY AT SOUTHAMPTON UNIVERSITYJournal of Documentation, 1966
- Communication patterns in applied technology.American Psychologist, 1966
- STUDENT ATTITUDES TO THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY: A SURVEY AT SOUTHAMPTON UNIVERSITYJournal of Documentation, 1963
- THE SOURCES OF BOOKS FOR UNDERGRADUATESJournal of Documentation, 1961
- THE NUFFIELD PILOT SURVEY OF LIBRARY USE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDSJournal of Documentation, 1959