Information for scientific research. Analysis of the frequency of loans

Abstract

This study is the fist result of a series of investigations aimed at numerical and quality evaluation of the services which special libraries of research institutes are rendering to scientific research,
by analysing the data of loans in the library of a biological research institute, ths study draws conclusions as to the productivity and effectiveness, both qualitative and quantitative, of the holdings. The book stock and the periodicals have been examined separately. Books have been analysed by subject groups, periodicals by titles, broken down to the date and language of publication. The study offers a new method to compare certain numerical indexes of various types of publications. A new interpretation of the loan frequency index seems to furnish a basis for comparability.
The study attempts to evaluate the loan frequency of books and periodicals, comparing it to that of the entire stook of the library.
Finally, it tends to draw important conclusions concerning the improvement of the processes of stock organization, acquisition and preservation, as well as the definition of the research trends of the institute.