Category: Practical Librarian
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Another Baby Step in Collection Analysis
As we discussed in my post Using Excel in Collection Analysis, go slow and work a small data set into the ground until you feel comfortable. While you are in “learning mode”, use enough data to fit comfortably on the screen, so you can “see” everything at once. For this example, I…
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Using Excel with Collection Development
Holly and I are in the process of writing a new edition of Making a Collection Count. As we go through the chapters and start really re-thinking the content and updating this book, I really wanted to make the idea of using statistics more palatable to those folks who avoid…
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Collection Analysis: Median vs. Average
There is more to understanding a collection age beyond average and thanks to Emma, who made a comment on my last collection analysis post, I thought it would also help to discuss median age in a collection. My experience has been that often “average” and “median” are used interchangeably (which is…
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Collection Metrics Part 2: Dewey Call Numbers
Now that we’ve talked about using publication dates, let’s talk about metrics that use call numbers. What do we still have in the collection after that big weed? It’s too big a chart to include here, but I can tell you that the top three subject area holdings in my…
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Collection Metrics: Using Publication Date
I maintain the adult non-fiction 500s in my library. I normally let an Intern have their way with my collection, so it gets a concentrated weed at least annually. I also believe that collection management should be on-going, so I am constantly picking at the 500s. In that regard, there’s…
Awful Library Books 