Analysis of recorded biomedical book and journal use in the Yale Medical Library. I. Date and subject relations

Abstract

Analysis of book and journal circulation is based on cancelled charge slips collected over a one-year period in the Yale Medical Library. About two-fifths of material circulated were monographs. Books and journals in seven subject fields provided over half of the circulation. Approximately two-thirds of both books and journals used had been published during the most recent nine years. A subject-by-subject examination of the ratio of books to journals circulating revealed that, in subjects where proportionally more journals than books were taken out of the Library, books were of more recent imprint dates than were journals, contrary to the overall pattern. Date distribution of books and journals by subject was also studied. Results are illustrated with graphs and tables.