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Dissertation Information for Melba S. Harvill

NAME:
- Melba S. Harvill

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of North Texas (USA) (1984)

ADVISORS:
- Rose Mary Magrill

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Donald B. Cleveland
- Herman L. Totten

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: FORMALIZED COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT IN SELECTED MEDIUM-SIZED ACADEMIC LIBRARIES

Abstract: The degree of formalization of collection development (the dependent variable) in selected medium-sized academic libraries and six independent variables believed to be related to the dependent variable were examined. The formalization of collection development was measured by an index of five dimensions. The six independent variables examined were age of the library, number of graduate degrees offered by the parent institution, estimated years of growth potential in terms of available shelf space, attitude of the library director toward cooperation, number of memberships held by the library in cooperative endeavors, and percentage of increase in the materials budget from 1972 to 1982.

A medium-sized academic library was defined by the researcher. The 35th edition (1982) of the American Library Directory contained 206 libraries fitting the definition. A questionnaire was sent to each of them; 149 (72.33 per cent) responded, and 128 (62.13 per cent) were complete and usable.

The following hypotheses were tested: (1) The older the library, the less formalized will be the collection development function. (2) The greater the number of graduate degrees offered by the parent institution, the greater the degree of formalization of the collection development function. (3) The greater the library's growth potential in terms of available shelf space, the less formalized will be the collection development function. (4) The greater the desire for cooperation on the part of the library director, the greater the degree of formalization of the collection development function. (5) The greater the number of memberships in cooperative endeavors, the greater the degree of formalization of the collection development function. (6) The greater the percentage of increase in the materials budget, the less formalized will be the collection development function.

The findings of this study fail to support hypotheses one, three, four, and six. The relationship between the number of memberships in cooperative endeavors (hypothesis five) is weak, but significant. Hypothesis two is not supported when the total group is considered, but it is supported only when publicly-supported libraries are considered. A positive relationship between size of collection and level of collection development formalization was found to be significant, as was the relationship between number of graduate degrees and size of collection.

MPACT Scores for Melba S. Harvill

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:20:56

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Students under Melba S. Harvill

ADVISEES:
- None

COMMITTEESHIPS:
- None