An Acquisition Rate Model for Academic Libraries

With circulation assumed to imply use and thus need, multiple regression analysis was employed to determine which variables best correlate with circulation. Three were identified: number of books added; full-time equivalent size of student body; and undergraduate and graduate courses offered. A "T'' test showed no significant difference between the means of per student circulation differentiated by collection size and population mean of the entire sample. A similar "T'' test for per student rate of acquisition revealed no significant difference between the means of individual libraries and the population mean. A regression equation recommending a predictive value for the number of books to be added was developed.