Retrieval Rate at Avery Library: Choices

Zack Lane

ReCAP Coordinator

7/14/2010

Agenda

• Last time (February 2010) we discussed general statistics for Avery Library collections

• Staff wanted more detail about retrieval and retrieval rate

• This presentation will focus on retrieval rate

• And…will introduce Avery/ReCAP website

Basic Questions

Many are the same as last time:

• What is retrieval rate?

• What can we learn from retrieval data?

• What choices can be made practically, economically?

• What data are available to look at?

Retrieval Rate

• Retrieval rate is a measure of collection use

• Target retrieval rate is 2.00%• Percentage of ReCAP collections retrieved

during a twelve-month period (Calendar or FY)

• One technique to gauge overall use• Important factor for ReCAP facility staffing

model

Avery Library Retrieval Rate is 3.37%

• Yikes• Data double checked• Method calculates how long every item has been

at ReCAP• CUL (not ReCAP) data used• Compare to similar data sets for other

department libraries:– East Asian: 461,665 / 48,074 / 1.83%– Avery: 197,306 / 38,747 / 3.37%– BMC: 8,650 / 1,214 / 14.0%

System-wide

• Recent discussion about retrieval rate system-wide

• Presentation at Collection Steering Committee, CUL's Increasing Retrieval Rate, 6/9/10

• It is a complicated issue; options discussed

• Point of focus was retrieval rate by publication date and language

The Issue

• Growing concern about the retrieval rate of ReCAP collections

• Retrieval volume constantly, consistently grows

• Retrieval rate has also grown

• Billing model at ReCAP now based on “activity units”

• More retrieval = more cost

Paths to Lower Retrieval Rate

• Do not transfer high-use or potential high-use material

• Return high-use items to onsite shelving

• Limit patron access

• Each option has benefits, consequences and complications

Core of DiscussionRetrieval Rate by Publication Date and Language

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

spa rus por pol ita hin ger fre eng ara

Avery Data

• Monographs only• CLIO locations: off,ave off,fax and off,war• Focus on last 20 years of publication for

retrieval rate• Focus on top-10 held (non-CJK)

languages• Environmental scan of all Avery

accessions• Bonus: Call number analysis

Pub Date Distribution

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Top 10 Languages by Pub Date

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

ara eng fre ger hin ita pol por rus spa

Primary Western Euro Langs

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

eng fre ger ita spa

Hard Data For EnglishDATE ACCESSIONS REQUESTS

1990 586 157

1991 322 66

1992 125 43

1993 115 13

1994 82 22

1995 146 33

1996 164 41

1997 175 28

1998 204 26

1999 211 27

2000 326 48

2001 308 106

2002 279 47

2003 362 42

2004 474 81

2005 693 164

2006 1271 375

2007 1447 501

2008 1528 354

2009 1218 218

2010 157 12

Complications with Call Number Analysis

• Monographs only

• Top 10 languages

• Only off,ave and off,fax

• LC call numbers (unclear which were proper Avery call numbers)

• Best viewpoint is proportional, how they compare to each other

Call Number

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

A AA AB AC AD AK AO N NA NB NC ND NE NH NK No NX

High Use Titles

• Serials vs monographs

• Single-vol vs Multi-vol monograph

• Subject: in scope?

• ILL/BD usage

Courses of Action

• Standing meetings with Avery staff: weekly or bi-weekly

• Meetings can address any ReCAP-topic

• Develop Avery/ReCAP website; provide data directly to staff

• Track results of changes