Student Use of Library-Provided Materials in EdD Dissertations

One of the tools collection managers can use to guide the selection and retention of books and journals is citation analysis. Although time-consuming to collect and analyze, citations by library users provide compelling evidence for keeping certain titles or growing collection support for specific subject areas, and may provide a good sense of which materials may be safely weeded. Citation analysis can also give an indication of how well the collection is meeting the needs of the students of the home institution. Research at East Carolina University confirms that the library provides substantial electronic journal coverage and somewhat less satisfactory monograph availability. Future research on the impact of open access is suggested, as well as an examination of the methods dissertation authors are using to access materials.