THE JOURNAL SELECTION PROBLEM IN A UNIVERSITY LIBRARY SYSTEM
THE JOURNAL SELECTION PROBLEM IN A UNIVERSITY LIBRARY SYSTEM
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Date
1971-01
Authors
Kraft, Donald Harris
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Abstract
Kraft, Donald Harris. Ph.D., Purdue University, January 1971.
The Journal Selection Problea In A University Library System.
Major Professor: Thomas W. HilT Jr
This dissertation is concerned with the problem of selecting the
proper Journals to be acquired by a university library. A general
model is formulated as a zero-one linear programing problea with an
objective function that evaluates various selection policies in terms
of the net worth of selecting specific Journals and rejecting others,
journal usage and Journal productivity are two Important means of
Measuring the worth of acquiring a specific Journal; and models are
developed to describe both measures as dynamic, time-dependent variables.
Journal usage is adopted as the better measure of Journal worth, using
a modified Markovian approach to describe expected usage patterns over
time.
The constraints are primarily related to cost restrictions that
arise due to budgetary controls. The relevant costs are those involved
with the ordering, storage, and circulation of acquired Journals. The
only other type of constraint deals with continuity in that once an
item has been acquired, it reseing a permanent part of the library's
collection.
The optimitation of the Journal selection model is considered
from two different approaches since its large size does not allow
for a fit to one of the now existing computational algorithms for
sero-one linear programing problems. A dynamic programing formulation
allovi us to decompose the large problem into several smaller
ones of the knapsack variety and generate a feasible solution if
at least one exists. Special cases are found, some of which seem
quite realistic In the light of practical library selection procedures,
where the solution la also optimal. A Lagrangian formulation gives
an upper bound on the optimal value of the objective function and
also generates several near-optical solutions, scne of which nay be
feasible. A Knapsack approach is then again taken to try to improve
the best feasible solution at hand to yield a better, near-optimal
or optimal, feasible solution.
A small example problem, illustrating how the algorithms operate,
is presented and discussed. The computational results show that a
solution can be generated in a reasonable amount of time and computer
storage space, for at least small and medium-sized problems.
Description
A ThESIS
Submitted to the Faculty
of
Purdue University
In Partial fulfilment of the
Requirements for the Degrree
of
Doctor of Philosophy
Keywords
JOURNAL SELECTION PROBLEM,, UNIVERSITY LIBRARY SYSTEM