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Bulletin of the Medical Library Association logoLink to Bulletin of the Medical Library Association
. 1993 Jan;81(1):44–47.

Citation patterns in the health sciences: implications for serials/monographic fund allocation.

A J Burdick 1, A Butler 1, M G Sullivan 1
PMCID: PMC225727  PMID: 8428188

Abstract

This study sought to determine optimal serial-to-monograph ratios for collection development by comparing citation frequency with current library practice. Internal medicine literature cited an average of 88% serial references and 12% monographs. In an observational study, teaching physicians on internal medicine rounds cited 89.5% serials and 10.5% monographs to student teams. By contrast, health sciences libraries included in the Houston statistics spend an average of 79% of acquisitions budgets for serials and 21% for monographs. An 88:12 acquisitions budget ratio would be more appropriate, reflecting actual use of serials and monographs in the health sciences.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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