Periodicals for the Small Bio-Medical and Clinical Library

Periodicals for the Small Bio-Medical and Clinical LibraryAuthor(s): Judith Wallen HuntSource: The Library Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Jan., 1937), pp. 121-140Published by: The University of Chicago PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4302327 .

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PERIODICALS FOR THE SMALL BIO-MEDICAL AND CLINICAL LIBRARY'

JUDITH WALLEN HUNT

SINCE the advent of periodical literature in the seven- teenth century well over ten thousand journals have been published in the field of bio-medicine. Many of these

have ceased publication; others are only of local interest. Still, approximately two thousand desirable periodicals in this field are being currently released. As research and discovery are recorded in the journal literature, the greatest asset of a scientific library is its subscription list and periodical holdings. It therefore becomes a major responsibility of such libraries to make this wealth of experimental data available to their readers. When funds are limited, the selection of a periodical col- lection that will best serve the most urgent needs of the reader becomes of paramount importance. A plan of highly selective purchasing must be adopted to prevent the improper use of funds. Actual needs of the library must be at hand to carry out such a plan.

The present status and urgency of the periodical problem con- fronting bio-medical libraries have been ably presented by Cun- ningham.2 Even larger libraries have found it hard to maintain their files during the last few years. In consequence the idea of co-operation has received more and more favorable attention. The present study was undertaken with a view of ascertaining which are the most important bio-medical periodicals in terms of repeated use. In so doing we may be able to suggest a basic subscription list for the bio-medical library, and also a practical means of co-operation among such libraries. There are many other libraries which serve smaller communities, similar to the

121

I Accepted for publication, April, I935. 2 E. R. Cunningham, "The present status of the publication of literature in the

medical and biological sciences," Bulletin Medical Library Association, n.s., XXIV (I935), 64-8i.



122 THE LIBRARY .LUTRTERLY

one here under consideration, whose needs are therefore com- parable. It is hoped that this study will be of interest and service to those confronted with the problem of selection and acquisition of periodical files.

PROCEDURE

A similar study has been made for the clinical library by Jenkins3 following the procedures of Goss4 and Allens in chemistry and mathematics, respectively. Sherwood6 has also made a study of this problem. The methods of these investigators were deductive. Use was determined by tabulation and summa- tion of bibliographical references culled from key journals during a specified period. The present study records directly the home-use circulation of journals in the Bio-medical Libraries of the University of Chicago during the fiscal year I934-35. As three of the libraries in the group have open stacks for periodicals, it has not been practical to get data for the total circulation, but only for journals withdrawn for home use. It must here be mentioned that periodicals circulate for seven days and are not subject to renewal. Faculty, research fellows, and as- sistants are privileged to withdraw journals for longer periods. But all volumes are subject to recall when needed. Literature indexes and abstract journals have not been included in this study as they are bibliographical tools and are not circulated.

Data were collected each day for the previous day's circulation. Call number and title of each journal were put at the head of a card. Below in the first column was copied the volume number; in the second column, the volume date; and in the third column, the date of withdrawal. The date of withdrawal is important in showing whether or not the demand was even or erratic. Each morning circulation data were added to the ap-

3R. L. Jenkins, "Periodicals for medical libraries," 7ournal American Medical Association, XCVII (1931), 6o8-io.

4 P. L. K. Goss, "College libraries and chemical education," Science, LXVI (1927), 385-89.

? E. S. Allen, "Periodicals for mathematics," ibid., LXX (I929), 592-94.

6 K. K. Sherwood, "Relative value of medical magazines," Northwest medicine, XXXI (I932), 273-76.



PERIODICA,LS FOR THE BIO-MEDICAL LIBRARY 123

propriate card. At the end of the year the total circulation for each journal was computed. Only data for journals whose circulation number is I2 or more have been included in Table I. In those cases where two or more journals had the same circulation figure, precedence has been given to the journal whose present trend, as determined by the circulation figures in columns 2-4, has the greatest value. It must be constantly borne in mind that the figures recorded are for home use and not for total circulation. However, as will be shown later, the journals which are in great demand for home use are, in general, those that are in great demand for reading-room use. Consequently, the relative importance in terms of use of the periodicals listed would probably not be materially altered if figures for total circulation were available.

To appraise critically the results of this study it is necessary to know something of the community that is served and of the facilities of the libraries studied. The Bio-medical Libraries of the University of Chicago consist of the Biology Library, Frank Billings Medical Library, Ophthalmology Library, and Lying- in Library. The subscription list of the Bio-medical Libraries is approximately goo journals. It may therefore be taken for granted that the most important periodic literature will be available. During the fiscal year I934-35 these libraries had total stack calls of over 76,ooo volumes and served a total of over 82,ooo readers. The immediate community served is best described by the following registration figures for the year 1934- 35:

University of Chicago registration ................... 9,499 Division of Biological Sciences, exclusive of Medicine.... 879 Medical School .............................. ....397 Faculty in Division of Biological Sciences including in-

terns and hospital residents ....................... 292

With the above facts in mind we may now examine Table I. In the first draft of the table, circulation data were included for the years 1876-I900. But it was decided that these detailed data were not of sufficient significance to warrant inclusion.



24 THE LIBRARY QUARTERLY

TABLE I

LIST OF RANKING BIO-MEDICAL PERIODICALS*

Rank and Periodical Total 1931_ 1926- i92i- 19i6- i91I- 1906- 90i- 35 30 25 20 15 10 5

I. Am. j. physiol., I898 .... 72 io6 56 39 I7 32 6 2. 7. biol. chem., I905 343 ii6 ii5 64 28 I7 3 3. 7. exper. med., I896 254 103 5 6o I9 IO 4

4- 7. physiol., I878 ..... I95 56 57 20 IO 14 7 8 5. 7.A.M.A., 1883. i86 93 36 28 8 7 7 6 6. Surg., gynec. & obst., I1OS I83 I44 13 II 7 5 I 2

7. Am. j. obst. &gynec., I920/21

.................... 182 137 34 II .................... 8. Physiol. rev., I921 179 62 65 52 ....................

9. Arc. int. med., I908 i69 83 34 22 13 10 7 ..... IO. Am. j. m. sc., I827 .... 65 I07 28 10 8 3 I 3 Ii. Biochem. j., I906 . I43 84 33 i6 4 5 I ..... I2. Proc. soc. exper. boL. & med.,

I904. I39 8I 30 17 7 3 1

I3. 7. exper. zool., I904 -.' I33 35 37 23 I2 I6 6 4 14. Am. j. dis. child., I9I I I22 7I 2I 23 5 2 ..... ..... I S. Lancet,* 1823 .ii8 85 I3 9 4 2 - . 2

I6. Hoppe Seyler's Ztschr.f. physiol. Chem., I877 ii6 6o 24 9 I 3 7 3

I7. Bull. 7ohns Hopkins Hospital, I890. II4 6I I9 II 4 2 1 0 4

I8. Arch. path., I926 . 107 60 47 ..... ..... .......... ..... I 9. Compt. rend. Soc. de biol., 1849

*----'-------------- 307 40 35 I4 I 3 6 6 20. British m. j., I853 I05 62 i5 IO 8 3 I 4 2I. Biochem. Ztschr., I906 102 42 32 i6 2 8 2 .....

22. 7. immunol., I9I6 IOI 5o 26 23 2 ..... ..... .....

23. Virchow's Arch. f. path. Anat., I847 .96 37 19 I4 - 3 3 6

24. Pfluiger's Afrch. f. d. ges. Phly- siol., I868 .94 29 II 13 7 15 4 5

25. 7. infect. dis., I904 - 93 43 I3 24 4 3 5 I

26. 7. pharmacol. & exper. therap., I909. 9I 46 i6 13 8 7 I .....

27. Arch.f. Gynak., I870 .89 46 I5 3 I 2

28. Botanical gazette, I875 . . 85 30 15 19 9 II 10 S 29. Arch. surg., i920 . 82 58 i6 8 ...............

* In the first column is given the rank; in the second column, the name of the journal. As far as possible abbreviations identical with those in the "List of journals indexed" in the Quarterly cumulative index medicus have been used. Immediately following the name, is given the date when publication was begun. In the columns to the right are given, first, the total home-use circulation and, second, home-use circulation of journals published during the five-year periods indicated at the head of each column. A dash in a column indicates that, although the journal was published and available, no requests were made for volumes cov- ering the dates specified. Ellipses indicate either that the journal was not published at the time or that the volumes were not owned by the university. A glance at the date when publication was begun will show if the journal was being published. An asterisk following the name of a periodical calls attention to the fact that the file is incomplete. A dash followed by a question mark means that, while some volumes are available, lacunae existed at the point indicated. In most cases the reader can judge merely by inspection if, on the theory of probabilities, such lacunae would be likely to alter materially the data compiled in the table.



PERIODICALS FOR THE B10-MEDICAL LIBRA4RY 12S

TABLE I-Continued

Rank and Periodical Total 1931- 1926- 1921- t916- 1911- 1906-- 1901- 35 30 25 20 IS 10 5

30. nn. surg., i885-~.....82 52 34 6 3- 2

31. 7. c/in, investigation, 1924~ 78 58 17 3............ 3-2. 7. obst'. & gynaec. Brit. Emp.,

I902 .........78 58 17 2 - I - -

33. Zentralbi.f. Gynak., 1877~ 76 63 I I 2 - - - -

34. New England j. med.,* i829 ... .. ... .. ... .. 76 54 10 - 5 4 -

35. Am. j. anat., i901-~.....75 25 12 13 5 4 8 8 36. Arch. dermat. & syph., 1920

.... ... ... ... ... 74 40 26 8. . . . . . . . .

37. Ztschr. f. d. ges. exper. Med.) 1913 .........71 45 23 I 1 I......

38. Proc. Roy. Soc.) London) s. B., 1905-.........71 36 16 II 2 4 2 -

39. Arch.f. exper. Path. u. Phar- makol., 1873-......70 47 15 2 - I 3

40. Arch. neurol. &psychiat., i919

.............. 68 '27 23 is 3... .......

41. A1nat. rec., 90o6- ~......68 30 12 32 I I I 2 ...

4'2. Endocrinology 91- 67 54 3 .........

43. Klin. Wchnschr., i3922~ ... 66 39 34 13 ........... 44. 7. path. &bact.,1i8 92 64 47 1Ii 6 2 5 - 3 45. Am.j. surg.,* 3890-~....63 53 8 1 - -? .....

46. Am. j. path., 192S~.... 61 44 14 3 ............ 47. Science, 3883-.......61 45 5 I 3 2 2 3 48. 7. agr. research, 3933 6i 13 21 14 II 2 ......

49. Arch. f. Entwcklngsmechn. d. Organ.,1I895 ......6o i6 12 9 3 3 1 4

So. Ann. int. med.,i 928 - 5 58 I ... ... ... ...... 5I. Biol.bull.,i899-~......59 12 II 7 8 10 8 3 52. Harvey Lect., I1906--. 58 26 37 6 5 3 1

53. 7. lab. &clin. med., I9 i5-~ 55 4 1 8 -......

54. Arch. ophth., 1 869-~.....54 49 4 - - - -

~5S. Am. naturalist, I3867 - 50 15 9 10 4 I 4 2

56. Am. rev. tuberc., 1917~~- 49 26 9 10 4 ......... 57. Am.j. ophth.,* i884 ~ - 48 45 3 - - ----- ----.--

58. Pub. health rep., 1878 %. 48 12 12 7 12 5 - -

5q. Deutsche med. Wchnschr., i875 ... .. ... .. ... .. 46 15 3 6 3 2 4 4

6o. Medicine , 1922- . 45 32 9 4 ........... 6i. Miinchen. med. Wchnschr.,

1 854~......... 45 10 9 8 2 2 2 2

62. Brain, i879 .......45 14 2 4 3 4 9 2

63. Quart. j. med., 1907- . 44 28 8 1 3 3 I

64 . 7.gen. physiol., 1 918 - 44 I0 2 1 9 4 .........

6s. 7. bone &joint surg., I9 I9- 43 27 12 3 I .. ..... 66. Arch.f. Dermat. u. Syph., 3869

... .. ... .. ... .. 43 20 12 8 - I I -



i126 THE LIBRARY QUIRTERLY

TABLE I-Continued

Rank nd Peiodicl Toal 1931- 1926- i921- 1916- 1911- 19o6- 1901- Rank an Periodcal Tot 35 30 25 20 is 10 5

67 . Am.j. cancer, 1916- . 42 36 3 2 1 ......... 68. Ztschr.f. d. ge.r. Neurol. u. P-sy-

chiat., 1910-~.......42 I 15 I 1 2 3 69. .7. comp. neuroL,1i89I- 42 12 12 5 3 4 1 4 70 .4Am. heart j., 1925-.....41 29 1 2 -............

71. Brit.j. exper. path., 19'20~-. 41 29 7 5 -.........

72. Proc. Roy. Soc. Med., 1 907-~ 41 29 5 2 I 3 1.

73. Zentralb/.f. Bakt. AYbi. I, 1887 ... .. ... .. ... .. 40 17 5 3 1 3 3 I

74. Beitr. z. path. AYnat. u. z. allg. Path., i8 86-.......40 14 8 1 5 4 I 4

7S. Annual rez'. biochem., 1932~ 39 39 ................. 76. 7. med. research, 1897-1 924.. 39........11 7 9 II

77. Ca nad. M.AJ.j., *19I1 1 .. 36 2 2 -? -P .

78. Am. j. hyg., 1921.....36 i8 9 9 ........... 79. Arch.f. klin.Chir., i86o-~ 36 14 12 5 - - I -

8o. Protop/asma, 19-27 . 34 23 11 ............... 8 i. WVien. k/in. Wchnschr., i888

.... ... ... ... ... 34 14 5 4 2 I 5 2

82. 7. pedial., 1 932-~......33 33 .................. 83. Am. j. roentgeno/., 190c6~ - 33 24 6 2 I-

84. Fo/ia haemat., 190o4-....33 12 17 3 - I- -

8S. Radio/ogy,* 1923 .....32 28 4 ............... 86. AIcta med. Scandinav~., 1919

... .. ... .. ... .. 32 26 4 12 - . . .. .. . .

87. Ztschr.f. Geburtsh. u. Gyndk., 1877-......... 31 22 3 2 - 4 - -

88. PhysioL. zoology, 1928-%.... 30 i6 14 ............... 89. Monatschr. f. Geburish. u.

Gyndk., 1895~......30 21 2 3 I 2 - I

90. Heart, 1909-33........30 7 4 7 2 9 I.

91. .7. bacd., 1916-~.......29 19 7 I 2.........

92. 7. anat., 1866~.......29 6 8 3 1 3 I

93. Arch. f. Psychiat., 1 868- 29 II 4 2 - - - 3 94. Afnn. otol., rhin. & laryng.,

1897~~......... 28 20 6 2 - - - -

95. Ztschr.f. k/in. Med., 1879- 28 i6 6 2 - I I

96. Brit.j. sfurg., i913 . 27 21 2 2 - 2 ......

97 . 7. morphol., 1887 ....27 4 II I 3 I - -

98. Vuart. j. exper. physioL., 1908 ... ... .. ... ... .. 27 10 2. 3 2 7 3 . . .

99. AM.-j. c/in. path., 193 1 -.. 26 26 .................. ioo. Internat. clin. , 1891-... 26 24 - I I- - - ioi. M. c/in. North America, 1917/

18-..........26 20 2 3 I .........

102. Med. k/in., 1905-.....26 7 6 8 1 1 3 - 103. Deutsches Afrch. f. k/in. Med.,

i865~-.........26 9 3 7 I 2 1 1



PERIODICALS FOR THE BIO-MEDICA4L LIBRA4RY 127

TABLE I-Continued

Rank and Periodical T otal 1931- 1926- 1921-~ 1916- 19i1- 1)06-- 1901- 35 30 25 20 i5 10 5

104. Surg. clin. North America, i 921i ... .. ... .. ... .. 25 13 12 ...-. . . . . .

305. 7. exper. biol., i924~... 25 33 30 4 ...... .... io6. Deutsche Ztschr. f. Chir., 3872

25 6 33 3 2 -

I07. EcologY, 3 920 - . ------24 8 12 4 -. ....... io8. Am. j. pub. health, i9 ii % 24 i6 7 3 - ...... 109. 7. nerv. & ment. dis.,* 3 874

... .. ... .. ... .. 24 30 9 3 2 - - -

130o. Im. j. botany, 39314 ~ ...24 3 8 8 4 I ..3 .. iii. 7. hered., iqio-~......24 4 5 7 7 3 .. 31i2. Arch. mikrosk. Anat., i 865-

i3923 ...........24.... ... - 8 6 4 i13. Arch. otolaryng., 39-25 % 23 20 2 I .. .. .. .. 3314. Plant physiol., 1 926- . 23 32 I31.. ......... ..

135. Genetics, 3916-...... 23 8 7 4 4 ........ ii6. Soil science, 193i6-.... 23 7 8 3 7 ......... 117. Anat. anz., i886 ~ .. 23 2 2 3 3 2 9 2 ii8. 7. nutrition, 39-28-.....22 8 4 .............. i1i9. Naturwissenschaften, I39133 22 35 6 -I-.... .. 1 20. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sc. , I393I5- 22 9 7 3 2 I .. .. 323. Ztschr. f. wissensch. Zoologie,

3848~~.........22 3 3 3 - 4 2 -

3 22. Arch. dis. childhood,* 1 926 -~ 23i 23i .. .. .. .. .. .. i323. Ztschr. f. Krebsforsch., 3903

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23 39 I I - - -

124. Brit. j. dermat., i 8 88 ...21 32 4 3 2 - - -

325. Ztschr.f. Biol., i865 23 3 2 2 I 5 I I i326. .7. allergy, 3930- ......20 19 I3.. .. .. .. .. 3'27 .4Acta obst. et gynec. Scandinao.,

1922~~.........20 14 6 ......... .... 128. Am.]j. trop. med., i92 i-... 20 9 8 3 ............ i129. Presse m6d.,* 3 893-....20 34 4 1- - - -

330. Bibliog. genetica, 3925 .... 20 I0 2 8 ...... .... 1333. Ztschr. f. Immunitatsforsch. u.

exper. Therap., i1o0-. -20 8 7 2 I 2 1332. Nat. Inst. Health bull., 3900

'20 6 - 6- 3 5- I333. Ann. botany, 3887 ~ ....20 3 2 3 I 4 5 3

134. Ztschr. f. Hals-, Nasen- u. Ohrenh., 3 922 ~~..39... 8 7 4 ...........

335. Dermat. Wchnschr. 3882-~ 39 30 5 3 3

336. Am. j. syph. & neurol., 3 917 .... .... ... .... . 19 30 4 4 I3 . . .. . . .

337. Laryngoscope, 1 896~~... 39 33 I 3 2 - - -

138. Ergebn. d. Physiol., 3902 ~ ~ 39 8 2 3 - 3 4 339. B iometrica, 390o2 ~ 19.... 4 5 - - 4 2 4 i40. Klin. Monatsbl. f. Augenh.,*

3863-......... 8 i8 - -



x28 THE LIBRdRY QUA4RTERLY

TABLE I-Continued

Rank and Periodical Total 191 1926- i921 1916- i19i1 1906- i901- 35 30 25 20 15 To 5

141. Quart. rev. biol., 19,26 -.. 18 9 9 ............... I42. Mod. hosp.,* 1913-~.......6 3 - -? ...

143. Edinburgh m..*i5~ . 17 15 2?................ 14.4. Current researches in anesth. &

analg., I1922 ...... 17 1 1 3 3 ............ 145. 7. genetics, 1 910-~..... 17 1 0 6 I- - -

146. Nature, 1 870-~...... 17 1 0 6 - 147. 7. urol., 1917-~..1....I7 8 6 - 3......... 1 48. Illinois in.]j., I1899-. I...1 7 6 6 2 2 - 1 I149. Afrch.f. Qhren-, Nasen- u. Kehl-

kopfh., I864~...... 17 7 4 - -3 2 i So. 7ap. j. obst. & gynec.,* 1918

............i6 i6 ............... I1Si. Proc. staff meet., Mayo Clin.,*

1927~~.........i6 14~ 2?............... 152. Monatschr. f. Kinderh., 1903

.... ... ... ... ... i6 12 4 - I53. Wien.A1rch.f. inn. Med., 1920

............ 6 12 2 2 - .. .......

154. Acta med. Scandinav. Suppi., 1921 .........i6 12 2 2 ............

155. Paris m6dical* i1910- ... i6 II 3 1 - -....

156. Dermat. Ztschr., 1894 ~.... i6 12 - I - 3 - -

IS7. Chem. reviews, i1924 ~ ... i6 7 8 1 ............

1S8. Ztschr.f. Kinderh., 1911 ~. i6 9 4 3 - ...-..

i59. Calif. Univ. pub. in zoology, 1902~~......... x6 1 7 2 3 1 2 -

i6o. New phytologist, I1902 .... 16 I 2 4 4 3 2-

16i. BioL. reviews, 1925- . I5 o 5 -............

162. 1nn. m. hist., 1917-.... 5I 13 - 2 -.........

163. Frankfurt. Ztschr. f. Path., 1907~~.........IS 8 5 -

164. Bruns' Beitrage zur klin. Chir., 1885-~......5...i 4 4 I 3 3 -

i6s. 7ahr. f. Kinderh., 1 8 58 .. is 4 2 3 - I I I i66. Chinese m. j., 1 8 87 . 14 14 ...... .. .. .... 167. Bull. Soc. d'Obst. et de Gynlc.,*

I191i2-~.1....... 4 14 - -? . .. . ................

i68. Arch. f. .dugenh., I8914 13 1 I

i69. Strahlentherapir: Originale, 1912-~.........14 1I 3 - - .......

170. Brit. j. radiol., * 1 896-.... 14 I0 3 I -? -? -

171. Ann. Pickett- Thomson Re- search Lab., 1924 ....14 9 5 -............

172. 7. hyg., I o I~ .......14 7 5 2- -

173. Guy's hosp. rep.,* I836~~~.. 14 7 5 - - ? 174. ZentralbL.f. Chir., 1874 .. 14 9 I 2 - - I 175. Zoologische 7ahrb., I9h I .I 14 4 4 3 2 1 ......



PERIODICALS FOR THE BIO-MEDICAL LIBRARY 129

TABLE I-Continued

Rank and Periodical Total 1931- 1926- 192- 1916- 1911- | 906- 9o0| - 35 30 25 20 is 1O 5

176. Ann. Inst. Pasteur, 1887 . I14 3 4 I 3 2 I 177. Arch. f. Anal. u. Entwcklngs-

mech., I 877-1920 ..4 - . . ... 14 . ..... - I I 4 178. Clin. sc., 1934 .-.1 -3 13 ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... 179. M. j. Australia,* 1914 -... 13 II 2? ..... .......... ..... ..... I8o. Biol. CentralbL., I88 .. 13 2 3 4 3 - - -

i8i. Berl. klin. Wchnschr., I864- 1921I ..3.............. Q ..... ..... I - 3 I

I82. Yale j. biol. & med., 1928/29 .................... 12 I2 - . .... ..... ..... ..... .....

I83. South. m.j.,* I1O8 ...... 1 I2 12 -? - ..... ..... ..... ..... 184. Ergebn. d. ges. Med., I 92- i2 2 . . . ..... ...... I85. Am.j. nursing, I900-..... I2 10 2 _ I 86. Acta dermato-venereol., 1920

1.................... I2 8 4 - ..... ..... .....

187. Beitr. z. Klin. d. Tuberk., 1903 .................... 12 7 5 _

88. Epidemiol. rep., League of Na- tions, 1924 ........... 1 2 5 7 ..... ..... ..... .....

I89. Ztschr. f. induk. Abstam. u. Vererbsl., I 9o8 -........ 12 3 7 - - I I.

Igo. Skandinav. Arch. f. Physiol., I 889................ 12 4 3 3 - I - -

1g9. Ztschr. f. Anat. u. Entwckngs- gesch., I 892 ......1. I 2 2 5 3 - - 2

192. Phytopathology, 191 i - .... 12 3 5 - 3 1. ...

Only final results were important-particularly the percentage of the total stack calls which fall in the various groups. From the totals of each column and the grand total the percentage circulation falling into each group has been calculated. Results are given in Table II.

TABLE II

CIRCULATION PERCENTAGES BY PUBLICATION DATES

I93I-35 . ....... S2.1 I896-I9o0 . ...... I.I

1926-3o ........0 2I I89I-95 . ........5 o.6 192I-25 . ....... II-3 I886-900 .3 I9I6-20 ........ 4.5 I88I-85 ......... 0.2

I9II-I5 ........ 3.8 I876-8o.. 0. o. 2

I906-I0 ........ 2.5 To I875 . ........ 0.2 I9oI-5 ......... I.6



I30 THE LIBRARY QUARTERLY

In drawing conclusions from Table I it would not be advisable to narrow comparisons to journals in too close juxtaposition. Variations in circulation at different periods would alter the arrangement somewhat, but not drastically. Likewise comparisons should preferably be made between journals whose subject matter is analogous. The smaller library circulation figures in columns 2-4 have greatest significance as they indicate the present trend. During the last decade (I924-25-1934-35), for instance, many new periodicals have been launched which, ac- cording to present indications, will prove of increasing importance. These are listed below:

American heart journal, I925-

American journal of clinical pathology, I93I-

American journal of pathology, I925-

Annals of internal medicine, I928- Annals of the Pickett-Thomson Research Laboratories, I924-

Aznnual review of biochemistry, 1932- A.rchives of disease in childhood, I926- Archives of otolaryngology, I925-

Archives of pathology, I926- Bibliographia genetica, I925-

Biological reviews, i1925-

Chemical reviews, 1924- Clinical science, I934-

Epidemiological reports of the League of Nations, I924-

Journal of allergy, I 930- Journal of clinical investigation, 1924- Journal of experimental biology, I924-

Journal of nutrition, I 928-

Journal of pediatrics, I 932 Physiological zoology, I 928- Plant physiology, I926- Proceedings of the staf meetings of the Mayo Clinic, 1927-

Protoplasma, 1927-, Quarterly review of biology, I926- Yale journal of biology and medicine, I928/29-

It may be countered that Table I, which is based on home- use circulation, does not accurately reflect usage. To determine whether or not there are great differences between home use and



PERIODICALS FOR THE BIO-MEDICAL LIBRARY 13I

reading-room use a comparative study was made of the two types of circulation in the Biology Library. Results showed: I. That of a list of the fifty most important journals thirty-six were common

to both lists 2. That home-use circulation included eleven foreign-language periodicals,

whereas reading-room circulation included only six 3. Four of the journals excluded from home-use circulation at a rank of fifty

or above were oversized and difficult to carry 4. Remaining journals excluded from home-use circulation were included at

a lower rank

From these results one may conclude that there is little dif- ference betweefi reading-room and home-use circulation. Such differences as do exist may be rationalized (i) by the fact that journals in foreign languages are usually taken home as they re- quire a longer time in reading; (2) by the fact that oversized journals are usually read on the spot as they are too burdensome to carry; (3) by the fact that many withdrawals for reading- room use are merely for the checking of references or statements and for inspection to determine whether or not an article is of interest. One is forced to conclude that serious reading is better reflected by home use than by reading-room circulation; had reading-room data been available for all the libraries in the bio- medical group, the circulation numbers as given in Table I would have been considerably augmented, but ranking would not have been very materially altered.

It may be of interest to the clinical librarian to know the journals in this field which in terms of repeated use would be con- sidered the most important. For this reason we are giving data for the home-use circulation in the clinical libraries in Table III. As was the case with Table I, only periodicals whose circulation number is I2 or above have been included, and again the arrangement is one of declining use. In examining Table III it must be borne in mind that, though by far the greatest number of users consist of the medical faculty, research workers, and students in the clinical departments, these libraries are open to the entire university community.



132 THE LIBRARY tUARTERLY

TABLE III

LIST OF RANKING PERIODICALS IN THE CLINICAL LIBRARIES

Circu- Rank and Periodical lation

Number

I . 7ournal of biological chemistry ..................................... 187 2. American journal of physiology .................................1... 87 3. 7ournal of experimental medicine..18........................ I83 4. Surgery, gynecology and obstetrics ..I 80 S. American journal of obstetrics and gynecolog. I79 6. .7ournal of the American Medical Association ........................1 63 7. Archives of internal medicine ...................................... I36 8. American journal of the medical sciences ............................ I36 9. Physiological reviews ............................................. 120

IO. American journal of diseases of children . IO8 I I. Lancet . Io8 I 2. British mcdical journal . 93 I3. Archivfiir Gynakologie . 89 14. Virchow's Archivffur pathologische Anatomie . 88 I S. 7ohns Hopkins Hospital bulletin . 85 I6. Archives of pathology ..83 17. Archives of surgery . 79 18. _7ournal of clinical investigation . 75 I9. Annals of surgery.. 74 20. Proceedings of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine . 73 21. Archives of dermatology and syphilology . 73 22. Zentralblattfur Gynakologie ...................... .......... 72 23. 7ournal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics . 7I 24. 7ournal of obstetrics and gynecology of the British Empire.70 25. 7ournal of infectious diseases ..................................... 6S 26. Zeitschriftfur die gesamte experimentelle Medizin . 64 27. American journal of surgery .. 6o 28. New England journal of medicine . 6o 29. Annals of internal medicine . 59 30. 7ournal of immunology . 58 3I. Klinische Wochenschrift . &7 32. Jrchives of neurology and psychiatry. .......... ....... 56 33. American journal of pathology .. 55 34. Archives of ophthalmology .. 4 35. Archivffur experimentelle Pathologie und Pharmakologie ............... Si 36. American journal of ophthalmology. 48 37. 7ournal of laboratory and clinical medicine .47 38. 7ournal of pathology and bacteriology 45 39. Biochemicaljournal .43 40. Endocrinology .42 41. A.merican heart journal. 40 42. ! ,uarterly journal of medicine. 40 43. Archiv fur Dermatologie und Syphilologie. 40 44. Journal of bone and joint surger .39 45. Brain .38



PERIODIC ALS FOR THE BIO-MEDICAL LIBRARY I33

TABLE 111-Continued


Number

46. Medicine ...................................................... 37 47. Lectures of the Harvey Society of New York ......................... 37 48. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine ........................ 37 49. British journal of experimental pathology ....... .................... 36 So. American journal of cancer ....................................... 36 Si. Zeitschriftffur die gesamte Neurologie und Psychiatric ................. 36 52. Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift ............................... 35 53. Munchener medizinische Wochenschrift ............................. 35 54. Beitrage zur Klinik der Tuberkulose ................................ 35 55. 7ournal of pediatrics ............................................. 33 56. Canadian Medical Association journal ............................. 33 57. American journal of roentgenology and radium therapy ................ 33 58. Heart ....................................................... 32 59. Radiology ...................................................... 32 6o. Ata medica Scandinavica ....................... 32 6I. American review of tuberculosis ............................ . 31 62. Wiener klinische Wochenschrift . . 30 63. Archivfrur klinische Chirurgie ............... ...................... 30 64. Monatsschrift far Geburtshuife und Gynlikologie . . 29 65. Zeitschriftfur klinische Medizin ................................... .27 66. American journal of clinical pathology . . 26 67. Science ............................................... 25 68. Medical clinics of North America............. .............. 25 69. 7ournal of medical research ....................................... 25

70. British journal of surgery ......................... . 25 71. International clinics .......................... . 25 72. Deutsche Zeitschriftfar Chirurgie . . 25 73. Annals of otology, rhinology and laryngology.. . 24 74. Zeitschriftfifr Geburtshulfe und Gynakologie . . 24 7S. Deutsches Archiv fur klinische Medizin ....... .................... 24 76. Surgical clinics of North America ....... 23 77. Archives of otolaryngology .. ...... ..... 23 78. 7ournal of nervous and mental disease . . 22

79. Archives of disease in childhood . ..... 2 8o. Medizinische Klinik ............................................. 21 8i. Zeitschriftfar Krebsforschung ..................................... 21

82. British journal of dermatology..................................... 21

83. 7ournal of allergy ............................................... 20

84. Presse m6dicale ................................................. 20 85. Archiv far Psychiatrie ........................................... 20

86. Klinische Monatsbldtterfar Augenheilkunde . . I 8 87. Dermatologische Wochenschrift . . i8 88. Edinburgh medical journal ........................................ I7 89. Proceedings of the staff meetings of the Mayo Clinic ................... I6 go. American journal of tropical medicine . . I6 9I. 7apanese journal of obstetrics ..................................... I6 92. American journal of syphillis ......................... . I6



134 THE LIBRARY tUARTERLY

TABLE III-Continued


Number

93. Paris m6dical .......................................... I6 94. Annual review of biochemistry .1 5 95. Zeitschriftffur Kinderheilkunde . s 96. Acta medica Scandinavica. Supplementum s 97. Monatsschriftfiur Kinderheilkunde . s 98. Annals of medical history ......................................... I4 99. British journal of radiology ....................................... I4

IOO. Current researches in anaesthesia and analgesia ...................... 14 IOI. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ..................... 14 102. Bulletin de la Socilti d'Obstltrique et de Gynccologie .................. I4 103. 7ournal of urology ........................................4. 14 104. Zeitschriftffur Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde ..................... 14 105. Strahlentherapie ...................... . I4 io6. Frankfurter Zeitschrftfur Pathologie ..14 107. Chinese medical journal .....................4.......... ..... I4 io8. Illinois medical journal ............ I4 IOg. Dermatologische Zeitschrift .....................4................. 14 I 0. Archiv fur Augenheilkunde .4................................. .. . I4 iii. Medical journal of Justralia .......................3...... ..... 13 I I12. Wiener Archiufuir innere Medizin . . . . .1.3 113. Laryngoscope ................................................... I 3 114. Folia haematologica ............................................. 13 I I 5. Berliner klinische Wochenschrift . 13 i i6. Jahrbuch fur Kinderheilkunde ......................... ........ . 13 117. Yale journal of biology and medicine .12 II8. ta dermato-venereologica. .12 I 9. Southern medical journal . 12 I 20. American journal of nursing . 12 I12I. Modern hospital ..............2. I2

I 22. Archiufuir Ohren- , Nasen- und Kehlkopfheilkunde .............. 12

It is interesting to note that in Table III the 7ournal of the American Medical lssociatioJz is ranked sixth. In terms of home use this ranking is accurate, but it must be pointed out that if figures for total use were available, this journal would unques- tionably head the list. The reason for this discrepancy in circulation is obvious when we consider the size and weight of the bound volumes.

If we compare Table III with results obtained deductively by Jenkins7 and Sherwood8 it is significant that the similarities

7 op. cit. 8 op. cit.




are greater than the differences. Thus Table III contains forty of the journals listed by Jenkins and forty-seven of those listed by Sherwood. Among the first fifty entries of Table III are included thirty of the periodicals listed by Jenkins and thirty listed by Sherwood. Both lists omit several journals which, in terms of use, we have found of great importance, namely:

American journal of pathology American journal of surgery Archives of neurology and psychiatry 7ournal of obstetrics and gynecology of the British Empire Physiological reviews Virchow's Archiv fur pathologische Anatomie Zeitschrift fir die gesamte experimentelle Medizin

It is also interesting to note that out of a total of fifty German periodicals, Jenkins' list contains twenty, Sherwood's eleven, and the University of Chicago's nine. No one would question the excellence of Jenkins' compilation in terms of desirability per se, but in terms of practicability one might be somewhat dubious. Would an average small clinical library be justified in including twenty German periodicals in a list of fifty? The expenditure for these journals would absorb over 6o per cent of the periodical budget. Would not the language handicap reduce actual usage to a point where the expenditure would be out of line with the demand.? It seems that the staff served would have to be given careful consideration. Is it likely that readers in a small clinical library would use more German periodicals than the community described in this study? If the answer is nega- tive, one must conclude that Sherwood's list reflects more close- ly the actual demand which might be made on an American clinical library, whereas Jenkins' list reflects the possible demand of a cosmopolitan library whose staff is over 20 per cent German.

Comparative study of the three periodical lists also brings to -light some interesting differences in the ranking of periodicals (Table IV).



I36 THE LIBRIRY QUARTERLY

Some of these differences may be rationalized when we consider that Jenkins' study covered the year I929; Sherwood's, the year I930/31; and the present study, the year I934/35. During the last few years there have also been marked changes in the content of certain German periodicals which would tend to alter their ranking.

TABLE IV

OUTSTANDING DIFFERENCES IN PERIODICAL RANKINGS GIVEN BY

JENKINS, SHERWOOD, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

Periodical { Rank Given Rank Given Rank Given Periodical ~~~by Jenkins by Sherwood by University of Chicago

Annals of internal medicine .................... o 45 29 Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift ............. 8 15 52 7ournal of clinical investigation ........ ......... ? 48 I 8 7ournal of immunology ........................ 42 0 30 Journal of pharmacology and experimental thera-

peutiCs.0 . ? 36 23 Journal of urology ............................ 0 20 103 Klinische Wochenschrift ..................... 3 I3 3I Medizinische Klinik ...............1... . I3 31 80 Muinchener medizinische Wochenschrift ........... 5 9 53 Strahlentherapie .............................. 0 22 lo5 Journal of experimental medicine ................ 18 I6 3

CONCLUSIONS

Though the records of the past are of inestimable value, Table I shows clearly that the present is of much greater con- cern to the scientist. The historical approach gives perspective, but results of investigations just completed or in progress must be tapped in order to avoid wasteful duplications of effort. In general, the table shows a sharp decline in usage from 1935 to i92i, following which the decline becomes more gradual. Fur- ther inspection shows that clinical journals are more ephemeral in value than are the biological journals. In other words, the student and research worker in biology, or premedical sub- jects, draws more on the past than does the clinician.

The practical implications of these facts would be that in se- lecting a serial subscription list the small bio-medical library




should be guided primarily by present trends in circulation as indicated in columns 2-4 of Table I, rather than by total circulation. Thus the small bio-medical library, particularly if located in a scientific center, needs only complete back files for the last twenty years, whereas the small clinical library would need back files only for the last ten or fifteen years.

RECOMMENDATIONS

For the bio-medical library that serves a community similar to the one here studied, it might well be recommended that a subscription list of from 200 to 250 periodicals should include those listed in Table I. Similarly, the clinical library with a subscription list of 135 to 175 journals should include those listed in Table III. Each library would, no doubt, have to include others which because of special research problems or local interest would be very essential tools.

The clinical library with a subscription list considerably smaller than that indicated in Table III would need, besides the more important general medical journals, a fair representation in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and surgery. After these needs had been met, the library should be guided in its purchase of specialties by the particular needs of its own staff and community and also by the mortality statistics of the United States. For example, figures compiled by the Bureau of the Census9 show the death-rates per IOO,ooo esti- mated population in I932 for the five outstanding groups to be as follows:

Diseases of the circulatory system ...... .... 246.2 Infectious and parasitic diseases ............ 130.8 Diseases of the nervous system and of the

organs of special sense ................ Io8. I Cancer and other tumors .................. I07.1 Diseases of the genito-urinary system ....... Ioo. 6

Table III will show which journals in these specialties have the highest ranking in terms of repeated use. It might therefore be

9 "Mortality statistics for the death registration area of continental United States, 1930, 193i and I932," Public health reports, XLIX (I934), Pt. I, 55-59.




recommended that the small clinical library include at least one journal confined to each of the above specialties.

As 8s per cent of the periodical requests will be met if the library has available the back files of journals from I92I to date, a primary goal for the smaller library would be to sub- scribe to as many as possible of those journals that are in greatest demand, as indicated by present trends, and to acquire the back files of these journals from I92I to date. A secondary goal would be a still further increase in the subscription list, addition of the back files from I92I to date of these new journals, and the acquisition of back files from I9OI to I920 of the most popu- lar journals initially acquired. A tertiary goal would be a still further increase in the subscription list and completion of the more important files from I9OI to date. Not until these goals had been attained would it seem advisable to acquire any back files dating before the turn of the century. Nor would it be justifiable to acquire rare journals of interest primarily to the historian and scholar.

It has been said that a library fulfils its destiny in so far as it is able to meet the unusual as well as the usual needs of its patrons. But it must be conceded that a library must give precedence to the imperative needs of the many rather than to the superlative needs of the few. The smaller library, in particular, should pride itself, not on the distinction and rarity of its holdings, but on the effectiveness of its service.

Co-operation, to be successful, must begin at the very outer periphery of a library's needs. Thus, as regards the rare journals which are needed only by the historian and scholar, it is in the interest of larger as well as smaller libraries to make selections with a view to making as many such items as possible available in a given region. For example, there is the list of early Ameri- can medical journals compiled by Robinson,"o headed by the Medical repository (I797-I 824). For a library to acquire the items on this list without first ascertaining their possible avail-

JO V. Robinson, "The early medical journals of America founded during the quarter- century 1797-I 822," Medical life XXXVI (1929), 553-85.




ability in neighbor libraries would be an unwise expenditure of funds. The same would be true as regards the list of seven- teenth- and eighteenth-century scientific journals compiled by Garrison."I Though these journals are of great historic significance, the reader requesting them would be willing to wait either until they could be secured through interlibrary loan, or until a micro-film or photoprint could be made of the desired article. He will be better served if several of these historic files are available in a given region than if duplicate files of one or two of them are closer at hand.

Again this study shows that less than 3 per cent of all requests were for journals published before I9oo; that only 0.2 per cent of all requests were for journals published prior to I 875. Here again is an opportunity for co-operation. The completion of back files of extant journals published before igoo should be made with a view to making as many different pub- lications as possible available in a given region. Duplication of infrequently used volumes is a needless dissipation of resources. Community co-operation between scientific libraries has been suggested by Kampmeier,12 Kricker,I3 Ballard,'4 and others. Certainly the plan is practical in so far as it refers to rare books and journals and to back files of extant journals published before I900. But with regard to current subscriptions and the re- cent volumes of extant files the feasibility of co-operation is not so clear. In the case of highly specialized journals it would seem that co-operation in research projects would logically have to precede co-operation in the matter of subscriptions. Necessity may, however, speed greater co-operation and co-ordination of resources among libraries. For example, when it seemed in-

"F. H. Garrison, "The medical and scientific periodicals of the i7th and 18th cen- turies," Bulletin 7ohns Hopkins Institute of History of Medicine, II (1934), 285-343.

10 O. F. Kampmeier, "The problem of coordination of medical libraries in Chicago," Proceedings of the Institute of Medicine of Chicago, IX (1932), i22-28.

3 G. Kricker, "Klinikbiichereien und Universitdtsbibliotheken," Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift, LVIII (1932), 1142-43.

14 J. F. Ballard, "Co-operation and co-ordination in special library work," Bulletin Medical Library Association, n.s., XXIV (I936), I49-54.




evitable that many libraries would have to cancel subscriptions to the high-priced German medical periodicals, the zoning plan was recommended by the Medical Library Association.'s Had not substantial reductions been obtained in the subscription prices of these journals, this co-operative measure would un- doubtedly have gone into effect. The spirit of the times calls for co-operative endeavor, and the regional conception of library service is slowly replacing the local autonomous system.

IS Medical Library Association, "Report of the Committee on the Cost of Current Medical Periodicals for the year I932-33," ibid., XXII (I933-34), 8-I2.



Documents

Periodicals for the Small Bio-Medical and Clinical Library