Library and Information Science Commons^™

The Effects Of High Median Age On Currency Of Resources In Community College Library Collections, Anna H. Perrault, Richard Madaus, Ann Armbrister, Jeannie Dixon, Rhonda Smith

School of Information Faculty Publications

In 1998, a comprehensive study was conducted of the monograph collections of the twenty-eight public community colleges in Florida. This article reports the findings of that study with respect to median age and currency of resources. The rationale for the interpretation of the findings in the Florida Community College Collection Assessment Project is congruent with the philosophy that college collections should emphasize the instructional and curricular needs of students and, therefore, that the collections should emphasize current resources rather than retrospective depth. The findings on median age from the Florida Community College study serve as an example for the discussion …