Most of us I suspect endorse the maxim, "The heavier the book, the less the
use."  In an article in the latest issue of the ANNALS OF IMPROBABLE
RESEARCH, Erika Love tests our rule and finds reality not quit as we
suspected.  She discovers the Harrison limit (10 lbs.) and describes how it
affects use.
 
This research is of such import that I wished to alert all.  We can now
safely use the 10 lb. rule in our collection development policies.
 
She also discovered an inverse correlation between cost per pound and
medical specialty reported income.  How this information might be used in
our everyday practice is not clear to me as yet.  It certainly merits
discussion in this and other venues.
 
Complete citation:
Love E:  Biblio-obesity.  ANNALS OF IMPROBABLE RESEARCH 1996 Mar/Apr;2(2):24-25
 
Michael Rissinger
New York University Medical Center Library
New York, NY 10016
(212) 263-8935
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