Subject Use
The Subject Use tool describes title and item circulation by call number range and makes recommendations to expand or weed each range based on library-determined performance expectations.
Subject Categories
Decision Center determines subject categories based on data from your library's statistical categories (SCAT) table. This table groups call numbers in up to 9,999 different categories. Each category consists of one or more range(s) of call numbers (for example, 200 - 299 or PS1100 - PS3500). Note that call numbers can be numeric (Dewey) or alphanumeric (Library of Congress).
Each library creates its own SCAT table so that tools provide the categories the library wants. The category names that appear in Decision Center reflect the SCAT table's call number range description field, as entered by the library.
The Subject Use tool includes the following components:
Initial Filters
You can set the following filters to configure this tool:
Location
The Location filter options reflect the branch locations recognized by your library system. The data is limited to the Owning Locations you select. You can select any number of available locations, but you must select at least one to run the tool. The default is All Locations.
Locations
To determine the location, Decision Center first identifies the location code (shelf code) in the item record. The system then looks up the location code in the Locations Served file and uses the associated branch location code. (For more information on the Locations Served table, see the Sierra WebHelp or the Millennium Innovative Guide & Reference.) The descriptive name associated with the branch location code comes from the Branches file. (For more information on the Branches table, see the Sierra WebHelp or the Millennium Innovative Guide & Reference.) If the system cannot find the location code or the branch name in the Locations Served file, Decision Center displays the location code that appeared in the item record.
Call Number Range Table
The Call Number Range Table filter options reflect the statistical categories (SCAT) tables configured by your library system. The data is limited to the tables you select. You can select any number of available tables, but you must select at least one to run the tool. The default is All Call Number Range Tables.
Data Columns
The following data columns appear in the results:
#
The results row number.
Category Name
The subject category name from the description field of the library's Statistical Categories (SCAT) table.
Number of Titles
The number of titles within the subject category.
Number of Items
The number of items for all titles within the subject category.
Avg Items per Title
The average number of items per title within the subject category. (Whole numbers only; fractional remainders of any size are dropped.)
Total Circs Last 365 Days
The total number of circulations (checkouts and renewals) in the last 365 days.
% Titles Circ'd Last 365 Days
The percentage of titles that circulated within the last 365 days. Circulations include checkouts and renewals.
Turnover
The turnover ratio is the quotient of circulated items (circ count) divided by the number of corresponding circable items in the system during the relevant time period. Circulation comprises checkouts and renewals.
Recommendation
Weed or expand, based upon calculations.
Remedy Filters
You can apply the following filters to modify the results:
Weed If % Use Less Than
Limits the results to categories for which the % Titles Circ'd Last 365 Days value is less than the specified percentage.
Expand If % Use Greater Than
Limits the results to categories for which the % Titles Circ'd Last 365 Days value is greater than the specified percentage.
Minimum Number of Titles
Limits the results to categories containing at least the specified number of titles.
