Robust Citation Analysis in Public and Academic Libraries
In an era of constrained budgets and ever-expanding information resources, libraries face a challenge: how to build collections that truly serve their 
communities’ needs. Citation analysis has emerged as a powerful evidence-based tool that helps both academic and public libraries to make informed decisions about resource allocation, collection development, and service provision. By examining which sources researchers, students, and community members cite, libraries can create collections rooted in documented demand.
Understanding Citation Analysis
Citation analysis examines references in scholarly works to establish patterns and relationships between authors, publications, and fields of study (1). The technique has been employed by librarians since the 1920s,
providing a clear picture of the journals and resources that scholars rely on for education and research (2). Unlike traditional usage metrics, which only show what materials people access, citation analysis reveals what sources users find valuable enough to incorporate into their own intellectual work.
As libraries collect vast quantities of data, citation analysis helps select appropriate data points to answer specific questions or address assessment goals (3). The most common applications include creating core
https://clarivate.com/academia-government/blog/maximize-collection-management-at-your-library-the-power-of-citation-analysis-integrated-evaluation-tools/
journal lists, assessing the usefulness of collections, and informing collection development decisions (3). This methodology assumes that materials used by authors appear as citations in their work, making it an unobtrusive and concrete way to evaluate collections (2).
Recent Applications in Academic Libraries
Academic libraries have embraced citation analysis with increasingly sophisticated approaches. A 2024 study at Alphacrucis University College analyzed 1,723 cited sources in five PhD theses awarded between 2017 and 2021, finding that the library’s collection development ensured access to a substantial majority of cited sources (4). This research demonstrated how citation analysis can validate that purchasing decisions align with student research needs at the highest academic levels.
At East Carolina University, researchers examined thousands of citations in doctoral dissertations from three programs—education, English, and kinesiology—to assess the extent of materials support across disciplines (5). The analysis revealed limited coverage of e-journals but lower satisfaction with monograph availability, prompting improvements to the collection. Researchers found that understanding publication and citation habits provides libraries with valuable data points when usage statistics are limited or unavailable (5).
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs took a different approach by reviewing faculty publications and citations from their health sciences and nursing college, comparing them with library serials holdings (5). This analysis showed that the library had current access to the majority of journals published in and cited by faculty, while also identifying that Open Access publishing was limited, indicating a need for enhanced scholarly communication outreach.
Integration with Modern Library Systems
The integration of citation analysis tools with library management systems has revolutionized how institutions leverage this data. Clarivate’s InCites Benchmarking & Analytics, which seamlessly integrates with the Alma library management system, enables librarians to view researchers’ detailed citation activity within journal holdings in a single platform (2). This integration allows libraries to identify priority journals by aggregating bibliographic data associated with faculty members, see which journals cite institutional authors most often, and view collections mapped to Web of Science research areas to analyze coverage across disciplines (2).
Citation analysis helps librarians address the dilemma of choosing between journals with equal usage levels when budget constraints require difficult decisions (2). The 
technique identifies critical journals that drive institutional progress and cannot be sacrificed, even during unavoidable cutbacks.
Book Citation Index and Collection Development
The Book Citation Index has become particularly valuable for academic libraries navigating the shift toward electronic formats while managing finite budgets (6). This tool helps librarians identify works that are not only relevant to current academic discourse but also have a lasting influence on future research. As libraries wade through increasing amounts of content to meet user expectations against a backdrop of evolving disciplines and changing pedagogical approaches, the Book Citation Index enables them to discern authoritative digital content and curate collections reflecting diverse perspectives (6).
Emerging Trends and Technologies
Recent bibliometric studies have examined citation patterns within library and information science. A 2025 analysis of global academic library publications found that the United States accounted for 45% of highly cited articles, with the Chinese Academy of Sciences leading as the top institutional contributor (7). The study also revealed that articles and electronic books achieve better reach, with English as the primary language
for scholarly communication (7).
Academic librarians are increasingly using citation analysis to understand the impact of artificial intelligence and open access on research patterns. A 2024 study of community college students found that 56.8% of their citations were open-access articles, with a key benefit being continued access to these resources after leaving college (8). This finding has significant implications for collection development strategies, particularly as libraries balance traditional subscriptions with the expansion of open-access materials.
Applications Beyond Academic Settings
While citation analysis is most established in academic libraries, its principles are increasingly relevant to public libraries. Public libraries must respond to community needs to remain relevant, a process that requires systematic assessment of those needs (9). Although public libraries don’t 
A 2022 study examining public library needs assessment employed mixed methods, including interviews, questionnaires, and analysis of social media data, to understand user communities and anticipated services (9). This approach reflects how public libraries are adapting citation analysis principles to their contexts by examining which information sources and services community members actually use and value.
Public libraries serving underserved communities have found that collecting community data from
various sources helps them understand local needs and develop appropriate programs and services (10). Project LOCAL, an IMLS-funded initiative, demonstrated that libraries that collect and analyze data on community needs can more effectively plan programs for families in underserved areas (10).
Methodological Considerations and Best Practices
Successful citation analysis requires careful methodological planning. Most previous research has utilized data from five to ten years of publications, with some analyses limited to specific schools or departments (3). Studies have examined various publication types, including undergraduate research, master’s theses, and faculty publications, though some researchers note that relying solely on student data may not provide appropriate data, as students may be less confident in identifying sources and tend to rely on readily available materials (3).
A 2024 study emphasized the importance of combining citation data with other metrics. At a Carnegie R1 university, researchers examined relationships between journal publication, citation, and usage metrics within the collection through correlation analysis (11). This multi-metric approach provides a more comprehensive understanding of collection value than any single measure alone.
Challenges and Limitations
Citation analysis has limitations that librarians must acknowledge. When examining historical citation data, libraries can determine only whether they currently provide access to cited materials, not whether access was available when needed initially (3). Embargoed content presents similar
challenges, as it’s difficult to ascertain whether articles were under embargo at the time of citation. Additionally, recently acquired journal backfiles may address current gaps, but don’t resolve past access issues.
The methodology also assumes that cited materials accurately represent needed resources, which may not account for materials that users wanted but couldn’t access, or for disciplinary differences in citation practices. Some fields rely more heavily on monographs, while others prioritize journal articles, necessitating different collection strategies.
Looking Forward
As libraries continue to adapt to rapid change, particularly in artificial intelligence, open science, and evolving mission priorities, citation analysis remains a vital tool. The 2025 Pulse of the Library report, drawing on insights from over 2,000 librarians from 109 countries representing academic, public, and national libraries, emphasizes how libraries are using data-driven approaches to navigate these transitions (12).
Citation analysis provides significant value to collection management decisions by providing neatly packaged data that helps identify critical information, facilitates honest discussions, and enables rapid choices (2). As one recent study concluded, understanding publication and citation 
habits can provide libraries with essential data points to complement usage metrics, helping institutions keep pace with the changing needs of students, faculty, and communities (5).
The power of citation analysis lies not in replacing librarian expertise or other assessment methods, but in providing objective, evidence-based insights that inform professional judgment. Whether examining doctoral dissertations, faculty publications, or community information needs, citation analysis helps libraries build collections and services that truly serve their users’ demonstrated needs in an era of limited resources and unlimited possibilities.
References
- Hayati, N. (2018). Citation Analysis as a Tool of Library Collections Evaluation. Record and Library Journal, 2(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.20473/rlj.V2-I1.2016.1-15
- Neuwirth, E. (2023, July 27). Maximize Collection Management with Citation Analysis. Clarivate. https://clarivate.com/academia-government/blog/maximize-collection-management-at-your-library-the-power-of-citation-analysis-integrated-evaluation-tools/
- Evidence-Based Library and Information Practice. (2024), 19(4), 39. https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/eblip/index.php/EBLIP/article/download/30493/22887/89812
- Stevens, K. (2024). PhD Thesis Citation Analysis to Evaluate the Success of Collection Development Policy Implementation: An Institutional Case Study. Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, 73(4), 556-564. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2024.2380535
- Thomas, W. J., Vandagriff, S., & Jabaily, M. J. (2022). Student Use of Library-Provided Materials: Citation Analysis across Three Fields of Study and Using Local Citation Analysis for Improving Serials Collections. The Serials Librarian. https://doi.org/10.1080/0361526X.2022.2018242
- Leverage Book Citation Index in library collection development. (2024). ProQuest. https://about.proquest.com/en/blog/2024/leverage-the-book-citation-index-in-library-collection-development/
- Kappi, M., Gupta, B. M., Joshi, M. K., & Pal, D. (2025). Global Academic Libraries Research: A Scientometric Analysis of 100 Most Cited Papers. Journal of Data Science, Informetrics, and Citation Studies, 4(2), 121-131. https://jcitation.org/index.php/jdscics/article/download/198/113
- 2024 Top Trends in Academic Libraries: A Review of the Trends and Issues. (2024, June 7). College & Research Libraries News. https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/article/view/26379/34322
- Shin, G. D., Jeon, K., & Lee, H. (2022). Public library needs assessment to build a community-based library: Triangulation method with a social media data analysis. Library & Information Science Research, 44(1), 101142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2022.101142
- Campana, K., et al. (2019). The Role of Community Data in Helping Public Libraries Reach and Serve Underserved Communities. In the International Conference on Information. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15742-5_24
- Mischo, W. H., Schlembach, M. C., & Cabada, E. (2024). Relationships between Journal Publication, Citation, and Usage Metrics within a Carnegie R1 University Collection: A Correlation Analysis. College & Research Libraries, 85(2). https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.85.2
- The 2025 Pulse of the Library report. (2025, October 30). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17376386