Top 100 monographic records in OCLC libraries
Compiled by Patrick McClain, OCLC Research
[Excerpted from the OCLC Newsletter, 227 (May/June) 1997.]
Once again, reference and business books dominate the top 100 monographs held in OCLC libraries.
In Search of Excellence is now a five-time champion of the top 100 monographs list, increasing in holdings from 3,618 in 1995 to 3,728 this year. The book has been the most held every year since 1989--the first year the list was compiled. In fact, all of the top 10 in 1997 were in the top 10 in 1995 as well, and six were in it in 1989. Of those not in the 1989 list, Megatrends 2000 and Environmental Tobacco Smoke were not yet published, A Brief History of Time was 59th on the list, and A Passion for Excellence had not yet cracked the top 100.
At the other end of the list, there are four newcomers. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (88), The Bell Curve (96), Powershift (98) and Familiar Quotations, 16th edition (99), all debuted in 1997. Re-inventing the Corporation, by John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene; Perestroika by Mikhail Gorbachev; The Fatal Shore, by Robert Hughes; and Keeping Faith, by Jimmy Carter, slipped from the list (in 1995, they were at 89, 93, 94 and 96, respectively).
As in 1995, six works of fiction made the list- -Beloved (33), Lake Wobegon Days (36), The Polar Express (63), Lincoln: A Novel (66), The Confessions of Nat Turner (67) and Chesapeake (87). All of the fiction titles improved from their 1995 positions on the list with Polar Express moving the farthest, from 76.
The rankings are for individual editions of a title, not for combined editions, such as the works of Shakespeare, or the Bible.
—Patrick McClain is systems analyst, OCLC Office of Research.
Rank | OCLC Number | Holdings | Date | Publication Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8493620 | 3728 | 1982 | In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-run Companies, by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman, Jr. |
2 | 8410292 | 3596 | 1982 | Megatrends: Ten New Directions Transforming Our Lives, by John Naisbitt |
3 | 13947140 | 3542 | 1987 | A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, by Kate L.Turabian, 5th ed. |
4 | 6421457 | 3396 | 1980 | Familiar Quotations, by John Bartlett, 15th and 125th anniversary ed. |
5 | 14239839 | 3383 | 1987 | The Closing of the American Mind, by Allan Bloom |
6 | 17105155 | 3218 | 1988 | A Brief History of Time: from the Big Bang to Black Holes, by Stephen W. Hawking |
7 | 11969925 | 3203 | 1985 | A Passion for Excellence, by Thomas J. Peters and Nancy Austin |
8 | 10974869 | 3125 | 1984 | Iacocca: An Autobiography, by Lee Iacocca with William Novak |
9 | 20422202 | 3095 | 1990 | Megatrends 2000: Ten New Directions for the 1990s, by John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene |
10 | 20800495 | 3060 | 1990 | Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Proceedings of the International Symposium at McGill University, 1989, by Donald J. Ecobichon, Joseph M. Wu, editors |
11 | 4004812 | 3051 | 1979 | The Elements of Style, by William Strunk, Jr., 3d ed. |
12 | 14411877 | 3034 | 1987 | Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know, by E.D. Hirsch, Jr. |
13 | 16580381 | 2988 | 1987 | Thriving on Chaos: Handbook for a Management Revolution, by Thomas J. Peters |
14 | 8283180 | 2923 | 1982 | The Chicago Manual of Style, 13th ed. |
15 | 20132484 | 2921 | 1989 | The New York Public Library Desk Reference |
16 | 26929668 | 2920 | 1993 | The Chicago Manual of Style, 14th ed. |
17 | 29953039 | 2876 | 1994 | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV, 4th ed. |
18 | 25546099 | 2868 | 1992 | The Supreme Court of the United States: Its Beginnings & Its Justices, 1790-1991 |
19 | 5333650 | 2856 | 1979 | The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court, by Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong |
20 | 17227391 | 2844 | 1988 | Clearing the Air: Perspectives on Environmental Tobacco Smoke, edited by Robert D. Tollison |
21 | 18383661 | 2844 | 1988 | Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, 1954-63, by Taylor Branch |
22 | 25057627 | 2806 | 1991 | The Bill of Rights and Beyond, 1791-1991 |
23 | 16130075 | 2797 | 1987 | And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic, by Randy Shilts |
24 | 561302 | 2781 | 1962 | Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson |
25 | 8475284 | 2775 | 1982 | The One Minute Manager, by Kenneth Blanchard, Spencer Johnson |
26 | 17917341 | 2765 | 1988 | The Way Things Work, by David Macaulay |
27 | 15283849 | 2759 | 1987 | The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, by Stuart Berg Flexner, editor-in-chief, 2nd ed. |
28 | 5574262 | 2725 | 1979 | White House Years, by Henry Kissinger |
29 | 8590268 | 2723 | 1982 | The Years of Lyndon Johnson, by Robert A. Caro |
30 | 15550774 | 2689 | 1988 | Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era, by James M. McPherson |
31 | 5830721 | 2684 | 1980 | The Third Wave, by Alvin Toffler |
32 | 8114573 | 2676 | 1983 | The Oxford Companion to American Literature, by James D. Hart, 5th ed. |
33 | 15284982 | 2670 | 1987 | Beloved: A Novel, by Toni Morrison |
34 | 12103258 | 2665 | 1986 | Guide to Reference Books, edited by Eugene P. Sheehy, 10th ed. |
35 | 15594794 | 2660 | 1987 | The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, by Paul M. Kennedy |
36 | 11971882 | 2655 | 1985 | Lake Wobegon Days, by Garrison Keillor |
37 | 10072914 | 2655 | 1984 | The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam, by Barbara W. Tuchman |
38 | 4802 | 2655 | 1969 | I'm OK, You're OK, by Thomas A. Harris |
39 | 30398714 | 2653 | 1994 | Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 4th ed. |
40 | 701417 | 2647 | 1974 | Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices, by Peter F. Drucker |
41 | 10753607 | 2639 | 1984 | The Good War: An Oral History of World War Two, by Studs Terkel |
42 | 7459948 | 2638 | 1981 | Famous First Facts: A Record of First Happenings, Discoveries, and Inventions in American History, by Joseph Nathan Kane, 4th ed. |
43 | 24912611 | 2637 | 1992 | Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit, by Al Gore |
44 | 25411163 | 2629 | 1992 | Truman, by David McCullough |
45 | 6280573 | 2629 | 1980 | Cosmos, by Carl Sagan |
46 | 16646152 | 2628 | 1987 | Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA, 1981-1987, by Bob Woodward |
47 | 13861133 | 2626 | 1986 | The Reckoning, by David Halberstam |
48 | 9645583 | 2622 | 1983 | The Discoverers, by Daniel J. Boorstin |
49 | 11519736 | 2619 | 1985 | The Oxford Companion to English Literature, by Margaret Drabble, 5th ed. |
50 | 11549089 | 2618 | 1985 | Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Practice and Principles, by Peter F. Drucker |
51 | 4957310 | 2618 | 1979 | Black's Law Dictionary, by Henry Campbell Black, 5th ed. |
52 | 17301230 | 2615 | 1988 | A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam, by Neil Sheehan |
53 | 3844481 | 2613 | 1978 | American Caesar, Douglas MacArthur, 1880-1964, by William Manchester |
54 | 2188350 | 2610 | 1976 | Roots, by Alex Haley |
55 | 1975233 | 2604 | 1976 | The Final Days, by Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein |
56 | 22707774 | 2602 | 1990 | A Child of Fortune, by Jeffrey St. John |
57 | 423932 | 2601 | 1965 | The Oxford History of the American People, by Samuel Eliot Morison |
58 | 12945112 | 2590 | 1986 | The Star and the Laurel: The Centennial History of Daimler, Mercedes, and Benz, 1886-1986, by Beverly Rae Kimes |
59 | 300432 | 2586 | 1966 | Miracle At Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention, by Catherine D. Bowen |
60 | 162307 | 2584 | 1971 | Beyond Freedom and Dignity, by B.F. Skinner |
61 | 2695090 | 2578 | 1977 | The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914, by David McCullough |
62 | 110210 | 2566 | 1971 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West, by Dee Brown |
63 | 12162097 | 2559 | 1985 | The Polar Express, written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg |
64 | 9646422 | 2540 | 1983 | Vietnam, a History, by Stanley Karnow |
65 | 8252644 | 2535 | 1982 | Years of Upheaval, by Henry Kissinger |
66 | 10229876 | 2531 | 1984 | Lincoln: A Novel, by Gore Vidal |
67 | 287279 | 2530 | 1967 | The Confessions of Nat Turner, by William Styron |
68 | 161979 | 2526 | 1971 | Eleanor and Franklin: The Story of Their Relationship, by Joseph P. Lash |
69 | 730839 | 2525 | 1974 | Working; People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, by Studs Terkel |
70 | 5673886 | 2518 | 1980 | Free to Choose: A Personal Statement, by Milton and Rose Friedman |
71 | 23016353 | 2510 | 1991 | Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women, by Susan Faludi |
72 | 16395933 | 2505 | 1987 | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-III-R, 3rd ed. |
73 | 13328078 | 2504 | 1986 | Encyclopedia of the American Constitution, by Leonard W. Levy, editor-in-chief |
74 | 8280571 | 2502 | 1982 | The Fate of the Earth, by Jonathan Schell |
75 | 7204546 | 2501 | 1981 | Theory Z: How American Business Can Meet the Japanese Challenge, by William G. Ouchi |
76 | 5831733 | 2499 | 1980 | The Real War, by Richard Nixon |
77 | 13186508 | 2498 | 1986 | The Triumph of Politics: How the Reagan Revolution Failed, by David A. Stockman |
78 | 17952931 | 2493 | 1988 | The First Salute, by Barbara W. Tuchman |
79 | 4804279 | 2493 | 1979 | Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient: Reflections on Healing and Regeneration, by Norman Cousins |
80 | 15053078 | 2492 | 1987 | Lincoln: A Photobiography, by Russell Freedman |
81 | 87496 | 2492 | 1970 | Future Shock, by Alvin Toffler |
82 | 22490404 | 2491 | 1991 | A History of the Arab Peoples, by Albert Hourani |
83 | 340885 | 2488 | 1973 | Harry S. Truman, by Margaret Truman |
84 | 192333 | 2477 | 1962 | The Guns of August, by Barbara W. Tuchman |
85 | 4641874 | 2471 | 1979 | The Powers That Be, by David Halberstam |
86 | 269102 | 2469 | 1938 | American Authors, 1600-1900; A Biographical Dictionary of American Literature, edited by Stanley J. Kunitz and Howard Haycraft |
87 | 3730647 | 2467 | 1978 | Chesapeake, by James A. Michener |
88 | 31408427 | 2463 | 1995 | MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, by Joseph Gibaldi, 4th ed. |
89 | 683340 | 2458 | 1973 | A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, by Kate L. Turabian, 4th ed. |
90 | 6040977 | 2456 | 1980 | Managing in Turbulent Times, by Peter F. Drucker |
91 | 16527303 | 2455 | 1988 | Rachel and Her Children: Homeless Families in America, by Jonathan Kozol |
92 | 13455507 | 2453 | 1986 | The Story of English, by Robert McCrum, William Cran, Robert MacNeil |
93 | 18520153 | 2451 | 1989 | The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, by Charles B. Clayman |
94 | 9154456 | 2451 | 1983 | The Last Lion, Winston Spencer Churchill, by William Manchester |
95 | 17650532 | 2450 | 1988 | The Power of Myth, by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers |
96 | 30913157 | 2450 | 1994 | The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life, by Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray |
97 | 15366726 | 2443 | 1987 | Man of the House: The Life and Political Memoirs of Speaker Tip O'Neill, by William Novak |
98 | 22004762 | 2442 | 1990 | Powershift: Knowledge, Wealth, and Violence at the Edge of the 21st Century, by Alvin Toffler |
99 | 23975729 | 2440 | 1992 | Familiar Quotations, by John Bartlett, 16th ed. |
100 | 475124 | 2438 | 1967 | The Death of a President, November 20-November 25, 1963, by William Manchester |