Economic considerations of user charges are presented along with economic principles and implications of charging for specific library materials and services. Alternative pricing policies and their implications are described, and, to illustrate the complexity and subtle effects of charging, a numerical example for interlibrary loans is also given.…

As users become aware of the complexities of information handling, there is greater acceptance of fees for online searching. This results in accelerated demands upon supportive services, the cost of maintaining services increases, and libraries must charge fees to minimize these costs. The trend toward personalized services for individual users…

Describes the process for outsourcing photocopying including developing a clear request for proposal, monitoring and responding to vendor performance, and ensuring quality controls in academic libraries. (Author/PEN)

Explains activity-based costing (ABC), discusses the benefits of ABC to library managers, and describes the steps involved in implementing ABC in an Australian academic library. Discusses the budgeting process in universities, and considers benefits to the library. (Author/LRW)

Argues that the full cost and complexity of providing library services to support open and distance education tend to be underestimated. Three fundamental questions are addressed: Why is it necessary to determine the role of libraries in supporting learning? Who meets these costs? and How institutionally independent should access to library and…

Examines interlibrary loan (ILL) charges for photocopied material at two academic libraries, the University of Arizona and the University of Nevada, Reno. Statistics were reported for separate academic units to determine which were the most active users and which were charged the most, and recommendations are made for dealing with ILL charges.…

Discusses issues relating to costs of library and information services in the academic library in transition, reviews the functional cost analysis method, and presents selected data gathered from a larger study on the costs and value of various library services. Applications to a digital information environment are also discussed. (Author/LRW)

Describes a study at Pennsylvania State University Harrisburg in which cost-benefit analysis (CBA) was used to examine the cost effectiveness of an electronic database. Concludes that librarians can use the results of CBA studies to justify budgets and acquisitions and to provide insight into the true costs of providing library services. (PEN)

Discussion of access versus ownership for libraries facing rising serials cost. Focuses on a study at Pennsylvania State University that tested the feasibility of using commercial document delivery (CDD) as compensation for discontinued ownership, as a complement to ownership, and as a supplement to ownership. Positive results for CDD were found.…

The rationale for using Activity-Based Costing (ABC) in a library is to allocate indirect costs to products and services based on the factors that most influence them. This paper discusses the benefits of ABC to library managers and explains the steps involved in implementing ABC in the user services area of an Australian academic library.…

Asserts that, although many arguments in favor of user fees for library services are based on economics, little economic benefit is actually gained by levying charges for some services. A microeconomics model that has been used to demonstrate the benefits of user fees is critiqued, and the issue of accountability is discussed. (23 references) (CLB)

Discusses the need for research libraries to develop a greater sense of financial accountability, both from a moral standpoint and to provide better services. Topics covered include areas where cost benefit tradeoffs have been neglected, possible consequences of not becoming accountable, and the debate over user fees. (12 references) (CLB)

Discusses efforts at the Montana State University (Bozeman) library to promote use of census data. Describes instructional sessions, and budgetary and service issues faced by depository libraries providing access to census data in electronic formats. Also includes copies of handouts from the instructional sessions. (Author/AEF)

The Australian and New Zealand academic library statistics for 1996 provide data on overall staffing, services, collections. expenditures, and population in 43 Australian and 7 New Zealand academic library systems. Includes amendments to the 1995 statistics. (PEN)

Identifies resource allocation patterns and establishes a basis for understanding academic library service costs through a cost analysis of public services. Results of a survey of 101 academic libraries indicate that libraries have responded to increased costs for resource materials by increasing that budget and decreasing the budget for salaries.…