Addresses the need for liberal arts colleges and the use of available technology/automation to help secure their survival. Some factors to be considered in planning and budgeting for automation are discussed. (Author/MBR)

This study describes and analyzes the involvement of library and university groups and individuals in arriving at major library decisions concerning budgeting, automation, policy making, and operational issues in 12 selected university libraries. Site visits, interviews, and questionnaires were used to compare the decision making roles of…

Guidelines are given for automating a library. Issues arising in automation are illustrated through the experience of the Doherty Library of the University of St. Thomas, Houston (Texas). The first step is to decide what type of system is right for the needs of the library and its patrons. In considering vendors of systems, it is important to…

This collection development policy of California State University Library states clearly what the library is now doing and provides a structure and mechanism for making adjustments to policies and procedures on a continuous basis. Declining budgets and the loss of purchasing power are contributing to a general awareness of the needed changes in…

An analysis is conducted of economic issues pertinent to library planning in higher education in the face of rising costs and diminishing financial support. The individual chapters deal with: 1) growth rates in large university libraries; 2) library costs in colleges and universities; 3) cost trends and long-range plans; 4) library data; and 5) a…