Budgeting for Information Access

The new technologies that libraries now use have not only recreated the library, but are also redefining the traditional library budget. It is essential that a library budget reflects the increasing use of technology to provide information for patrons. Picking up where Murray Martin's ""Collection Development & Finance"" left off, this is a comprehensive guide to planning, developing and implementing resource budgets. It helps readers to incorporate into their budgets the radically different cost structures and financial decisions involved in access to electronic networks, online services, interlibrary loans, electronic document delivery and shared resources. This book explains the implications of information access on a budget, and helps readers plan for resources which are neither held nor owned in order to respond quickly to patron expectations. It describes how to define all the hidden costs, from personnel and equipment maintenance to leasing and electronic account feeds. The authors discuss how to weigh these costs against patron benefits, how to reflect this mix in the budget, and how to make informed projections for future programmes. Also included in this budget guide are: budget and resource-sharing models based on real-life scenarios; reader-friendly diagrams and tables, complete with sample budgets and cost estimates; and up-to-date, select annotated bibliography of the most current resources.