Discusses strategic planning in libraries and outlines a cost-finding methodology to help library administrators practice strategic budgeting. Highlights include identifying products and services; types of budgets; types of costs; creating an enhanced operating budget; creating a program budget; and outputs and unit costs. (Contains six…

Discusses some of the factors that librarians should consider when planning to automate their libraries. These factors include vendor and systems selection; equipment; support; additional costs; and time. Seven tips to avoid common automation pitfalls are also given. (MAB)

Empirically and rationally derived bases for determining the costs for industrial libraries are suggested. Taken into consideration is the fact that recent accounting procedures and the advent of new technologies have introduced costs into the library budget so that literature and personnel costs may now account for only 75-80 percent of the…

Due to automation technology, financial restrictions, and resultant downsizing, library managers have increasingly relied on the services of contractors, rather than in-house staff, to accomplish different technical services operations. Contracted services may range from a small project for a selected group of materials to a large project for…