Describes the development of the grant-funded Oregon School Library Information System (OSLIS), a project design to provide cost-effective access to online resources in school libraries across the state. Notes that online database provides offer substantial discounts for group acquisition of their products which has prompted the development of…

Describes the conspectus collection evaluation process and its utility to smaller libraries, as demonstrated by the Library and Information Resources for the Northwest project. The discussion includes the costs of this method in staff time, the value of a completed conspectus, and problems with the methodology. (13 notes with references) (CLB)

Discusses the practice of purchasing paperback books for small college libraries. Price, availability, and shelf life are considered, and it is concluded that budget-conscious collection development librarians should adopt the practice if they have not already. (Author/LRW)

Considers advocates and opponents of citation analysis use in the management of academic journal collections and describes the compilation of a relational database file to model an academic journal collection. The use of citation analysis is recommended for collection management based on cost figures presented. (LRW)

Explores the role of the academic rare book library in terms of its financial justification and concludes that the primary justification lies in its utility as a research library. It is also concluded that institutions unable to support a proper rare book collection might be advised to develop appropriate special collections instead. (19…

Discusses consortium-based licensing as a means of meeting libraries' information resources needs. Topics include information needs, the need for more affordable information, requirements for libraries and for vendors, competition across disciplines, saving money, pricing and market practices, experiences at OhioLINK, and future possibilities.…

Describes the history of multitype library networks; examines the reasons why special libraries and other network participants have resisted the inclusion of special libraries in these networks; and discusses the benefits to both special libraries and to other libraries in the network that would result from special library participation. (17…

Argues that the quality of information provided to scholars by microform sets of manuscript collections, as compared to original manuscripts and critical editions, does not justify the expansion of research libraries' collection boundaries and fiscal responsibilities to include such materials. (CLB)

The first article describes effects of the devaluation of the dollar on American libraries that purchase scientific, technical and medical serials published in Europe, and the responses of libraries and library associations. The second presents reasons for increased serial prices from the perspective of the publishing industry. (15…

Focuses on problems affecting the collection development of university libraries in Nigeria. Identifies the global economic recession of the 1980s as the significant variable for the success and failure of these programs. Examines the impact of financial problems on collection growth and development in Nigerian university libraries. Suggests…

Provides a critical examination of the methods and procedures currently followed in the national program for preservation microfilming in research libraries and suggests alternative approaches for selecting materials for microfilming. Source literature is discussed as being important to focus on, and the cost and completeness of bibliographic…

Compares current approaches to decisions involving the preservation of library materials and describes a national project aimed at identifying and preserving important classical studies on microfiche. The use of an editorial board of scholars in this decision making process is evaluated and alternative scholarly involvement models are suggested.…

First published in 1944, this article predicts unprecedented growth for American university libraries, and examines the underlying causes of this growth. The use of microforms and cooperative cataloging to control library costs is recommended. A brief introduction to the article is included. (CLB)

Examines the problem of aging of books in university libraries and presents a mathematical model of the aging process. Indexes for the aging time limit, over-age book rate, and aging rate are suggested; use of the mean unit price is considered; and countermeasures for control of the aging process are proposed. (four references) (MES)

Argues that recent decisions to outsource library collection development are not isolated incidents but attempts to privatize whole core services and even management of libraries. Examines three misconceptions about the private sector: that it can do it better and cheaper, that accountability to the marketplace is more effective than government,…