Presents the May 1979 draft of the National Interlibrary Loan Code which contains general guidelines for the borrowing and lending of library materials: definition, purpose, scope, responsibilities of borrowing and lending libraries, expenses, duration of loan, and violation of code. (JD)

This first in a two-part series on how librarians can negotiate services and prices with subscription agencies focuses on how vendors operate. Factors that influence agency costs, revenues, and service charges are described, including economies of scale, discounts from publishers, and prepayment and cash flow. (seven references) (LRW)

Presents a study of Georgia college libraries that used published library statistics to compare public historically black college libraries to traditionally white college libraries. Comparisons were made by: volumes and total library staff per student; salary expenditure per student and per professional librarian; and professional library staff…

Recounts the conversion of name headings and uniform titles in the OCLC database to conform with AACR2. The conversion was used to resolve OCLC record conflicts resulting from previous rule changes and to make heading forms conform to LC preferred forms where possible. (RAA)

Presents the 1997 U.S. Periodical Price Index sponsored by the Library Materials Price Index Committee of the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services, a division of the American Library Association. Finds that the average price increased 9.9%, .9% below 1996's rate. Includes seven tables, a chart, and a summary sheet. (PEN)

Describes several strategies for obtaining funding for library automation, including convincing management of the importance of automating; buying computer parts individually; upgrading gradually; subscribing to a CD-ROM service that includes equipment; identifying equipment by function (e.g., database search units); trading off less important…

Describes the services offered to librarians by book vendors and addresses the effects of increasing costs and decreasing funds on library acquisitions and publishers as well as on vendors. The costs of ordering and processing library materials are discussed, and labor-saving devices in acquisitions are suggested. (LRW)

Discusses rare books in library collections and problems that are encountered with theft and/or preservation. Highlights include the effects of online auctions on the Internet; costs of replacing lost materials; and libraries that keep valuable books in the circulating collection, stamping them and subjecting them to use that devalues them. (LRW)

Index values for American public library circulation and expenditures are presented in five statistical tables. The circulation index values are given for each year from 1939 through 1974, and expenditure index values are given for 1951 through 1974. These figures are then compared with figures from the "American Library Directory" and from the…

A program is described in which one school system became its own periodicals jobber and saved money. (SJ)

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.…

Explains the principles and mechanics of double-entry bookkeeping as a part of the accounting cycle to produce a functioning set of accounting records. Suggests that libraries need to have accurate and timely information about their spending to gain financial control and protect against fraud and abuse. (LRW)

This article reviews the key features of zero base budgeting as a budgeting/planning system, discusses the applications of ZBB reported in the literature, and summarizes its special benefits and problems for libraries. Fifteen references are included. (Author/RAA)

Summarizes the budgeting methodology followed at one Canadian university faced with making budget cuts to achieve a balanced budget. The article focuses on the business library component, providing the major results of the process as well as discussing the problems encountered, the benefits, and the drawbacks. (Author)

Statement goals for formal collection development policies should include improved library services development. While such statements should be dynamic, and help define the total objectives of the institution, they should provide the necessary rationale for selection rather than serving as a substitute for book selection. (Author/MBR)