The department head and the whole staff are finding themselves involved in the difficult task of devising objectives, criteria, programs and alternatives, activities and alternatives, and methods for feed-back for evaluation. (19 references) (Author/MM)

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)

The administrative and legal pitfalls inherent in quick exchanges of bound volumes for microfiles are discussed. (2 references) (KE)

The two decades beginning with 1952 are, in retrospect, a period of relative prosperity in American higher education. This economic situation in the fifties and sixties was both the cause and effect of many of the developments in academic libraries which seem worthy of note during the period. (21 references) (Author)

The annual city expenditure for public libraries is compared to annual expenditures for selected other services, from 1950 through 1968-69. (Author/MM)

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)

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)

Intended for employees as well as library administrators, this background article describes pension plan provisions, Social Security and so-called tax-sheltered annuities. Comments on the future of pension plans are included. (Author/KE)

Because prepayment problems have led to complaints from librarians, the Bookdealer-Library Relations Committee of the American Library Association offers considerations to serve as guidelines in making prepayment decisions. (JPF)

During the past two decades publishers generally discovered the library market and came to realize its importance and potential. (Author)

PPBS (Programming Planning and Budgeting Systems) has an exciting potential for libraries in fostering improved community relations, assurance of a fairer share of the public purse, and confidence among all concerned that the emergent public library is focusing its resources on the highest priority needs of the community. (Author)

A 1991 survey of 53 public libraries serving populations greater than 25,000 showed library circulation is increasing at a steady rate, whereas library expenditures for materials (measured in 1980 dollars) decreased in the past year. This survey showed the largest annual increase in circulation since the survey began in 1980 and the first decrease…

Reports circulation and expenditure statistics for public libraries for 1980-90, based on a representative sample of 53 U.S. public libraries serving a population of over 25,000. Data include figures for adult circulation, juvenile circulation, salary expenditures, material expenditures, and circulation and expenditures per capita. (LRW)

An historical profile of the New York Public Library helps explain its budgeting problems. Extensive fund raising in 1972 enabled the five research libraries to remain open to the public, but sustained federal funding will soon be necessary. (DH)

Presents statistics from the 1995 Index of American Public Library Circulation, including the index of library expenditures (salary expenditures, material expenditures, and others), adult and juvenile circulation figures, circulation per capita, expenditures per capita, expenditures per circulation, and material expenditures per capita. (LRW)