This study compares the overall spending trends and patterns of growth of Academic Libraries with Public Libraries, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and hospitals in the period of 1998 to 2008. Academic Libraries, while showing a growth of 13% over inflation for the period, far underperformed the growth of the other public institutions…

If one wanted to win a library election in 2006, what would have been the mythical perfect referenda? For building referenda, the sweet spot was hit with measures over $10 million, on a ballot sometime between September and December, with no other items on the ballot, in a general election, for a library serving a population under 100,000. For the…

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)

Suggests that as automated information services become more prevalent, it is essential that libraries find permanent funding to support this activity. Funding of information provided by an online search that satisfies legitimate educational and research needs with monies from print materials budget is considered. Three reactions to essay are…

The steps involved in tailoring a periodical and monograph price index to a university library are examined, as are the difficulties involved in applying a simple methodology such as a price index when the data base has not been organized to play an active role in the decision-making process. The following topics are addressed: the shifting of…

This preliminary edition bibliography was designed as a working tool for librarians who require a representative collection of references on library budgeting, cost effectiveness, costing, fees, funding, insurance, prices, and financial management generally. It contains entries for 850 English language documents on economic aspects of information…

In July 1982, 10 member libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) were surveyed to obtain information on their existing budget practices. Libraries participating in the study were the University of California, Santa Barbara; University of Chicago; University of Colorado; University of Florida; Iowa State University; Notre Dame…