Re: Budget disaster

[twilliam@bbl.usouthal.edu]

Rick,

What a horrific thought!  Whenever we get a cut or have a 
shortfall due to insufficient budget or budget increase we begin 
cutting with the least-used items going first.  If that is not 
enough we than look at the most expensive even when the item(s) 
are more heavily used.  We keep an ongoing record of most-used 
titles which makes the process that much easier.  We also look at 
cost-per-use.  If something is costing us over $100 per use, 
regardless of its usefulness, it may make the hit list. Clearly, 
items costing much more than that per use would go first.  We've 
had cases where the cost per use exceeded $500 or even over 
$1,000 in a few cases.  For that price we can order tons of 
articles via ILL or even from commercial article vendors.

Tom Williams, Director