A Serials Acquisitions Cost Study

Abstract

This paper is based on time and cost studies conducted at Iowa State University (ISU) between 1986/87 and 2000/2001. Serials acquisitions functions were evaluated and examined with a view toward using the results as a management tool. Previous cost center papers by the authors and others focused only on monograph acquisition functions. Analysis of the data collected at ISU suggests that libraries that have developed standards for serials acquisitions processing could reap significant benefits through the use of consistent sets of information for management decisions, including, but not limited to, reassigning staff time to new and evolving tasks.