Sqeezed Between the E's: Electronic Resources (Print Monographs) Economic Woes

Difficult economic times are reducing libraries’ ability to purchase print monographs, and continued pressures to provide electronic materials often force libraries to cut their book budgets even more. How are libraries responding to both these forces? The authors report on a survey asking how libraries are budgeting for print monographs, taking into account both approval plans and firm order allocations. The speakers are interested in whether libraries are revising, eliminating, or creating new approval plans, whether changes in approval plans correspond to changes in firm order budgets, and what changes occur in print approval plans as a result of library ebooks acquisitions. Between the worsening economy and increased pressures to provide electronic content, how will libraries change their collection development decisions for print monographs? The authors conclude that approval plans must continue to evolve, and that ebook publishers need to change faster to allow libraries to purchase and process their materials in their mainstream workflows