An evaluation model for electronic resources utilizing cost analysis

Operating within their fiscal allotments, today’s information professionals are debating the best methods for evaluating the acquisition of a wide array of electronic information resources. Electronic publishing is affecting not only the way scholars conduct their research, but also the selection process librarians use in acquiring these products. Although electronic information resources have many advantages, the financial implications of implementing new technologies have yet to be fully revealed. The impact of these financial implications creates new scenarios librarians must consider when examining the budgetary implications of selecting print or electronic materials ‐ or, in some cases, several versions of the same resource. Among the many questions information professional face in this explosive environment is how do we decide which product will best serve the needs of the institution today and in the future and how can we provide all that is requested by the university’s community in an environment of static or shrinking budgets? Offers a subjective evaluation model for comparing the desirable and undesirable potential of a proposed acquisition.