Free for all: an analysis of free and inexpensive information

The Vertical File Index, Consumer Information Catalog, and Information America are rich sources of free and inexpensive information. An analysis of the average price per item and a determination of the percentage of free materials offered by these three resources were performed on samples spaced at five‐year intervals over the past 40 years. The prices of inexpensive materials and the percentage of free material available from these titles have remained nearly stable over the past 40 years. This is especially true if inflation and the relative buying power of the 1997 dollar are factored in. These three sources have provided, and continue to provide, a consistent supply of free and inexpensive materials for vertical file collections on a tight budget.