Multi-year subscriptions Stratton, Lindsay (ETS: Library) 11 May 2005 12:47 UTC

Good morning,

My library is considering switching some of our subscriptions to
multi-year terms, hoping to capitalize on some savings. *I* am hoping
some of you Serialisters would be willing to share your experiences with
multi-year subs.

Some background: our subscription agent is EBSCO, we are a smallish
community college library with about 600 current subscriptions which are
a mixture of popular and scholarly works.

The big, specific questions come from our budget people:

1) What impact will multi-year terms have on budgeting?
        a) payment one year, surplus the next
        b) how about staggering multi-year subs?

2) Have the savings been substantial enough to outweigh possible
administrative headaches?

3) Have there been many administrative headaches?

I would truly appreciate any and all comments, insights, and advice.
Feel free to email me directly (lstratton@monroecc.edu) or to the list.
If there is general interest in the subject, I'll post a summary of
responses.

Thanks for your time!

Lindsay Stratton
Periodicals Department
Monroe Community College Libraries
1000 East Henrietta Road
Rochester, NY 14623