*** Apologies for cross posting ***

Dear Colleagues,

This week, Publishers Communication Group has published a research report entitled "Library Budget Predictions for 2008".

As part of our service to the library community we are making this report freely available.  In an increasingly competitive global market place, knowledge of budget change at international institutions helps provide context and will hopefully allow you to better position your institution in the coming year.

The report's findings indicate that:

*global library budgets were expected to remain steady, with a minor (0.6%) increase

*e-journal budgets were expected to increase by 6.3%

*ILL expenditure was expected to increase by 2.7%

*serials budgets were expected to increase, but by less (2.5%) than in 2007 (3.4%)

*database budgets were expected to increase by 1.6%

*materials budgets were expected to increase by a higher percentage (1.5%) than in previous years

*book expenditure was expected to remain steady, with a minor (0.8%) increase.

A full copy of the report is available from the PCG website: http://www.pcgplus.com/Resources/LibraryBudgetSurvey2008.pdf

Previous years' reports are also available at http://www.pcgplus.com/Research.html which present an opportunity to track budget trends over the last four years.

I thought the list might like to look at the predictions and how the research compares to the reality now that we're mid-way through 2008.  I'd also welcome your feedback for our 2009 budget trends report, the research for which is currently underway.

Please feel free to get in touch with our head of research, Emilie Delquie (edelquie@pcgplus.com) or myself - (my details are below, or you can catch up with PCG's representatives at this weekend's SLA exhibition - booth 706).

Best Regards,

Arend

Arend Küster

Director - PCG Europe

PCG, a division of Publishing Technology

T: +44 1865 397891

M: +44 (0)7717 132109

F: +44 (0)1865 3978011

akuester@pcgplus.com

www.pcgplus.com

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