Thanks to all who replied to my post requesting information on setting up
pay-per- view (PPV).  I received about  8 replies, almost all of them from
academic libraries. Here's a brief summary:

Why PPV:                ..To compensate for cancelled journal
subscriptions
                        ..To be able to cancel high-cost low-usage titles
while still providing quick access
                        ..Provide online access to journals previously not
available

How accessed:           Unmediated access (only from institution's IP
addresses):
                        ..A little more than half of the libraries provide
direct access by giving the password to faculty/researchers
                        ..Some libraries open up access to students as
well
                        ..Very few respondents added the titles to their
A-Z list, but after seeing a dramatic increase may have to      reconsider

                        Mediated access:
                        ..Access is given only to library staff; users are
directed to contact the librarian

Monitoring costs:       ..Set up fund with annual appropriation and
monitor monthly usage closely
                        ..If possible, keep records of high users so that
they can be contacted and cautioned/educated
                        ..Try to negotiate pricing with publisher to
accommodate your specific situation, to provide limit alerts, etc.

Recommendations:        ..Set up a trial first
                        ..Educate users about the new service and the
associated costs (all respondents emphasized this)
                        ..Don't overlook the need to search the library
catalog for older issues or consider ILL before ordering (for   unmediated
access, these links should be included adjacent to the PPV order form)
                        ..Limit access to selected titles if possible
                        ..Go slow with unmediated access -- most users
don't realize that they are incurring costs

On the whole, respondents are happy with PPV and the flexibility it
affords.  A very informative page is available from the University of
Oregon at: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/colldev/cdpolicies/sdaccess.html

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to respond.

Irena Kavalek
U.S. Geological Survey Library
Reston, VA
ikavalek@usgs.gov
703-648-4486