In the state of Alabama, new degree programs must be approved by a central
state agency which requires evidence of library support (among many other
requirements) and which may provide one-time grants to strengthen collections
in that area.  This money is used for current and retrospective (usually
recent) purchases of monographs and backfiles of serials.  Future support
would depend on how the program changed the department's profile in the
formula by which library allocates available funds.

Thomas Sanders, Serials, Auburn University, AL (tsanders@auducvax)