ABSTRACT
This chapter not looks at the current library materials price crisis from a political viewpoint, but rather from a data-gathering perspective. Probably the most significant problem in documenting the price changes of academic library materials is identifying a source of information. The University of California has long relied on data available from Publishers Weekly for its budget justifications. Instead of using the annual information, they use a 3-year average. Librarians can use the data for justifying budget proposals to their administrative authorities. Every European and American library should document its own local price changes based on its own mix of acquisitions. With the development of a German academic book price index and an acceleration of interest in the creation of such indexes, the future for improved management data on the prices of European library materials is very promising. European librarians should be aware that there are problems associated with using vendors.
