Technology Funding for Libraries

While a small business with 2 to 19 employees can expect to spend slightly under $1,500 to develop a Web site (Interland launches uniquea, 2003), the technology funding needs of libraries in general and university academic libraries in particular is set at a far higher level. Some 10 years ago Pastine and Kacena (1994) reported that for the medium and larger sized academic libraries it is not uncommon for computer costs associated only with implementing online catalogs, circulation/reserve, acquisitions/accounting, and serials control systems to require an initial investment of $5 million or more. Annual maintenance, licensing agreements, software and hardware requirements at that time could easily exceed an additional $250,000 to $350,000 per year.

With more libraries now developing costly Web portals, the costs for establishing a meaningful Internet presence that permits students and others to access library collections or materials can be expected to escalate significantly (Zhou, 2003). Web portals are only beginning to make an appearance and by the end of 2002, only a few dozen universities had acquired these highly complex and costly systems. Zhou (2003) commented that the cost of building an in-house portal varies depending on available resources in the library. Many university libraries already have their own Web servers, application server, database products, and enough storage space for each user to create a s