One thing that I am sure everyone has dealt with are budget constraints. This poses quite a problem when many of the books that we use everyday can easily cost upwards of $100 each. When I started at The Tuscaloosa News the library, if it could be called that, contained a set of encyclopedias and several outdated almanacs. Over the past year, I have built the collection to nearly 300 volumes while spending little money.
These are my suggestion for building your collection on a budget:
Public libraries
· Call and ask
when their Friends of the Library book sale will be held; most libraries
have at least one throughout the year.
· Try to be
one of the first people there to get the best selection of books.
· Larger libraries
usually have the best selection.
· Ask the librarian
or book sale worker if there are any books that they do not have out.
Many times they will keep some of the larger collections in the back.
I have found complete sets of the Code of Alabama this way.
College and university libraries
· Some college
and university libraries throw away their reference books when they get
updated editions. Call you local school to find out.
Law Firms
· Law firm libraries
are a great place to get legal materials; Many larger firms will
throw away their state codes each year.
Other
· Contact people
you know at larger libraries and find out what they do with their discards.
They may be willing to donate them to you.
Remember -
Don’t think of it as begging; think of it as creative collection development.
These are just a few
of the books that I have picked up at local book sales. Notice the
difference between the new cost and the price that I paid. I have
found that there is not a high demand for reference books so you should
be able to find some good ones without having to fight over them.
· American Big
Business Directory, v. 1-3, 1997
Cost new - $595.00
Amount paid - $6.00
· Books in Print,
v. 1-9, 1996-97
Cost new - $510.00
Amount paid - $10.00
· Encyclopedia
of Associations, v. 1 pt. 1-3, 1997
Cost new - $425.00
Amount paid - $3.00
· Encyclopedia
of Associations, International Organizations, v. 2 pt 1-2, 1997
Cost new - $
Amount paid - $4.00
· Gale Directory
of Publications and Broadcast Media, v. 1-3, 1996
Cost new - $415.00
Amount paid - $3.00
· Countries
of the World, v. 1-2, 1996
Cost new - $195.00
Amount paid - $2.00
· Statistics
Sources. V. 1-2, 1997
Cost new - $415.00
Amount paid - $4.00
· City Profiles
USA, 1996
Cost new - $65.00
Amount paid - $2.00
· Literary Market
Place, v. 1-2, 1997
Cost new - $189.95
Amount paid - $1.00
· Congressional
Directory
Cost new - approx.
$23.00 Amount paid - $.50
Donated Books
· Directory
of Corporate Affiliations, v. 1-5, 1996
· Congressional
Quarterly Almanac, 1993-1996
· Federal and
Municipal Directories, 1996
· The Weather
Almanac
· The Insurance
Almanac
· The Almanac
of Almanac of American Politics, 1996