Savannah Morning News

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JULIA’S TOP TEN THINGS TO DO TO SAVE MONEY.

(or How you can learn from mistakes I’ve made.)

10. Don’t Spend Any. Really, think twice about purchases. Sometimes, people insist their life cannot continue if they don’t have (fill in the blank.) Consider each purchase carefully. Ask yourself or the person if this is a resource that can be used more than once.

9. Get Support. If you don’t already have an editor or someone in the upper echelons on your side, find one. Most of us report directly to the managing or executive editor. I don’t. I have an editor that will fight for what we need. I work with him to get things through. Most of the time, he tells me if I think it is necessary, go for it. Other times, we work together to get big purchases through.

A recent example: We want all of our staff to use the same dictionary and stylebooks. I located a source for the dictionaries. (A real steal at $9.99 each for a book that cost over $20.) We got approval but it was almost too late. Because some editors didn’t submit a survey form I needed, there was a delay. (See #8) Had everyone done as I ask immediately, we would have saved money.

8. Get Authorization. "I wish I could buy this but I have to have approval." (See # 9.)  Unfortunately, I don’t have that freedom. If you can get it, take it. Even if it is just for $25 a month, you can get more than you think if you go to the right sources.

7. Budget. Yeah, yeah I know, we all do. But what you need to do in get in on the budgeting process. Find out when the budget is put together. Ask for a monthly budget for books, CD-ROMs and other resources. Then stay within the limits. Try not to go over but don’t forget to spend the money. Otherwise, the powers that be will question why you need it. Maintain your credibility. As researchers, we are aware of what is needed.

6. Centralize. One of my goals is to be the central purchasing agent for all magazines and newspapers. Now we are scattered to the winds. Some individuals (myself included) subscribe to different magazines that we do not share with the rest of the staff. If they are asking or want the company to pay for the subscriptions, there needs to be one person in charge. Guess who? If you have an area to put all this stuff, get it together. Ask around. Maybe those who do get magazines will be willing to give them up after they finish reading them. Meanwhile, in my case, space is limited but I am trying to carve out a niche for such items.

5. Assess. Check the sources on your shelf periodically. If you can get by with a three-year-old set of encyclopedias, go for it. We got our last set when the then executive editor made a deal with the local World Book dealer. He arranged to have his flyer put in the paper if he donated a new set of books. That was in 1991. I hope I can do the same again but...

4. Don’t be afraid of change. If that resource you’ve been buying for years is gathering dust, it may be time to give it up and find something else. Or not. My predecessors were purchasing "Who’s Who" every year. A great resource but I notice it was not being used. Even by those who wanted it available. Knowing the expense of the book, I ceased getting it every year. It’s probably time to get a new set but that’s another story. The main point being, if a resource is not being utilized, despite your best efforts, don’t be afraid to lose it. By the same token, if there is a new resource that could be useful, push to get it.

3. Use local resources. Make contact with as many places as possible. I find the hardest thing is maintaining contact (of which I am very guilty). Locally, some of our museums have some materials but don’t advertise the fact because they can’t accommodate the public. I have recently made contact with a local maritime museum. I have gone to our local 8th Air Force Museum, which has a library. Learn these places.

2. Internet. There are many sites on the Internet that have classic books. The Bartleby Project at http://www.columbia.edu/acis/bartleby/ is one. Bookspot at the address http://www.bookspot.com/electronicbooks.htm , you’ll find links to several sites for classics like the works of Shakespeare. Both of these sites allow FREE access. I know we all don’t have Internet access but in today’s world, it is the best investment a company can make. Crunch the numbers. Show the money guys a buck spent now could save megabucks in the future. And by all means, don’t forget the Newslib listserv. It can be a fantastic, wide reaching fountain of information.

1. In the words of Dr. Benjamin Spock, use your common sense. Often times, I think people get caught up in the "must have" mode. I have had many reporters come to me and say, "I must have this book to do my job." Amazingly, they continue to work without the source. I am not saying you should discount every request but ask the question, "Can it be used again?" If the answer is yes, then start the process of acquiring it. If the answer is maybe, ask around about the source. You may also be able to access some other way. Someone else may enlightening you as to the usefulness of the source. If the answer is no, see ‘maybe’. You may assess it differently than a writer would.

None of the above items are meant to be a panacea to all small libraries. I hope to provide some ideas and inspiration for those times when money is tight (when isn’t it!) and you are being stretched to your limits. Good Luck and be persistent.

Julia C. Muller
News Researcher
Savannah Morning News
P O Box 1088
Savannah, GA 31402
912 - 652 - 0319 voice
912 - 234 - 6522 fax
jmuller@savannahnow.com

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