A model for budget allocation in multi-unit libraries

This article addresses the problem of allocating funds for acquisition of periodicals among several interrelated units of an academic library. The paper outlines an optimization model for the problem with an objective of maximizing the usage of periodicals over all library units subject to a single collections budget. It further gives an insight into a decision support system in MS Excel based on this model, and it illustrates its successful application to the Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.