Cost Differentials between E-Books and Print in Academic Libraries

Roscoe, Whitney
Bailey, T., Scott, A., & Best, R.  (2015). Cost Differentials between E-Books and Print in Academic  Libraries. College & Research Libraries, 76(1), 6-18.
Summary:
This article covers a study done at Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) that demonstrates that electronic resources are not always the most cost-effective solution.  At AUM, 462 requests for acquisitioned were examined to compare the pricing of print and electronic versions.
Evaluation:
This article is valuable because it looks beyond the face value of the cost of electronic resources and urges the reader to consider the long-term costs of these materials as well.  Not only must the materials be purchased, but one must also consider matter such as how many users can access it at one time, are there yearly or monthly recurring costs, and what platform should be used to provide access to these sources?  Though this article is not a comprehensive guide to navigating the perils of replacing print resources with digital resources, it does make suggestions to aid in the decision process and gives specific examples of price differences between print and electronic resources of the same title, complete with price differences based on how the e-book is ordered (through a special Patron Driven Acquisitions program versus through traditional channels).