Patricia Layzell Ward, Library Link Convenor-in-Chief, UK

The UK is fortunate to have the Library and Information Statistics Unit based at Loughborough University, which provides, as its name suggests, statistical information of value to librarians. This is particularly valuable when the information provided has been published over a period of time. Two of LISU's regular series are Average prices of British academic books and Average prices of USA academic books, and the most recent issues to hand are those that cover the period January to June 1998. The data presented is derived, in both publications, from Blackwell's databases. Titles have been grouped into categories and the trend in average prices is given for the period 1987/8 to 1997/8, together with the percentage change over the previous year. The exchange rate of the US$ to the � was 1.65 in January 1998, and 1.67 in July 1998.

The average price of UK academic books for the 1997/8 academic year was �40.92, an increase of 4.3% over the previous year. It is, however, smaller than that recorded in the previous year, and much smaller than those recorded in the 1980's, but is above the general rate of inflation, and "much above the rate of increase in the average price of all new books". The category recording the highest percentage change in price was that of the biological sciences at 21.1%, followed by computer science at 18%. An index is provided by subject category and Library Science and the Booktrade recorded the highest figure at 323, having an average price of �60.80 across 70 titles. Materials Science had the highest average price at �89.15.

The average price of US academic books for the 1997/8 academic year was $47.87, an increase of 4.7% over the previous year, but by contrast with the UK prices, it is higher than that recorded for the previous year. It is above the general rate of inflation for the first time since 1993/4, and again, is much above the rate of increase in the average price of all books. "There appears to be much less stability in both average academic book prices and the rate of price increases than in previous years". The category recording the highest percentage change in price is Computer Sciences at 14% (biological sciences was +3.9%). Library Science and the Booktrade had an index figure of 135 � the lowest recorded in the subject categories, with an average price of �41.26 across 160 titles. Surgery had the highest average price at $116.82. An interesting comment appears in the Introduction: "It is commonly estimated that the typical British academic library will purchase twice as many UK books as USA".

Sources: Average prices of British academic books January to June 1998. Loughborough University, Library and Information Statistics Unit. ISBN 1 901786 08 and Average prices of USA academic books January to June 1998. ISBN 1 901786 09 9.

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