NMRLS has analyzed the value of services provided to member libraries during FY2002. We are pleased to report the total value of service exceeded $11 million or over five and one-half dollars for each dollar spent. Regionalization provides NMRLS members with strength in numbers to allow the delivery of important service programs. We will mail individual reports to all members in February. For many libraries the highest values are in electronic databases, delivery, and purchasing cooperatives.

The values reported reflect several changes from the figures provided for the previous fiscal year. The adjustments are based on a recent statewide value of service baseline study. For example the value of delivery has been set at $2.50 per item delivered - similar to the cost of mailing. In our last report we calculated this based on NMRLS actual per stop cost. This low pricing level is not likely to be available to an individual library for delivery services. We have also increased the values for training sessions to $150 for under three hours and $250 for longer to bring them closer to market rates. We have reduced the amount allocated per question at our regional reference centers to $7 for non-residents and $35 for a question from a librarian based on a newly established statewide standards used by all regions.