IMPROVING REFERENCE SERVICE COST STUDIES

A thorough examination of the library and information science literatu re reveals problems with current reference service cost studies: they focus on individual reference services yet these services are difficul t to differentiate; units of analysis used in these studies are variab le; cost measures lack reliability and validity; and difficult allocat ion decisions are made arbitrarily. Reference service cost studies may be improved by developing detailed categorizations of units of analys is; increasing sample size; avoiding block of time measurement conside ring library services as a whole; determining alternative methods of a llocating shared and indirect costs; and matching cost data with decis ion-making needs. Research is needed to determine if new approaches ar e feasible and cost effective. Lessons may be learned from previous re ference service cost studies and from techniques employed in other ser vice industries.