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The Universal Serials and Book Exchange, Incorporated (USBE) is a non‐profit, independent, self‐supporting library service organisation founded in 1948 which operates a clearinghouse for the receipt, organisation, and redistribution of surplus and duplicate publications, largely serials, but also books, documents, and other library materials. Items available for distribution at any one time number over 4 million. Member libraries wishing to use the collection may send wants lists or purchase orders in any form convenient to them, or check off needed items on lists they receive each month from USBE, or make personal selections from USBE shelves. Cost and time studies are currently under way to assist USBE in its operations and planning for the future. The annual average costs per item processed for shipment have ranged from 74centsin 1968 to $2.47 in 1977. About 35% of the cost is attributable to the receiving, sorting, and shelving of the miscellaneous materials received by USBE. Other costs include the processing of requests of different kinds and the distribution of items to libraries.

A diary survey was conducted in May 1978 to find the unit costs of various activities in the Gift and Exchange Section at the British Library Lending Division. An analysis of the work of the section was made and costings of each activity found. The processing cost for British material sent to the Lending Division was 42p per book and 9p per periodical piece, and for material held by and despatched from other libraries 36.2p per book and 4.6p per periodical piece. If the take‐up rate for the two types of material is considered, the overall cost per item placed was 57p per book and 19.8p per periodical piece. Where the literature itself was not handled by the Division, the costs were 5p less per book and 11p less per periodical piece.

All items listed may be borrowed from the Aslib Library, except those marked *, which may be consulted in the Library.

After a reduced rate of increase in 1977/78, demand resumed its previous growth rate: 8% more requests were received than in the previous year — 6.5% more from British organisations, 17% more from overseas. For items not in Lending Division stock, more requests were sent to back‐up and special support libraries than were supplied with locations. Staff shortages affected the quality and speed of service at times during the year. Progress with the extension to the Urquhart Building was much slower than scheduled, and full occupation is unlikely before early 1980. The non‐postal transport schemes in London and the North West gave substantial savings to participating libraries, and schemes for other regions are being explored. The BLAISE Automatic Document Request Service came into operation, and similar links with other data base operators are being explored. The number of current serials acquired reached 51,450, an increase of 4% over the previous year. Nearly 80,000 volumes of monographs were purchased, and 40,000 donated by other libraries. Numerous research collections in microform were acquired. The purchase of US doctoral dissertations was halted, but nearly all British doctoral theses are now being filmed. Resources were specially allocated to the conservation of stock, with priority being given to older serials and pre‐1801 monographs. Preparations were made for a Cancer Information Service for Developing Countries, in collaboration with the US National Cancer Institute, whereby free searches of the CANCERLINE data bases will be linked with the supply of photocopies of articles identified as being wanted.

A framework pertaining to the decision‐making process, called the Tourists' Cognitive Decision Making (TCDM) model, is presented for the purpose of identifying and understanding the cognitive process of trip decision making. Unlike traditional decision‐making models, the TCDM model incorporates latent influence, along with problem formulation, information search, evaluation and implementation into its framework.