The real cost of ILS ownership

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to bring awareness to all factors that impact on the cost of an integrated library system (ILS). Design/methodology/approach – Using a total cost of ownership approach, a bigger view of all the factors impacting on cost is explored. Findings – The paper finds that many libraries focus entirely on direct costs when selecting a new ILS, rather than factoring in staff time and other long‐term costs that will be associated with choosing a system. Originality/value – When the direct and indirect costs are considered, systems that have higher initial costs may be cheaper to own through their entire lifespan than other, seemingly cheaper, products.