What is your budget?

There are numerous aspects to running a Virtual Reference program, and it is important to know what kind of financial support you will have for each when implementing or continuing such a program.  Some things to consider:

• Will you have money to subscribe to a proprietary service or will you need to pursue a free/open source model?
• In addition to the platform, one must consider the amount of staffing required, which will of course have its own budgetary implications.
• One must also consider the difference between startup (one-time) costs and those involved in the maintenance of the service (recurring).
• Are you funding a VR service for your library, library system, or a collaborative/statewide VR program?  Many libraries take part in collaborative VR programs either in place of or in addition to their own local VR services. If done in place of a local VR service, this may save money in many aspects of this type of service.

Resources

• Collaborative/Statewide VR Programs
• Planning on a Low Budget
• VR Budget