Abstract
This paper discusses the first-time implementation of a book-in-hand approval plan in a major university library system, with special attention to the expectations of the major groups involved (library administration, technical services, collection development, teaching faculty, and the vendor) and to how these expectations were met. The initial reactions saw the plan as either a panacea to the problems of having to downsize and the escalating cost of processing, or as a sinister form of outsourcing that would lead professional skills to be less prized and attenuate collections so that they no longer fulfilled the University’s needs. Two years later, all these positions have been moderated, but the fears persist, and, as long as they persist, the approval plan will not be used to its full capacity.