The theme of the 2011 Charleston Conference, the annual event that
explores issues in book and serial acquisition, was "Something's Gotta
Give." The conference, held November 2-5, 2011, in Charleston, SC,
included 9 pre-meetings, more than 10 plenaries, and over 120 concurrent
sessions. The theme reflected the increasing sense of strain felt by
both libraries and publishers as troubling economic trends and rapid
technological change challenge the information supply chain. What part
of the system will buckle under this pressure? Who will be the winners
and who will be the losers in this stressful environment? The Charleston
Conference continues to be a major event for information exchange among
librarians, vendors, and publishers. As it begins its fourth decade, the
Conference is one of the most popular international meetings for
information professionals, with almost 1,500 delegates. Conference
attendees continue to remark on the informative and thought-provoking
sessions. The Conference provides a collegial atmosphere where
librarians, vendors, and publishers talk freely and directly about
issues facing libraries and information providers. In this volume, the
organizers of the meeting are pleased to share some of the learning
experiences that they-and other attendees-had at the conference.