Recently, one of our member library directors was asked by their library board why PCs needed to be purchased through SCLS. The board's concern centered around the price of the PCs, and felt that there could be a cost savings for the library (and therefore the municipality) by purchasing less expensive PCs.
I think it's worth sharing my response with all members, since you most likely will be asked a similar question by your municipality at some time:
In order to support over 1,300 PCs on the SCLS network, it is imperative that we ask libraries to purchase PCs that are reliable, dependable, and can run the appropriate software needed for library services over the lifespan of the PC, currently 5 years.
The PC model we support is far from the top of the line (and indeed at $801, how could it be?). The actual cost of the PC is what the libraries pay; we do not attach any sort of overhead costs or service fee. But even at that price we are able to offer that PC with a next-day parts and service warranty from Dell for three years. Moreover, by having a consistent PC model throughout the SCLS libraries, we are able to extend that warranty for an additional two years by keeping an inventory of parts at no additional charge to the libraries.
When configuring a PC for the SCLS network, we create an "image" that we use to install the operating system and software on each PC. This technique allows us to thoroughly test the hardware and hardware drivers, as well as any proprietary library software. That image is directly tied to the hardware and software drivers for the PC model currently in use. This process takes time, but it guarantees compatibility between the hardware and software we use. If libraries purchased any PC they chose, we would conceivably have to maintain and test 1,300 separate images, one for each PC supported by SCLS.
It is true that there are PCs that cost less. However, any PCs sized considerably smaller or any great savings realized would result in either substandard hardware, limited warranty coverage, or PCs that would become obsolete at a much faster rate. Indeed, we ourselves have been victim to this sort of short-sighted type of planning here at SCLS: the first laptop purchased for the Gadget Pack was an ASUS Netbook. We spent about $400 for it. The warranty coverage was only 90 days. After 5 months of limited use, the Netbook quit working and could not be repaired. We replaced it with a standard Dell laptop, one with a 3 year warranty and better parts (I think we paid under $600 for it). It's still running with no problems after a year of use.
The Technology Team spends a significant amount of time researching, testing, and choosing a PC that offers our member libraries the best combination of speed, performance, reliability, and value for their money.