No, lookups are the first cost... the value being to reduce the time taken to catalogue the library. And storage is to store and manage the database (whether m

No, lookups are the first cost... the value being to reduce the time taken to catalogue the library. And storage is to store and manage the database (whether manually entered or ISBN looked-up). The first (and huge) perception of value is "spare me the hours and days of typing all this junk in". The second (and lower) perception of value is "let me access my library the way I want, any time I want". Storage is a cheap thing, and of lower perceived value if seldom accessed (insurance scenario). Building the catalogue is where the time saved equates into high value.