We no longer allocate by formula to each department. It was not
sustainable, did not work well for interdisciplinary research which is
growing, and provides little flexibility. It was too artificial and did not
correspond to actual need or university's strategic needs.
We formed a faculty committee with a few library people, and a 80/20 model
was developed. In this model, our subscription budget (journals, databases,
and anything with annual costs) cannot exceed 80%. The first benefit was it
guarantees that the arts and humanities book needs are not swallowed by
inflation on costs science and engineering resources.
Next we wanted to build in flexibility. Once the 80% amount is determined,
the additions or costs are decided on by all the librarians in partnership.
Book money is distributed in 4 pots: A&H, science & engineering, social
sciences, and interdisciplinary. The librarians in that group decide how
they use the book money (% to each person, amount to each person, shared
put until gone, etc.). It allowed us to buy more larger ticket priced items
or to adapt quicker to a new faculty member's needs.
Good luck on your processes.
Thanks,
Brian
Brian C. Gray, MLIS
Team Leader, Research Services
Librarian: Chemical Engineering and Macromolecular Science & Engineering
Email: brian.c.gray_at_case.edu
Kelvin Smith Library 201-K
Office hours in Nord Hall: http://researchguides.case.edu/profile/bcg8
Case Western Reserve University
Kelvin Smith Library
11055 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7151
Phone: (216) 368-8685
Fax: (216) 368-3669
On Fri, Mar 7, 2014 at 4:36 PM, <acqnet-l_at_lists.ibiblio.org> wrote:
> Dear Colleagues,
>
>
>
> Our library is exploring possible ways of reconfiguring our current
> allocation formula.
>
>
>
> At the University of Scranton, the acquisitions funds are allocated to
> departments. Each department determines how to expend those funds among
> books, periodicals, standing orders and electronic resources. We use an
> allocation formula that has four factors to allocate new funds that are
> added to the base budget. The factors are: number of courses taught in the
> discipline, FTES in those courses, FTEF teaching the courses and cost of
> acquiring materials in the discipline. The cost factor looks at average
> prices of books and journals and the dependency of the department on these
> materials types.
>
>
>
> We are interested in finding out what other libraries are doing with
> respect to the allocation of acquisitions funds to departments in these
> days of high inflation and budget reductions.
>
>
>
> 1. Does your library use an allocation formula for new funding
> only or for your base budget?
>
> 2. If you have had a reduction in your acquisition budget, what
> process did you use to reallocate funds? Did it involve any type of
> formula?
>
>
>
> If you are able to share this information with us we would greatly
> appreciate it. Please send it directly to my email address:
> narda.tafuri_at_scranton.edu.
>
>
>
> Thank you for your kind assistance!
>
>
>
> Narda Tafuri
>
>
>
> Narda Tafuri <narda.tafuri_at_scranton.edu>
> Associate Professor
>
> Coordinator of Technical Services
>
> The University of Scranton
>
> Weinberg Memorial Library
>
> Scranton, PA 18510
>
> Voice - (570) 941-7811
>
> Fax - (570) 941-7809
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> ACQNET-L mailing list
> ACQNET-L_at_lists.ibiblio.org
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>
>
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Received on Wed Mar 12 2014 - 14:21:44 EDT