[Original posting on this topic appeared in COLLDV-L no. 1991 and is
reproduced below; the response follows it.]
From: Cindy Boxall <Cindy.Boxall_at_StMarys.ca>
I work in an academic library, where the library acquisitions budget
is divided up among the various university teaching departments. I am
interested in finding out how other academic libraries determine what
proportion of the acquisitions budget is reserved for the library to
purchase reference materials, replacement items, interdisciplinary
materials, electronic databases, etc.. In other words, how do you
determine how much is reserved for the library only?
Would appreciate your feedback. Please email me directly.
Cindy Boxall
Head, Instructional Development
Patrick Power Library
Saint Mary's University
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3H 3C3
Phone: (902) 496-8789
Fax: (902) 420-5561
==========================================================================
(1) From: Irene Robinson <IRobinson_at_APUNET.APU.EDU>
The Collection Development Team at Azusa Pacific University has the
responsibility of the book budget which is divided into 3 sections.
Section 1 includes the followiing categories or funds: Binding,
Curriculum Laboratory, Extended Services, Special Collection, Standing
Orders, Pamphlet File, and discretionary funds given to the Dean, the
Chair, and the Collection Development Team (CDT) These funds are
determined by the CDT and based on money needed by each.
Of these, the largest are the Standing Orders and the CDT discretionary
funds. With the latter fund, the CDT purchases general reference, some
interdisciplinary titles and high cost subject-specific titles (i.e. art
encyclopedia) which could not be purchased by the fund allocated to the
discipline by a formula.
Section 2 of the budget includes all the disciplines taught at the
university. As noted above, we use a formula to determine how much
each receives. The formula includes the number of classes, students
enrolled, majors, faculty, number of books currently each discipline,
and an evaluation of these collections.
With the allocated funds, liaison library faculty (with or without
recommendations from the classroom faculty) purchase subject-specific
titles based on the courses being taught, supplemental readings
required, etc. The first year of electronic databases, which must be
compatible with our system, is also purchased with these allocations.
Subsequent yearly subscriptions to databases are purchased from a
non-library electronic-resources account.
Section 3 is a new-programs account which, in the past has been used for
new classes. Now it is used specifically for new programs.
In addition to the book budget, we have a media budget. Since this
budget is small in comparison, the disciplines are placed on a 3-year
rotating cycle. The liaison library faculty purchase titles usually
requested by classroom faculty. However, if a title is needed by a
discipline during an "off" year, they may be purchased with a yearly
"miscellaneous" media account.
Beginning July 1, 1999, the book accounts which had previously been
given to departments will be included in the library budget. In other
words, the administration of the university has given the library, and
the CDT, a great deal of responsibility and a vote of confidence.
The periodicals budget is a separate line item.
I hope this will be of help. Let me know if you have any questions.
Irene Robinson
Associate Professor
CDT Team Leader
Received on Tue Jun 08 1999 - 15:02:03 EDT