Building a “Balanced Collection” Amidst Recession and Tough Economic Times

Building a “Balanced Collection” Amidst Recession and Tough Economic Times

Elvira B. [email protected]

The Library of Congress

As confirmed by an ALA study, when the economy is down, library use is UP. Unfortunately, at the same time, tight budgets are closing library doors and reducing access when it is needed most. – Gerding, 2005

UCLA Library Budget cut 2009-2010

• Reduction in acquisitions of new materials for the collection

• Reduction in service hours• Reduction in the number of service outlets and

branch libraries• Exploration of a fee for interlibrary loan• Reduction in operating expense, travel and other

general expense

Source: http://blogs.library.ucla.edu/universitylibrarian/2009/08/04/ucla-library-budget-2009-10/

Scientists’ Reading PatternScientists read more now than 20 years ago

Reading habits are changing due to e-volutions (electronic publishing, journal pricing and new publishing models)

Remote access to electronic information is preferred and has changed the way faculty and students do work and use libraries

Source: Dr. Subrata Bose [email protected] Methodology Group, MRC Clinical Sciences CentreImperial College, LondonRIN/CURL Workshop30th April, 2007

Why do we need libraries when everything is on the Internet?

• The Internet is like a library with all books on the floor; there is chaos. The key isn’t the library; it is the Librarian

• The Internet is like a mountain of knowledge. Anyone can start climbing it, but it’s so much easier if you have a guide. Librarians are the mountain guides. They know the best and quickest routes to the top.

• Information on the Internet is free, but you get what you pay for.

» (adapted from) Kahn and Mallette, 2002

Collection Development Process

• Community analysis

• Formulating CD Policies

• Selection

• Acquisition

• De-selection

• Evaluation

DO YOU KNOW YOUR USERS?

Written Collection Development Policy

Source: http://rizal.lib.admu.edu.ph/acq/acq_colldev.html

Written Collection Development Policy

Source: http://library.ust.edu.ph/orgofmat.htm

Selection and Acquisition

Exercise: Evaluating and Selecting materials

• A major donor has given your library PHP500,000.00 and requested the library spend it based on your recent community needs assessment. Choose a type of material, such as a book, magazine/ newspaper, audio/visual media, or electronic resource that you want to increase spending on that format based on your perceptions of your community needs.

Answer the following questions:

1. What type of material would you collect?

2. What are some criteria to use when judging/selecting your material?

3. Is there a local source for your materials?

4. Why did you choose this type of material for an increase in funding?

5. How would you change the way you select and evaluate materials at your library based on what you’ve heard today?

Formulate criteria for de-selection/weeding

Collection Evaluation

Gathering Data

COLLECTION ASSESSMENT PROJECT

Balanced collection• Able to address the needs of teaching,

learning and research, with quality resources across disciplines

• That each discipline (subject area) should be equally assured of having the books, journals, and other materials which it needs

Types of Budget System

• Incremental Line-Item

• Formula• Zero-based• Program• Planning,

programming, budgeting system

• Performance-based

• Responsibility centered

• Block-incremental

• Initiative-based

Resource allocation basis

• Volume – based on the number of projected library users

• Use – how resources are used based on loans and access

• Cost – price of resources to be acquired

RESOURCE ALLOCATION – PER DEPARTMENT

FUND PROJECTION

Deal with it!!

Exercise: handling Budget cuts

• SCENARIO: Your Institution has suffered a natural disaster. It resulted in a significant budget cut. The Library must take its share of cuts; you have been given an amount to cut from the collection, which turns out to be 5% of your collection budget. Unfortunately, you are half-way through the fiscal year.

Deal with it by answering the following:

• Is this a short or long term cut? Why?

• How much does the cut really turn out to be?

• What steps would you implement the cuts?

• Would you notify your public about this cut? Why or why not?

What’s the Librarian got to do?

• Work in partnership.. And collaborate!• Communicate, communicate, communicate!• Grow the digital library• Re-define the library as place • Make it easy for the customers• Make your customers trust you• Get out to where your customers are!• Promote the library brand!

Doing more with less

• Review circulation statistics for materials purchased and added to the collection

• Review in-house usage statistics of print journals to evaluate for possible cancellation

• Involve library users in the selection of materials for acquisitions

• Consider formats with high demands

Fund raising, sure!

Charm to raise awareness

… with a little help from friends

ELVIRA B. LAPUZUniversity of the Philippines

[email protected]

Thank you!