Concurrent 5A: So You Think you Know How to Manage a Library Budget? Budget Realities in Collection Decision-Making
Library collection decision-making is often a mystery to publishers. The cost of e-resources; what is and isn’t freely available electronically; and optimizing a flat budget in an era of escalating costs are issues librarians face on a daily basis. Publishers know that library budgets are shrinking, or staying flat at best, but they probably don’t know how librarians navigate challenges such as supporting new programs and responding to faculty requests. Limited budgets, escalating prices, and new acquisitions strategies necessitate clear communication between librarians and publishers about financial realities and complex decisions surrounding collection development. Following an overview of funding sources, allocations, expenditures, deficits, strategies for acquiring content, and collection decision factors, attendees will brainstorm solutions to real life collection development scenarios. This interactive forum will educate publishers on library budget realities and generate discussions between publishers and librarians.
