Northern Kentucky University

February 23, 2005

Present:

Arne Almquist, Lois Schultz, Barbara Hedges, Tom Heard, Ernest Barnett, Bob Vitz

Absent:

Matt Shank, Yasue Kawahara

1. Introductions

2. Library Materials Allocation Formula – Lois Schultz

The ULAC committee was formed in 2001. At its founding, the committee was charged with coming up with a new formula for dividing monies allocated to each department for the purchase of library materials. The formula is used to provide allocation of non-recurring expenses. The best formula uses a minimum number of variables. Lois showed the formula from the 80s and 90s based on previous years' allocation and credit hours. The allocation amount went out of sync as each department grew or shrank. The new formula was applied in 2002/2003. Variables included number of classes, credit hours generated, cost of materials by discipline, and so one, with each variable receiving a different weighting. In 2003/2004 a variable was added for graduate classes.

3. Library's FY 2006 Budget Proposal – Arne Almquist

Arne presented to the group the Library’s FY2006 budget proposal. We are stretching resources because of growth and are only asking for basic things. Serials inflation was one issue addressed. It is currently running 9 – 10% per year. Arne presented a comparison chart from 1999 through 2005 showing a dramatic increase in serials prices vs the general inflation rate. He also presented a chart showing the overall materials budget during the same period, showing that increases in the budget did not keep pace until fairly recently. He presented comparative data from other Kentucky institutions showing NKU at the bottom of the group in terms of overall materials budget and expenditures per FTE student.

In addition, Arne pointed out that without an increase to at least cover serials inflation, serials costs would quickly eliminate the purchase of non-serials.

The overall request for an increase in materials expenditures is around $200,000. Components of the request include serials inflation, a new business database, and increases in the serials and monographs budgets, and money to expand our document delivery access. In addition, there was a request to expand a faculty line to permanent full time, and a request to implement a media booking system. These additional two requests were for approximately $27,000 in new funds.

Document delivery is one way in which we are dealing with serials inflation. Arne provided figures showing that document delivery at NKU is extremely cost effective. In one example, document delivery provided access to a journal at half the cost of a subscription.

4. Future Directions

The library is working to aggressively manage the serials collection, thereby dealing with the high level of inflation. We are looking at the complete life cycle of information formats and are making access to journals literature as seamless as possible regardless of method (subscription, article-by-article, ILL). This will allow us to make more resources available for the purchase of non-serials (books, videos, etc.). On the book side, we have been purchasing electronic books. One area where this has worked well is with titles that frequently disappear from the shelves. E-books cannot be stolen or vandalized and “self check-in” at the end of the circulation period. For books that are constantly stolen or vandalized, this is a godsend.

Unless a meeting is specially called, the next meeting will be in November.