The goal of this study was to build knowledge about the perspectives of library leaders who have experience with a responsibility center management (RCM) budget model and how the model guides library allocations and planning. The study also sought to provide advice to other library leaders whose institutions may consider adopting an RCM budget…

This paper presents the results of thirty-seven interviews of senior library leaders at American Association of University (AAU) institutions conducted in Spring 2023. The author replicated a 2016 study from "portal," revealing an increased focus on strategic plan-based decision-making along with new priorities of open scholarship and…

The purpose of this study was to identify and understand the management of resources by library directors at 151 Public and Private Carnegie classified extensive university libraries in an environment of limited funding for higher education. This study examined the following research questions: 1. What resource allocation strategies are used by…

Reactionary stances against pending budget cuts should be considered to be less favorable positioning for library leaders versus more proactive and anticipatory strategies. By changing the attitudinal and service posturing of library staff and services, libraries can show themselves as a more essential function to their colleges. Budget cuts…

Despite the fact that the rate of unionism has grown in institutions of higher education over the past several decades, and the recent economic recession occurred at the same time that academic libraries faced accelerating changes in scholarly communication and technology, increased demands for accountability, and heightened external competition,…

Introduction: Our aim is to compare the advantages and problems of e-book acquisition identified in research literature to those experienced by two Swedish university libraries. Method: A literature review was used to identify the main issues related to acquisition of e-books by academic libraries. The data for comparison were collected through…

How have college and university-based archives and special collections fared over the past few years in the midst of an historically grim economic downturn? The authors conducted in-depth interviews with directors of 13 archival repositories at state universities and private colleges in the Appalachian region of Virginia, West Virginia, North…

The Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) of ARL, which acts as a clearinghouse for current operating practices in libraries, is now open to everyone. Its flyers and kits reporting results of surveys show how libraries solve budget and other management problems. (JPF)

Summarizes the budgeting methodology followed at one Canadian university faced with making budget cuts to achieve a balanced budget. The article focuses on the business library component, providing the major results of the process as well as discussing the problems encountered, the benefits, and the drawbacks. (Author)

Describes informative measures used by a library advisory committee to advise university administrators of the adverse impact of budgetary constraints on the operation of the academic library. (RAA)

Examines the theory and application of zero base budgeting (ZBB) and presents an example of ZBB in an academic library reference department, illustrating the preparation of a budget proposal and demonstrating the different approaches to staffing for reference services and varying funding levels. (FM)

Nine articles cover topics related to library financial resources: (1) escalating serials prices; (2) library budgeting; (3) entrepreneurship; (4) cutback management; (5) academic library budgets; (6) assessment of library effectiveness; (7) public library fund-raising; (8) capital investment; and (9) unit cost analysis at the Virginia Polytechnic…

Discusses how strategic planning can help academic libraries integrate online systems for management of multiple fund accounts. Topics addressed include fiscal management goals and objectives; coordinating systems; the budget calendar; periodicals processing; and supplementary funds such as student fees, awards, legislative appropriations, and…

This kit on the preparation and presentation of the library budget in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions contains a concise summary of the results of a 1977 member survey on budget preparation and eight related primary source documents. The summary of the Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) survey focuses on types of…