Collection Development and Finance: a Guide to Strategic Library-Materials Budgeting

This text covers topics such as how collection budgets are planned, built and defended, and implemented, in straightforward language. Each topic is illustrated with sample budgets and allocations typical of academic and public libraries serving their respective communities. It includes step-by-step guidance for working with administrators and boards to meet patron needs while addressing today's financial realities. The author covers aspects of modern materials-budgeting, including the budget implications of electronic-access alternatives to purchasing materials. Chapters describe collection-finance relationships, gathering information for library materials budget requests, preparing the request, traditional and non-traditional budget processes, access versus ownership, background and procedures for setting up the budget, monitoring budgets, making midyear adjustments, and closing out the budget at the end of the year. Part of the ALA Editions series of "Frontiers of Access to Library Materials", the book addresses both academic and public libraries, but also looks at many issues applicable to other types.