Krisellen Maloney, Vice President for Information Services and University Librarian
Hello all –
Few things impact the function of the Libraries more than the outcome of the lengthy budget process we undertake each year. This year, our budget requests were made in the context of the RCM budget model in which the Libraries must demonstrate the value of their requests to the Chancellors at each university and ask for funding of both central and local components of our expenses.
I am happy to report that many of our requests have been approved, including:
- $256,198 – Specialized clinical resources – Central
- $200,000 – Nature/Springer STM e books – Central
- $21,000 – Pharmacy resources, previously paid directly by Pharmacy – Central
- $87,000 – Computer refresh – NB
- $24,000 – Computer refresh – RBHS
- $10,000 – Extended hours – Newark
- $TBD – extended hours – Alex NB (Chancellor funding directly as trial)
- $20,000 – Evening staff – RBHS (no longer to be paid directly by NJMS & GSBS)
- $TBD – Extended hours – Kilmer NB (Chancellor funding directly cost as trial)
- $36,000 – Permanent late hours guard – RBHS
- $42,000 – Salary adjustments – RBHS
- $14,749 – partial elimination of salary vacancy factor
You can view the original budget request here. [.docx]
These allocations directly support the priorities we discussed the State of the Libraries presentation in November 2015 to enhance undergraduate support, identify resources for advanced research support, and optimize collection development and management.
Although we are still in the process of understanding how best to align our collection-related allocations with University priorities, we knew that our STM collection spending had not kept pace with the changes in the University. Items 1, 2, and 3 will allow us to immediately improve our STM collections and avoid reallocating funding from other areas until a complete study can be conducted. Items 4, 6, and 7 will greatly enhance undergraduate education with extended hours and computer refresh. Graduate students are the primary student base for the RBHS libraries, so parallel group of requests for the Health Sciences will expand service hours and provide a computer refresh (items 5, 8, and 10). Items 11 and 12 will allow RBHS libraries to tie up loose ends related to the integration. In addition, but not on the list, Camden funded a new NTT librarian to provide library support during all hours the library is open.
The New Brunswick request for expansion of hours (item 7 and 9) to 24/5 in Alex and Kilmer was for over $500K, but the actual funds remain TBD. While we have agreed to move forward with a trial, the Chancellor has asked us to provide some lower cost options for discussion.
All told, the definite funding totals $711K and if the overnight is funded at even half the level of request, our overall increase will be just below $1M. This is fantastic news!
The only bad news that we received is that the University will only fund 1% of the 2% salary increases in 2017. For us, that means that we will have to fund approximately $210K of increases with existing salary funds.
When everything is accounted for, we expect that we will have an additional $750K in permanent funding. We still have to make it over one additional hurdle. In June, the legislature will meet to decide the overall University budget. If University experiences a budget cut, the cut may be passed on to us. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.
Having this additional budget will help us do so much over the next fiscal year, but it is also a significant reminder of the value of the Libraries and our services to the Chancellors and the institutions we serve. Please join me in celebrating this outcome and also in thanking our many colleagues who helped assemble the budget request and participated in budget meetings.
Thank you,
Kris
