SFU Library Materials Budget 2005-2006

Here is the 2005/2006 Library Materials Budget as supported by the Senate Library Committee at its meeting June 6, 2005.

As in previous years, the Library has set a materials budget that strives to strike a suitable balance between books and serials, and print and electronic formats, while accommodating the different materials needs of the various disciplines. It also considers the fluctuating Canadian dollar, inflation and increases in both serial and periodical subscriptions.

We continue to monitor the book purchases by each account and keep a close eye on the journal purchases. We also continue to provide the flexibility of moving discretionary funds to increase serials purchases, if so desired. To ensure that book purchases are not overlooked by any single fund, we reserve the right to allow up to only 90% of the total fund to cover serial and periodical purchases.

In allocating this year's library materials budget, the following principles have been applied:

1. Past experience has shown that scientific, medical and technical serial subscriptions have greater price increases than other subject areas. As a general rule, Science and Applied Science serial and periodical allocations are set based on a 9% increase over 2004/05 expenditures. All other subscriptions including databases have been increased by 8%. Many of the periodical and serial lines were underspent in 2004/05 due to the rise in the Canadian dollar during the year. This year’s budget plans for a continued strong dollar.

2. Where book funds – approvals, forms, or discretionary – were fully expended in 2004/05, they have been increased by 5%. Where they were not fully expended they have been left at the same value as 2004/05.

3. Aside from these general principles, adjustments have made been in the following amounts:

• $29,500 moved out of departmental serial lines to cover bundled package of journals from Cambridge University Press (moved to General Electronic Serials)
• $54,500 deducted from departmental serials lines to correct overbilling by serials agent
• $41,114 moved out of departmental serial lines to cover other migrations to online-only packages

4. Allocations have been increased in REM, Statistics, Humanities, Earth Sciences and Women’s Studies where specific requests for new materials have been made by the departments. These areas conform to the Library’s commitment to address the needs of smaller and recently formed departments.

5. Health Sciences has been moved out of the General Library section of the budget into a standalone Faculty, to reflect its new status at the university. Public Policy has been moved out of the Belzberg section of the budget into Arts & Social Sciences.

An explanation of the fund labels used in the budget appears below. Not all funds will have all the following lines:

Books - Approvals purchases received in book form based on subject profiles set up with our major book vendors. Primary subjects are covered by these approval profiles. Approximately 65% of all book titles purchased come in on approval.

Books - Forms purchases from information forms about new publications received based on subject profiles set up with our major book vendors. Secondary subjects are covered by forms in the profiles.

Books- Discretionary purchases from information provided by faculty and students, and orders initiatied by liaison librarians. Depending on the subject area, mainly secondary subjects are covered by Discretionary purchases.

Periodicals cover the journals purchased by the Library. This line normally covers subscriptions (print or electronic) that are paid for in advance.

Serials cover other regularly purchased items that are bought from year to year. These consist of yearbooks, annuals, handbooks, or other items issued serially that are paid for at the time of reciept.

Databases cover electronic indexes that are purchased each year. Subject based databases are covered in the departmental budgets and more general databases are purchased out of the general funds.