Finances and the Management of Library Digitization for Cultural

Materials in Small Library Settings

Amy Adams & Kathleen Dolan

Finances

The financial responsibility of the public library is to provide strong fiscal management tactics in the governance of the library itself with relation to the needs and wants of the community it serves.

Finances

Funding can come from: Tax dollars Community fundraising Private benefactors Grants

Project Context & Scope

Digitization of cultural materials in small library settings

Finances include all money funding the library (money coming in) and money being spent on projects, programs, materials, and staff (money going out)

Project Goals

To develop a PMP manual representing guidelines in a library automation framework for digitizing culture-specific materials in small libraries

Finances and Small Libraries:considerations

How is funding gathered? What are the rules/law? Who determines how money is spent? Where does the money come from? Budget details and restrictions? How is collection development handled? Size of the community?

Finances and Small Libraries:addressing the considerations

Develop a thorough policy for budgetary rules

Be aware of regulations set by any funding source

Establish clear collection development policies

Finances and Cultural Materials:considerations

What are the financial laws for the region? Restrictions on how the money can be spent? What kind of items can be purchased for the

library? Will the community support the library? How is funding secured? What does the community want? What are the available sources of materials

specific to the culture and that culture’s needs?

Finances and Cultural Materials:addressing the considerations

Ensure policies and procedures follow any laws or restrictions

Explore community wants and needs through data gathering and analysis

Finances and Digitization:Considerations

How are digitization needs broken down in the budget?

Is there enough money for software/hardware?

Funds to hire/contract a digitization specialist?

Will there be training for the staff? Will there be money set aside to hire an IT

staff member? How will the digital material funding be

maintained?

Finances and Digitization:addressing the considerations

Compare what is available—is one particular software less expensive?

Establish policies, if needed, regarding inclusion of items in the budget

Explore strategies for long-term funding

Websites Example of a budgetary policy:

http://www.icpl.org/about/policies/finance.php IFLA’s booklet on developing a collection

development policy: http://www.ifla.org/VII/s14/nd1/gcdp-e.pdf

NINCH’s suggestions for maintaining long-term funding: http://www.nyu.edu/its/humanities/ninchguide/XI/

Example of an operating budget (MPL): http://www.mplib.org/budget.asp