Higher Education Budget Cuts

Budget Cut Impacts: University of California’s SLASIAC Task Force Interim Report

The University of California’s SLASIAC Library Planning Task Force has released the draft University of California Systemwide Library and Scholarly Information Advisory Committee Library Planning Task Force Interim Report.

Here's an excerpt:

Based on estimates developed by staff, the Task Force anticipates that:

As a result of the combined effects of the obligation to fully fund the retirement system and to absorb a cut of $500 million to $1 billion in State funding, the libraries may experience budget reductions of as much as $52 million, or 21 percent of their current budget base, over the next six years. To put this into perspective, this cut is greater than the total library budget of any single UC campus, and roughly equivalent to the budgets of three of our mid-sized campuses, all AAU members.

As a result of ongoing increases in the prices charged by publishers for scholarly material in both print and digital formats, the libraries will likely lose the equivalent of $17 million in buying power over the same period. This is equivalent to the current library materials budgets of two mid-sized campuses, and means a reduction in the systemwide acquisition rate of about 200,000 items per year.

Existing library facilities will run out of space for new materials over the next 5-7 years (some are already at capacity) even as demand increases for extended hours and services and technologically well-equipped and flexible learning environments in the libraries’ prime campus locations.

Read more about it at "UC Libraries Must Increase Sharing to Weather Cuts."

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 |

State Funding for Higher Education in FY 2009 and FY 2010

The National Conference of State Legislatures has released State Funding for Higher Education in FY 2009 and FY 2010.

Here's an excerpt:

The following information summarizes the findings for FY 2010, including the impact of ARRA [American Recovery and Reinvestment Act] funds:

Thirty-nine of the 46 reporting states used fiscal stabilization funds to support higher education, resulting in a 2.3 percent increase in year-over-year higher education funding. Without ARRA, funding would have decreased 2.5 percent.

Ten states reported increases of more than 5 percent in FY 2010 higher education appropriations.

Even with the ARRA money, 23 states reported funding decreases from FY 2009 levels, with eight states reporting drops of more than 5 percent. Hawaii and Idaho reported declines of more than 10 percent.

"EBSCO Library Collections and Budgeting Trends Survey"

EBSCO has released the "EBSCO Library Collections and Budgeting Trends Survey," which was conducted in February of this year.

Here's an excerpt:

Eighty-three percent of librarians reported either budget cuts or no budget growth during the 2009-2010 year. ARL libraries were especially hard hit with 64 percent reporting budget decreases. Expectations for 2010-2011 are similar with a total of 85 percent of respondents expecting decreased or flat budgets.

Challenges for Academic Libraries in Difficult Economic Times: A Guide for Senior Institutional Managers and Policy Makers

The Research Information Network has released Challenges for Academic Libraries in Difficult Economic Times: A Guide for Senior Institutional Managers and Policy Makers.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

Based upon data gathered in the UK and internationally, and focus groups with senior librarians during late 2009, the guide looks at the financial position of libraries, their strategies for dealing with challenging economic circumstances, and the value of libraries.

After a decade of growth in budgets and services, academic librarians now expect a sustained period of cuts over the next three to five years. The scale of these cuts means librarians are having to reconsider the kinds and levels of service they can provide in support of their universities missions.

This guide shows how librarians are responding to the issues of balancing expenditure between information resources and staffing and how they plan to sustain levels of service, as well as developing new services to meet new needs. It demonstrates that library directors need the support of senior managers across the higher education sector, as well as from publishers and other information providers, to help address the challenges, as well as the opportunities, faced.

Read more about it at the briefing document.

Stanford University Libraries Have Laid Off 32 Employees, Will Close Physics Library

The Stanford University Libraries and Academic Information Resources have laid off 32 employees, eliminated 26 vacant positions, and plan to close the Physics Library in 2010.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

University Libraries announced Wednesday that it has laid off 32 employees. It also offered nine other staff members the option of being laid off and receiving severance benefits instead of staying in revamped positions at reduced pay or reduced hours.

The unit also announced plans to permanently close the Physics Library in the summer of 2010 and transfer its holdings to other locations. . . .

"This has been a challenging process and layoffs have been undertaken only after careful assessment of all budget options," said University Librarian Michael Keller.

"We greatly regret the need to lay off staff who have been dedicated to the library and its mission. However, the elimination of these positions will enable us to balance our budget. I am confident that we can weather the crisis, and we begin immediately the important task of revamping and rebuilding our organization."

All told, more than 60 library positions have been affected by layoffs, reassignments and other cost-cutting measures to meet the 2010 budget reduction mandated by the university.

University Libraries has also eliminated 26 vacant positions.

In addition to trimming its workforce, University Libraries has cut expenses by reducing the purchase of books, journals and online subscriptions; closing Green Library at 1 a.m.; eliminating patron outreach programs, including the semi-annual magazine Imprint; and eliminating most staff travel.

In Stanford Provost John Etchemendy's "2009-2010 Stanford University Budget Plan" presentation on 05/28/09 to the Faculty Senate, it was stated that the Libraries face a 13.5% general funds budget reduction.

In "University Budget Announced," Etchemendy is reported as saying that the Stanford Auxiliary Libraries project must proceed, noting that:

"If we don’t build that soon, Mike’s going to have to start burning books," Etchemendy said, referring to University Librarian Michael Keller.

University of Washington Libraries to Close Three Science Branch Libraries

The University of Washington Libraries will close the Chemistry Library, the Fisheries-Oceanography Library, and the Physics-Astronomy Library this summer, merging them into a research commons in the Allen Library.

Read more about it at "Libraries Lost to Budget Cuts."

Proposed Budget Cuts Threaten LSU Press

The Louisiana State University Press is listed in "Louisiana State University System: Preliminary Budget Reduction Proposals" under a $4,100,000 "Cut general fund support to academic support units" item, which says:

This cut will require certain academic support entities to implement new fees for their services or to increase their existing fees to students, faculty, staff, and/or the general public. Because of the nature of some of these entities and their fixed cost of operation, it is very possible they cannot generate the revenue needed and will close. Examples of units that may be impacted as a result of this type of decision are the LSU Museum of Art, Rural Life Museum, Hilltop Arboretum, LSU Press, Southern Review, Louisiana Library Network, Alumni Association and the Fire & Emergency Training Institute.

Read more about it at "Louisiana State U. Press Might Get the Ax."

Seven ARL Libraries Face Major Planned or Potential Budget Cuts

Seven Association of Research Libraries member libraries are facing major planned or potential budget cuts. These examples suggest that significant budget cuts may be widespread in ARL libraries.

The Cornell University Library will have to cut around about $944,000 from the fiscal year 2010 materials budget.

"A reduction in the materials budget is in keeping with reductions across the university," said John Saylor, associate university librarian for scholarly resources and special collections. "It's unfortunate but unavoidable. The library is committed to maintaining and building a collection that ensures our lasting position among the top research libraries."

The Emory University Libraries have "already cut $200,000 from the current (2008/2009) collections budget" and more cuts are planned in FY 2010:

Fiscal Year 2010 will bring additional collection cuts as the library struggles to adjust a reduced budget to inflationary pressures which can range from five to ten percent. Chuck Spornick, Head of Collection Management for the General Libraries, estimates that almost $637,000 will need to be trimmed from the 2010 collections budget.

The MIT Libraries are faced with a $1.4 million budget cut this summer:

"As part of the Institute-wide mandate to reduce General Institute Budget expenditures in the 2010 fiscal year, the MIT Libraries are required to reduce their budget by 6%, or $1.4M by July 1, 2009. Further budget reductions are anticipated for FY2011 and FY2012."

The UCLA Libraries are facing a cut of over $400,00 this year alone:

Last Friday I received a memorandum from Executive Vice-Chancellor and Provost Scott Waugh detailing this request. I am meeting with campus administration today to further explore the implications for the UCLA Library. In the detail attached to EVC Waugh’s memorandum the library is slated for a $438,623 mid-year reduction for 2008-09 and the five percent reduction for 2009-10 of $1,830,201.

The University of Tennessee Libraries sent a February 16th memo to deans, department heads, and library representatives saying that they were "facing a potential 8% base budget cut. This cut represents reductions totaling $1,343,299 from the library’s operations, personnel, and collections budget."

The University of Washington Libraries have submitted a business plan to the Provost and Executive Vice President that reflects "levels of reduction in central support of 8%, 10%, and 12%." In dollar terms, these reductions are $2,457,962, $3,072,452, and $$3,686,943 respectively.

The Yale University Library is cutting its collection budget for the first time due to budget shortfalls:

This is the first time that the general University collections budget will be cut for economic reasons. Four or five years ago the Library's General Appropriation (GA) was reduced by 5%, but this reduction was not applied to the collections budgets. (On a couple of occasions in the last decade, the YUL general collections were reduced by $500,000 each, as part of a buying-power reconciliation.) This time will be different. As a result of the University's 25% endowment decrease, the following reductions will take effect: (1) the collections GA budgets will be cut by 5%, a decrease of around $300,000; and (2) the collections endowment budgets will see a 6.75% reduction, approximately $900,000. These reductions will take effect as of 1 July 2009 and may be repeated in future year(s).

In "Predictions for 2009," Peter Suber discusses the potential impact of the global recession on journal publishing, libraries, and open access (see "The Worldwide Financial Crisis and Recession Will Have Mixed Consequences for OA, but Will Yield More Gains Than Losses" section).

University of Florida Libraries Propose to Cut Budget by over $2.6 Million

The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries have posted a "2009-2010 Budget Reduction Proposal for the George A. Smathers Libraries, Including the Health Science Center Libraries" that details over $2.6 million in proposed budget cuts.

Virginia Tech Journal Cut: Almost $900,000

The Virginia Tech University Libraries will reduce journal subscriptions by almost $900,000 in the 2009-2010 budget year.

Here's an excerpt from "Library to Cut Nearly $1 Million":

Hitchingham [Dean of University Libraries] said that the university must cancel $500,000 worth of subscriptions to accommodate library budget cuts. They must also cover $400,000 worth of cuts to meet inflationary cost increases.

Utah State University Press May Lose University Subsidy

In "Could a Press End Up on Chopping Block?," Scott Jaschik reports that Utah State University may end its subsidy of its press if anticipated cuts in the state budget are made.