[baisl] Re: budgeting clarification problems

  • From: Ann Lane <annlane@xxxxxxxx>
  • To: baisl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 16:48:32 -0700

I submit a budget broken down into books and DVD's, periodicals, online
databases, professional (dues and conferences,) supplies, and service (the
security gates.)  I need to justify any large increases.  Additionally, any
one time furniture, supplies, etc. costing more than $3,000 are considered
a capital expense and need to be listed and justified separately.  I have
to submit my budget by mid-January, so it requires planning ahead!

On Tue, Mar 17, 2015 at 2:35 PM, Cathy Rettberg <crettberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

> I receive an annual budget with spending items broken down by type:
> books/DVDs (durable goods, which sometimes means a new book cart or shelf),
> online resources, periodical subscriptions, supplies, memberships & dues,
> speaker fees, continuing education. The amounts are based on previous
> spending (previous year + a percentage increase) and while they aren't
> eager to make large increases they are always open to the discussion if
> something comes up. The budget is broken out by type of purchase, but all
> that really matters is the bottom line, so if I spend supply money on books
> that is my own decision.
>
> Cathy
>
> ---------
> Cathy Rettberg, Head Librarian
> Menlo School
> Atherton, CA
> http://library.menloschool.org
>
> What I'm reading:
> *Grasshopper Jungle*/Smith
>
> On Tue, Mar 17, 2015 at 1:02 PM, Daina Dickman <daina.dickman@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
>> I am in my second year as the librarian at my school, so this is the
>> first time I have had to handle our ILS renewal.  Last year I checked with
>> both the head of lower school (my supervisor last year) and the technology
>> director and was told the ILS came from the technology budget.  That was
>> how I planned my budget for this year.  Today I was told that the money
>> needs to come from the library budget.  It is a pretty substantial amount,
>> almost 8% of my annual budget that I had planned to spend on books (I am
>> doing a massive updating of our very aged non-fiction books).  An
>> unpleasant surprise, especially so late in the school year.
>>
>> I have tried multiple times to get clarification from my administration
>> on what the "library budget" covers.  I purchased a large storytime carpet
>> last year, but it did not come out of my budget, but then when I tried to
>> get a display shelving unit I was told it needed to come from the library
>> budget.  I just want a straight answer so things can be planned out!  The
>> answers I get tend to change later on.  Our entire business office has
>> turned over since I began and we have a new technology director this year.
>>
>> Can I ask what direction other librarians receive with regards to
>> budgeting?  Do you have suggestions on what sort of questions I should be
>> asking to get clear answers?  My prior budgeting experience was in public
>> and academic libraries and I am at a loss for how to handle this situation.
>>
>> Thank you as always for your help BAISL!
>>
>> Daina
>>
>
>


-- 
Ann Lane
Librarian, Saint Francis High School

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