Planning and Developing a Library Budget

1. Planning and Developing a Library Budget July 2007 John Thompson, Director Indianhead Federated Library System

2. Outline Planning for the Budget Types of Budgets Library Costs Library Standards Presenting the Budget to Boards Additional Resources

3. What is a Plan Where are we going? How will we get there? Did we get there? Includes short mission statement Library and Community Background Goals and Objectives

4. Planning Types of Plans Long Range Plans Short Term Plans Multi-year versus single year Plans

5. Planning Process Who should be involved 1 to 9 people Library Director Library Board Library Staff Library Users Non-library Users Municipal Officials

6. Gathering the Information Current Long Range Plan Census http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html State and County Information Wisconsin Data http://www.doa.state.wi.us/dir/index.asp Library Annual Report Wisconsin Public Library Standards http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/pld/standard.html Survey Results Suggestion Box Visiting with Patrons GIS Mapping http://dunncountywi.govoffice2.com/ Link to Dunn County’s GIS Map

7. Gathering the Information Municipal Budgets – Operating and Capital Municipal Plans Chamber of Commerce School District County Development Organizations Demographic snapshots http://neighboroo.com/ Neighborhood information for Real Estate Agents and Marketing

8. Appleton Public Library Long Range Plan 2005-07 http://www.apl.org/policies/plan04.html

9. Ladysmith Mission Statement

10. Ladysmith Goals and Objectives

11. Kraemer Library & Community Center-- Long Range Plan http://www.scls.lib.wi.us/pla/longrange.html

12. Kraemer Library & Community Center-- Long Range Plan POPULAR MATERIALS CENTER ROLE GOAL STATEMENT: The library collection will be made up of current, high-demand, high-interest materials in varied formats for all age groups. The library actively promotes and encourages the use of its collection. OBJECTIVES: The Library will acquire materials of current popular interest for people of all ages in the community by increasing the materials budget by a minimum of 4% annually.

13. The Plan as an End Product Brochure Web Based Plan Flyer Handout

14. Long Range Plan Review Is the plan current? Is the plan functional? Is it clear and easy to understand? Is it a reasonable length? Can it be used for preparing a budget?

15. Connecting the Plan to the Library Budget “This is the way it’s always been done”.. Using the predecessor’s plan Compare budgets from libraries similar in size Using a five-year plan to develop a library budget Put your budget into simple terms Stay away from library jargon Ask for support from the library trustees Expect positive results, but be prepared for failure

16. Types of Budgets Zero Based (least desired) Incremental (traditional yet lacking) Line item (used often yet incomplete) Program Based or “Combination” (most desired)

17. Library Costs IFLS Budget Checklist http://www.ifls.lib.wi.us/about/budget_checklist.asp Projected Budget Costs Fixed Costs -- such as rent, union negotiated raises, health insurance, or utilities Variable – material budget, raises, professional development, programming Direct/Indirect – i.e. does the library pay for the utilities or paid by municipality

18. Using Graphs

19. Using Graphs

20. Laws affecting Budgets Chapter 43 http://www.legis.state.wi.us/statutes/01Stat0043.pdf Maintenance of Effort -- Average of the last three years Exclusive Control County Reimbursement Act 150/420

21. Library Standards Voluntary Wisconsin Public Library Standards http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/standard.html Service Standards Youth Services Special Needs Reference Staff Development Collection Development

22. Library Standards Quantitative Standards Staffing Levels Collections Open Hours Expenditures

23. Presenting the Budget Library Board Involve them in the process Provide Documents to support the budget Form a budget subcommittee to preplan

24. Presenting the Budget Municipal Board Know your audience How do you they like their information presented Do they know you Try to attend other meetings of the board and not just at budget time Format of Presentation Bring your Board Bring your Friends No Jargon

25. Possible Budget Barriers Levy Limits Address library needs, not all levy limits are imposed uniformly Other Community Projects Operating versus capital Schools versus community Other

26. Additional Resources http://www.dpi.wi.gov/pld/ Public Library Development, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction http://www.dpi.wi.gov/pld/ae13.html Administrative Essentials Developing a Budget (DPI) http://dpi.state.wi.us/pld/te8.html Trustee Essentials Developing the Library Budget (DPI) http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/pld/te11.html Trustee Essentials Planning for the Library’s Future http://www.owlsweb.info/L4L/wistds.asp OWLS Library Standards Website

27. Additional Resources http://www.ifls.lib.wi.us/links_for_librarians.asp#financial Including Foundations in Wisconsin Online http://www.wifoundations.org http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/pld/act150.html County Library Planning (WI DPI) http://www.owlsweb.info/L4L/plans.asp OWLS Planning Page http://www.ala.org/ala/olosbucket/supporttoolkit/toolkithome.htm ALA Small is Powerful Online Toolkit