TOWN HALL MEETING

Tuesday, April 14, 2009
SML 409
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

The Town Hall meeting was convened to update selectors and fund managers on the Collections budget requests and cuts and to answer any questions in this regard.

Alice Prochaska (University Librarian) invited selectors to provide her with comments, questions, and other feedback they receive from faculty and graduate students. She will use this information in her advocacy efforts to explain the impact of the budget cuts on the Library's resources and services (and consequently on the University’s academic and research work). The feedback of graduate students will be particularly relevant since departmental faculty may feel the cutbacks less keenly.

The cuts to the core Collections budget now amount to 10 percent. If YUL had not pursued this course, we would have to face a significant number of staff layoffs. However, Alice pointed out that, collection-wise, YUL is cutting from a strong base. The Yale collections budgets have been increasing consistently in the past, and recent ARL statistics show that Yale's spending on collections compares more than favorably with peer institutions.

She further stressed that the Library will not lay off people unnecessarily, but it will eliminate only positions related to work that has ceased, is ceasing, or is being greatly reduced. Most of the positions being eliminated are – at least now – term positions, ending with the current fiscal year or shortly thereafter. By implementing these layoffs and eliminating a significant number of vacant positions, the Library will probably lose approximately 60 positions, which is close to the 10 percent that is being cut from the Collections budget. However, over the past five years the staff component has grown by 50 positions: Alice also mentioned that staff members who chose alternative working patterns (mostly by modest one-year reductions of their working hours) helped to save $80,000, or the equivalent of one plus C&T staff positions.

About a week before the meeting, Ann Okerson (Associate University Librarian for Collections and International Programs) had joined University Librarian Alice Prochaska and Debbie McGraw (Chief Administrative Officer) in a meeting with Lloyd Suttle, Deputy Provost to whom the Library reports, to explore the possibility of carrying over $500,000 from this year's Collections funds, to cushion the cuts for next fiscal year – a possibility which unlikely as in general no carryovers will be permitted.

Later in April, Ann will send a letter to all major NERL vendors to explain the cuts that Yale and other member institutions are making to their collection budgets, and stimulate a conversation on possible price reductions. She shared the contents of the letter with the group. She offered to send the same letter to major non-NERL vendors and invited selectors to provide her contact with relevant information in the next couple of weeks.

Debbie explained that, after growing from $17 to $24 billion in recent years, the Yale endowment has now a real value that is significantly lower than what appears on paper. In the meantime, the Library has accumulated some balances of unspent money. What selectors will be allocated for next fiscal year (2009-2010) is this year’s income minus 10% in cuts. This trend will change at some point in the future, but currently it is impossible to say when, or to what extent.

Ann added that, after cutting 10% this year and likely an additional 5% next year, the Library will re-build its core Collections budgets from a reduced base.

She also stressed that trimming approval plans may not be the best way to go about reducing the Collections budget, and she discouraged that approach. On the other hand, for large database purchases, she would like to see negotiate through NERL, rather than work individually with specific vendors.

In the case of blanket/approval prepayments in July (normal library practice each year), we will need to talk to big vendors such as Casalini and Harrassowitz about the possibility of splitting into two installments. Some other university libraries are handling such payments on a quarterly basis.

Tobin Nellhaus (Librarian for Drama, Film, Theater Studies) pointed out that some databases are purchased through direct deals with vendors. Would it be possible to handle these under a consortial agreement? Ann replied that possibilities vary publisher by publisher. For example, EBSCO is willing to negotiate, while Alexander Street Press asked us to let them know what we can afford to pay. Some big database vendors are willing to negotiate, and those who have not sent signals in this sense will soon be pressured to do so.

Hannah Bennett (Arts Library) asked about restricted funds that will show substantial balances ($5,000) by the end of the fiscal year. What will happen to these balances? Debbie answered that they will be frozen – for how long we don’t know. The funds will be "on the books," but we won't be able to spend carryovers.

Sue Roberts (Librarian for European History, Coordinator of Humanities Collections) inquired about adjustments and rollovers. Debbie replied that these will not be visible or available to selectors.

Julie Linden (Government Information Librarian) pointed out the value of posting on the Web a general statement explaining how the Library is coping with the budget reduction need mandated by the University. It would help students, faculty and other patrons understand why we are cutting and where, thus reducing the chances of misunderstandings and complains later on.

Alice noted that faculty members tend to be unaware of the severity of the Library's budget issues; although at a recent meeting of the Advisory Council on Library Policy she heard a keener interest and concern. Perhaps, this type of awareness depends on the department, with the sciences perhaps being more budget-conscious than the humanities.

Paul Stuehrenberg (Divinity Librarian) asked if, considering the future prospects, selectors are supposed to spend as much endowment money as they can by the end of this fiscal year. Debbie suggested they continue spending at their normal rate, without major increases, which might raise red flags. It was pointed out, however, that every year in April, May and June selectors expend spend money they have saved up during the year for special purchases. The resulting spending spikes occur regularly at the end of each fiscal year and should not be unusual.

Finally, Marsha Garman (Interim Chief Acquisitions Librarian) distributed a draft of the End-of-Year Schedule with step-by-step procedures and deadlines.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 p.m.