Present: Suzanne Calpestri, Jan Carter, Rebecca Green, Mary Ann Mahoney
(recorder), Linda K. McClane, Barclay Ogden, Margaret Phillips, Alan Ritch
(Chair), Allan Urbanic, Beth Weil
Guests: Jim Gordon, David Duer, Wendy Hanson, Lark Ashford, Mike Rancer
Agenda
1. Approval of Minutes for October 2nd meeting
2. Announcements
3. Development Office and Endowments, Gifts
4. Collections Budget Update
5. CBS Progress Report
6. Early Birds
7. Collections-related reports from other groups
1. Minutes of October 2nd Meeting were approved electronically prior to the
meeting.
2. Announcements:
· A. Ritch will be meeting with a representative from Gale, Cindy Evans, as
well as a representative from ebrary. There may be some subsequent
discussions with individual selectors as a result of these meetings.
· Stanford AUL's are visiting the campus November 9th, and selector
cooperation will be discussed
3. Development Office and Endowments, Gifts
David Duer discussed the legal and ethical obligations the Library assumes
once an endowment is established. The Development Office would like to
work with the selectors that have endowment funds to improve the
stewardship of these funds. The Development Office is concerned that the
generated income from some of the funds has not been spent. An important
part of endowment fund stewardship involves regular reporting to the
donors, or their families, and reporting is difficult or impossible, if
funds have not been spent. Duer noted that donors occasionally contact the
Development Office to visit the library and want to know that their
endowments are being put to good use. The Development Office is put in an
awkward position if the funds are not being spent.
Duer wanted to know what problems selectors may have in spending the funds
and also ways in which the Development Office could help the selectors
thank donors. Duer suggested that the Development Office generate a list
in the Fall of each year for selectors that would list the material that
had been purchased from each endowment fund. Collections Council thought
the list would be a good vehicle to assist the selectors in the stewardship
of their endowment funds.
Duer announced that the donations generated from the upcoming annual
library fundraising drive will also be available for programs, not just
collections, a departure from past fund drives. A question was raised
about these gift funds being properly applied to the individual selector's
funds when the donor notes a specific library. The BFS budget entries can
lack sufficient information to identify the intended library. Jim Gordon
will work with the Library Development Office and Library Business Services
to verify collections funds and correct balances.
4. Collections Budget Update
Budget cuts are impending, but so far collections are thought to be
excluded by the campus. However, if operations are very deeply cut, the
Library may have to make internal budgetary adjustments, and there will be
no new money for collections. The collections budget should be sufficient
for the next few years primarily due to a lower rate of inflation both for
serials and monographs than we have anticipated. M. Rancer analyzed the
actual rate of inflation using ARL data for the last fourteen years. His
analysis supports using inflation factors lower than the ones we currently
use, closer to 2.3 for monographs and 7.75 for serials. Serials
prepayments have also yielded some savings. According to M. Rancer, if the
economic downturn only lasts two - three years we should be able to ride
out the situation without cancellations.
5. CBS Progress Report
The Collections Budget Subcommittee continues to meet regularly to discuss
the selectors' submissions generated by the CBS call for proposals for
purchases and programmatic needs not covered by individual allocations.
Far more has been requested than there are funds to allocate. Members are
working with many of the individual selectors to modify their requests.
CBS continues to expect to make their preliminary recommendations to the
Collections Council on December 4th.
6. Early Birds
A. Ritch announced that there will be an Early Bird on December 11th on
digitization and other collections issues. The Refstaff Early Bird #3 on
November 28th will also include a presentation on collections issues. [This
11/28 program has been postponed to January].
7. Collections-related reports from other groups
A. Ritch distributed a summary of UCB coinvest packages with CDL. Our
total share is now over $500,000. A. Ritch described the latest Elsevier
Science Direct funding model which raises the incentive to cancel print and
modestly suppresses inflation. Ritch announced his intention to accept
CDL's proposal. B. Weil announced that members of the Sciences Council met
with an ISI representative to view a demonstration of Essential Science
Indicators. The group decided not to pursue the product at this time.