Collection Management Policy - Appendix 3: Resource Allocation Model for Library Collection Budgets

The senior management team of the University and the Heads of College set the overall budget for Library, Special Collections and Museums.  Contained within this is the Library Collection Development Budget.  After it has been agreed, a top-sliced sum to cover e-resource expenditure is set (see below) and a Subject Development Budget amounting to 5% of the Library Collection Development Budget is also removed, (Schools may make bids for part of this sum to pump-prime new courses and for course development).  Following this, broad resources allocations to the individual Colleges are set and discussions are held with the relevant Head of College regarding the final allocations to Schools and Sections.  It is recommended that Colleges review expenditure as the year progresses and transfer funds as appropriate to ensure full strategic use of the budget.

Funds are divided amongst academic Schools and sections according to a formula that recognises teaching need (T) and research value (R).

The sum available for distribution is split into two parts whose proportions represent the distribution of Scottish Funding Council funding (currently 80:20, teaching grant: research grant).  Allocation of the (T) portion is determined by calculating the number of academic staff and students (full time equivalents) within each School or Section using the most recent current student numbers and staff numbers as notified by the College Registrar.  Research postgraduates are weighted 1.5.

Allocation of the research value (R) is based on RAE scores and the number of active researchers in each School or section. The individual section or school scores as a ratio of the total for T and R are divided into the sums available to provide the basic allocations for the School or Section.

A weighting is then applied to reflect literature cost differentiation for both monographs and periodicals, and volume of literature published.

The fiscal year runs from 1 August to 31 July.  Under present arrangements, at roll-over between fiscal years, the previous year’s encumbered funding (i.e. funding committed to orders placed for monographs and standing orders/continuations not yet received by the Library) is carried forward and becomes a commitment on the new allocation for the coming year.  Any uncommitted funding remaining within the allocation at the end of the financial year is not transferred into the new financial year.

Library Topslice

Within the Library Collection Development Budget and before it is disbursed to Colleges, a proportion is top-sliced for cross-College recurrent e-resources purchases; these are in the main electronic journal ‘deals’ from particular vendors or bibliographic databases. In financial year 2011/12 the proportion of the Collection Development Budget in the top-slice is 72%, with a further 19% committed to the recurrent purchase of paper-based journals, leaving only 9% for monographic or other new purchases.  In order to leave the Colleges with some flexibility in purchasing, the budget for paper-based periodicals remains devolved and not centralised in the top-slice.

The top-slice is managed centrally; changes to the content may be undertaken following structured consultation. The consultation level is set for session 2011/12 at £4,000: i.e any product costing less than £4K being proposed for inclusion in the topslice and matching the criteria below, or any change in price to an existing product within the topslice of 10% or less will be approved by Library staff, without reference to Heads of College.  Where any item currently in the topslice is cancelled, the funds thus ‘saved’ are used to offset the inflationary price increases in the remaining topslice materials – and NOT refunded to particular departments, this on the premise that materials in the topslice are cross-disciplinary, of interest to more than one discipline.

Criteria for material to be included in the topslice – all to apply simultaneously:

• Database or other e-resource that is of interest to more than one academic unit
• Resource that has been funded by one or more academic units, or from non-Library Collection Development Budget monies, for a period of time no less than one year
• The principle of collegiality, or the greater good, will apply over narrow Section interest

Criteria for material to be removed from topslice – any to apply:

• Usage of the resource falls to an unacceptable level: e.g. where usage is less than half of that recorded in previous years
• Costs rise out of proportion to the academic value of the resource: e.g. where only a very small number of users utilise a resource whose costs rise by more than 20%
• Replacement of any one item by an alternative, improved product