HIT: Funding formulas for middle school libraries

[Zoe Magnus <zmagnus@SUMMER.COM>]

Many thanks to everyone who responded to my request for funding formulas.  I
appreciated your help, as did the administrator who needed info in a hurry.
I have compiled the responses I received:

1)    1998 prices - average
        Picture books - 15.51
        Elementary NF - 16.76
        Elementary F 14.04
        Secondary NF 19.19
        Secondary F 16.04
        Videos 85.08
        CD-ROM  80.78
        Professional  19.40
        Other (kits, games, etc) 218.5
        This is from our NC Evaluation Services.  All prices are US.

2.    I would use the numbers from the March 1998 School  Library Journal.
                                    1988          1998

All titles                       $13.15        $15.99
Preschool/Primary          $13.41        $15.80
Grades 3-6                   $12.94        $16.03
Junior High                  $13.36        $16.14

What I heard in library school is that a minimal budget is one book for
every
students, an adequate budget allows for two books, and a supreme budget
allows three books for every student.


3.    http://www.slj.com/articles/opinion/19990301_6406.asp

        $17.76 times twice the school population (this is for current year)


4.    When I work with my business manager, I use the recommended average
cost of a
book for that year from School Library Journal. For example, this year I
used
the average cost per book of $17.46 and ask for funding for 2 books per
student
per year.


5.    You might look at SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL's "Most Requested Articles":

        http://www.slj.com/articles/mostwanted/mostwantedindex.asp


6.    Try ALA or AASL. I believe they have some information on that.
However, I
        find that the costs are always way too low.

7.    I might be able to help you just a bit, in a little different way.
This is my
quick and dirty method to help people realize how much funding it takes to
keep a library close to current.

I'll use the numbers for my elem., but you can adjust for your situation.

How long will a book stay in good shape,& remain current. An average of 10
yrs?

We have a 15,000 books in our collection. . .So:

If we replace 1/10 of them each year.
. . . that will be 1,500 books a year.
. . . at approx $16 @
. . . for whopping total of $24,000 a year just to "maintain"!!

Even though you won't  get nearly that amount, it opens eyes, and should
mean
a meaning increase each year.

Another good visual tool. Save a box from an order of books. Have
staff/parents, admin guess how much the books that fill the box cost. (They
are always under 50% of the value)

School Library Journal usually has funding numbers each year, but I forget
which issue.


Thanks again,
Zoe Magnus
Library Technician
Instructional Media Centre
http://sd67.bc.ca/imc/index.html
School District 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
Penticton, BC
Canada

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