University Libraries
Planning Priorities for FY2000


Library Materials Budget.

	The costs of books and journals continue to escalate.  It is anticipated that costs 
for FY2000 will increase by about 8%. The budget for the purchase of library materials 
was not increased for FY99.  However, journal subscription prices continue to increase by 
over 10% per year and an increase will be needed in FY2000 if we are to avoid 
cancellations.  Overall, the Libraries Material Budget has not kept pace with inflation for 
books and journals, as the following chart shows (using FY90 as the base year for an 
index):

[Chart omitted]

The need for a budget increase to keep pace with inflation is apparent from this chart. The 
need breaks down as follows:
? An increase of about $2,450,000 would restore FY90 purchasing power.  
? An increase of 8% of the FY99 budget or $625,000 is needed to maintain FY99 
purchasing power.  
? At minimum, an increase of $400,000 to cover only the projected cost increases for 
scholarly journals is needed.

Without an increase, the Libraries will need to cancel journals and curtail the 
purchase of books.  The journals that would be cancelled would be the expensive, 
research oriented journals that are important for faculty research and graduate education.

The high and escalating costs of journals is the single biggest problem facing 
academic and research libraries today.  Ten years of increases averaging over 10% per 
year have ravaged budgets, reduced our ability to purchase books, and cut into our ability 
to add new technology.  Alternative means of publishing are being explored.  Efforts are 
underway in the Association of Research Libraries, in the AAU, and in NASULGC to 
determine if there might be more economical and more efficient ways to communicate 
research.  Supporting these efforts is critical and may provide a means of controlling costs 
in the future.  However, support must come not just from the Libraries but also from the 
administration and the faculty.  For the immediate term, though, the Libraries must 
provide the books and journals needed for research and instruction.

Salaries and Staff Retention

	The median salary for librarians has improved compared with our peer institutions 
in the Association of Research Libraries.  For FY99, we moved up to 67th out of 110 
ARL members, moving into the third quartile.  This is an improvement from 100th in 
FY94 and 81st in FY97. However, it should be pointed out that the overall ranking for the 
Libraries is 32nd out of these same 110 institutions in the ARL membership index.  It is 
doubtful that any other unit on campus that ranks this high among its peers would also 
rank so low in median salaries compared to the same peer group.  Additional attention to 
salaries would be welcome.

	Salaries for our classified staff are of greater concern.  While it has not been 
difficult to recruit people for entry level classified positions, it has been difficult to retain 
them.  For positions dealing with information technology, it is extremely difficult to both 
recruit and retain people.  It is possible that the tuition remission program may improve 
the situation and we are also undertaking a training program that should result in greater 
job satisfaction.  However, in the coming year, we need to take a closer look at the market 
level of the salaries we pay our classified staff.

Graduate Enhancement Program

	Since its inception, the Libraries have received funds from the graduate student 
tuition increase that funds this program.  In FY99, the amount received was $231,248 and 
it is expected that this amount will be increased for FY2000.  These funds have been used 
for the ongoing purchase and subscription of print and electronic resources that directly 
benefit graduate students.  Further, they have been used this past year to make up for the 
lack of an increase in the Library Materials Budget.  It is important that these funds 
continue to be provided to the Libraries.

Media Preservation

With the archives of the Peabody Awards as an anchor and with the addition of 
several positions over the past few years, our collection of television and radio programs 
is growing  rapidly and is surpassed only by UCLA.  The Media/Peabody Archive 
includes 40,000 radio programs, 42,000 television programs, and over five million feet of 
news film from WSB.  Much of this material is unique and it all provides great potential 
to support teaching and scholarship.  The tapes and films included in this archive need 
continual care and preservation.  It is estimated that it would cost about $2.5M to take all 
the steps necessary to preserve this collection.  Some grant funding has been secured to 
assist in this effort, notably an NEH grant to preserve 1,000 radio and television programs 
in the Peabody Archive relating to African-American culture and history, and we will 
continue to seek grants.  However, a reliable stream of funds is required.  An increase to 
the Libraries budget in the neighborhood of $100,000, continued over a number of years, 
would allow us to address the most pressing needs.  Otherwise, much of the material will 
deteriorate and disappear over the next five to ten years.

Effect of Semester Conversion on Library Operations

	Experience with the semester system shows that the new calendar requires that the 
Library stay open more hours.  This is largely because there are more days when we need 
to keep our regular hours of 8 a.m. to Midnight rather than closing at 6 p.m. as we do 
during intersessions.  In FY98, we were open a total of 4,599 hours during the year.  In 
FY99, we will be open a total of 4,810 hours, a 4.5% increase.  Also, we are facing 
increasing requests from students to be open later.  Further, we may see a greater demand 
from faculty and graduate students for extended hours during intersessions.  The effect on 
the Libraries’ operating budget could be significant.  The 4.5% increase in hours alone 
represents a cost of about $15,000, mainly in wages for student assistants.

Facilities

	The Libraries have been chronically short on space for collections and seating for 
many years.  Further, the quality of space, especially in the older portion of the Main 
Library and the Science Library, has detracted from programs and services.  However, 
there are several developments either in progress or in planning that will address and 
resolve these needs:

? HVAC Renovation of Main Library. This renovation of the older portion of the Main 
Library began in August 1998 and will be completed over the next three years.  This 
will greatly improve the quality of space.
? Student Learning Center.  The Library component of the new Student Learning 
Center will bring us close to the standard for study seating and will also be a 
pioneering facility for integrating instruction and library services.  
? Special Collections Building.  Planning and fund raising for this proposed building 
that will house the Hargrett Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, the Richard B. 
Russell Library, the Media/Peabody Archive, and a permanent repository facility has 
made considerable progress in recent months.  The projected cost of the building is 
$26M and the Libraries must raise one-third, or $9M, privately.  As of the end of 
calendar 1998, commitments approaching $5M have been realized.  Determining a 
suitable site would help us with some potential donors.
? Library Repository.  The Library Repository on the corner of Millege and Whitehall 
houses lesser used books and journals.  As part of the HVAC Renovation project, 
additional shelving was installed at the Repository that will allow us to store about 
30% more material.  Still, at the current rate of growth, the Repository will be full in 
about seven years.  The Repository was intended as a temporary solution. The 
proposed Special Collections Building will include a permanent storage facility that 
can be expanded. 
? Remodel of the Science Library.  A request has been made for MRR funds to improve 
the appearance and function of the Science Library.
? Additional Floors on the Science Library.  This project is 7th on the campus list of 
priorities.

When the Student Learning Center and the Special Collections Building are complete, our 
most serious space problems will be effectively addressed.  The Student Learning Center 
will provide the seating students need for study and the Special Collections Building will 
absorb large, unique collections from the Main Library thus freeing up space for high use 
collections.  

There are two other potential projects that should be mentioned:

? Remodel of Main Library.  The HVAC project in the Main Library will result in better 
air quality, improved temperature control, and better lighting.  However, a cosmetic 
remodeling of the building is also needed.  MRR funds will be requested for a 
remodeling project to begin once HVAC is complete in 2001.
? Expansion of the Music Library into a Fine Arts Library.  Once the School of Art 
moves to its new building on East Campus, the major users of the art and music 
collections will be located a considerable distance away from those collections.  
Discussions with the heads of the School of Art and the School of Music indicate that 
a combined art and music library, i.e., a Fine Arts Library, would be welcome.  At this 
point, we are exploring whether the Music Library in the Music Building could be 
expanded.  If so, a request for a small capital project will be pursued.

Information Technology

	The use of advanced technology grows more important each year.  For FY2000 
Libraries have the following continuing priorities:

GIL – A new effort to provide a common computerized library system for all 34 libraries 
in the University System has been undertaken. This system, called GIL for 
GALILEO Interconnected Libraries, will provide a shared online catalog, 
circulation control, and processing functions for acquiring and cataloging books.  
The Board of Regents has allocated funds for this project.  If UGA were doing this 
for itself, the cost would be between $1M and $1.2M. The new system will 
become operational for UGA in FY2000.  While no new campus funds are 
requested for this project, the Libraries will be focusing equipment money on the 
purchase of new workstations for the staff and public to use GIL. 
Internet Resources -- Increased attention has been focused on resources available through 
the Internet. While there is a popular belief that most information needs can be 
met on the Internet for free, the truth is that the most valuable and important 
information is not free.  Indeed, an increasing portion of the Libraries’ budget will 
be used to pay for site licenses that permit University students, faculty, and staff to 
use proprietary resources on the Internet.
Refine Libraries’ Web Site -- Given the importance of resources on the Internet, the 
design of the Libraries Web site is critical because it is becoming, in many ways, a 
third facility whose appearance and presentation is as important as the Main 
Library or the Science Library.  Efforts have been focused on bringing as much 
information together in one place as possible with an efficient and understandable 
interface.  There is an ongoing commitment to keep the Web site efficient and 
responsive.  We also need  to work with other libraries to develop best practices 
and standards.
Digital Library -- The Libraries are investing in the development of a digital library of 
historical resources.  Efforts are underway to secure outside funding for several 
projects, including the scanning of all Georgia newspapers, the development of a 
digital collection of important Georgia historical documents, and the conversion 
to electronic form of the 100 most important books in Georgia history.
Electronic Journals --  It is becoming possible to provide electronic versions of between 
2,000 and 3,000 scholarly journals, primarily in the Sciences. The prevailing 
pricing model for these electronic journals calls for a surcharge of between 3% 
and 4% above the print version.  Planning is needed to determine how to pay this 
surcharge and then how to offer these journals in a uniform, coherent manner that 
ensures archival access over time.
Digitize Media Archives – As mentioned above, we have an outstanding archival 
collection of radio and television programs.  To permit the greatest use of these 
programs in instruction and research, we have been exploring the possibility of 
digitizing selected programs and making them available across the campus 
network.  This is a complex and speculative project that could yield tremendous 
benefits.

The Libraries are becoming ever more reliant upon advanced technology. 
However, the funds that we use to support this technology are cobbled together from 
many sources.  A more secure and predictable source of funds is needed.  It is hoped that 
the University will be able to institute a technology fee in the future and that a portion 
of this fee will be allocated to the Libraries to cover the costs of equipment and 
resources that are used directly by the students.

Comparison with Peer Institutions

The Association of Research Libraries prepares an annual Membership Index that 
tracks the size of collections and the size of budgets for the 110 members.  In the latest 
index, based on FY97 information, Georgia ranked 32nd.  The highest rank was 19th in 
1987.  This ranking measures only the size and financial support of member libraries, not 
quality of programs, services or collections. 

Following are some comparisons with other libraries that might be useful.  Similar 
comparisons can be prepared for any set of members of the Association of Research 
Libraries.  Data is from FY97, the last year for which data is currently available:

[Table omitted]


Cooperation with Other Academic Libraries

	The University Libraries will continue to play a leading role in the development of 
GALILEO.  The main platform for GALILEO and most of the programmers are housed in 
the University Libraries and directed by our staff.  GALILEO continues to expand into 
public and school libraries in the state.  At the same time, new resources are being added 
that are best suited to academic libraries.
	The Libraries have also been involved in cooperative efforts on the regional level, 
through the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries and we will continue to 
explore increased cooperation with the other research libraries in the Atlanta area:  
Emory, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State.

Charging for Public Printing

Public workstations and laser printers in the Libraries allow students and faculty 
to print documents from GALILEO and other resources on the Internet.  At this time, 
there is no charge for printing. Over the past twelve months, over five million sheets of 
paper were used in the Libraries for this activity at a cost of at least $100,000 for paper 
and toner alone.  The Libraries and UCNS have been working on a modestly priced 
system to recover some of the costs associated with public printing that will be analogous 
to charging for photocopying. Most academic libraries already charge for printing.  It is 
expected that this new system will be in place by August 1999.

Development

	Development activities are currently focused on raising funds for the Special 
Collections Building.  However, we are also working to build endowments and to acquire 
collections of special material, either through purchase or donation.  There are many 
collections in private hands that we need to identify and obtain for the University. We are 
in the process of recruiting a librarian to specialize in the acquisition of books and 
manuscripts relating to the history and culture of the state.  This position is critical in the 
continuing development of locating these private collections.  We also need to make other 
development officers throughout the University aware that prospects they are cultivating 
may have collections of books, manuscripts, or other materials that would be valuable to 
the University.

Long Range Issues for the Student Learning Center

	There are three issues that should be mentioned regarding the Student Learning 
Center.  

First, as has been pointed out, the Libraries will need additional staff for this 
building.  The original memo outlining how the Libraries could use space in this new 
facility estimated that we would  need 5 reference librarians plus security staff, staff for 
photo copy services, and staff to maintain the computers for a total of 12 FTE at an 
average cost of $22,000 per FTE plus fringe benefits in FY96 dollars (Potter memo to 
Prokasy 6/7/96). 

Second, the Student Learning Center will need to be equipped with about 400 
computers and supporting equipment plus a large volume of media equipment on opening 
day.  

Third, at this point, the library component of the Student Learning Center includes 
three rooms equipped with 24 computers each that could be used for an information 
literacy program.  A proposal was put forward by the Instructional Technology Advisory 
Committee and the Information Technology Forum for an information literacy program 
using graduate assistants as instructors.  If such a program is initiated, there is space in 
the current plans for the Student Learning Center to support it.


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University Libraries’ Planning Priorities FY2000 – Page 7