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Managing the Library Budget
Welcome to exploring this most basic and fundamental component to running a school library: managing the library budget. In this wiki we will aim to :


 * Give some basic information about budgeting
 * Give a list of resources that are useful for you to read
 * A top 10 list of things that every TL needs to know about budgeting[[image:managingthelibrarybudget/color-library-cuts-web1.jpeg width="360" height="277" align="right"]]

The basics:
 * 1) Evaluating needs - linking to standards, developing data, watching trends
 * 2) Proposal
 * 3) Purchasing
 * 4) Additional funding

Evaluating needs

 * take inventory of everything you have and categorize each item.
 * use past histories of purchasing to determine need for regular expenditures.
 * attempt to look into the future and anticipate needs.
 * be sure to keep resources linked to current curriculum.

Proposal
We felt this topic deserved its own page.

Purchasing

 * often requires obtaining quotes
 * may be limited to board-approved vendors
 * take advantage of educational pricing/ conference pricing/ etc.
 * often discounts for larger purchasing - is there a provincial library ordering service that receives bulk discounts?
 * may need to spend entire budget or the money won't carry over to the next year
 * can cash purchases be made or only purchase orders?

Additional funding

 * fines, photocopying, printing costs
 * grants
 * windfall grant - one time only for specific purpose e.g. government supporting boys' literacy
 * selling library materials
 * trading for other resources within the school or board
 * donations