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How allocations were determined
Librarians who serve as liaisons to academic departments and programs form the library's
Collection Development (CD) Team.
The CD Team determines which databases (both full text and indexing/abstracting) and
general/multidisciplinary subscriptions are needed to support the university's
curriculum and research interests. Certain other categories of exenditure (such as "Special Topics
and Programs") receive fixed dollar amounts each year.
Once these "off the top" expenditures are accounted for, remaining funds are distributed on an agreed
upon ratio basis to various disciplines which generally correspond to academic departments.
Ratios were determined after lengthy study of a number of quantitative factors, including
relative cost of materials (books and journals), enrollment weighted by lower, upper and graduate levels,
and numbers of faculty.
The ratios in use were determined by a committee consisting of eight faculty and two librarians, and
approved by the Provost of the time. Over the years, as departments have been phased out or reorganized,
various minor adjustments have been made to the plan, with the library working in consultation with the Senate Library Committee.
The changes that resulted in the contingency fund being lowered to create the "fixed amount" allocations were also made in consultation with
the Senate Library Committee.
Some colleges or departments, such as Woodring College of Education and the College of Business
and Economics, working with their designated liaisons, have chosen to subdivide their
allocations. These divisions were arrived at in consultation with their liaison librarians, and
are not part of the allocation plan.
If you have questions or would like more information, contact Donna Packer at donna.packer_at_wwu.edu (replace _at_ with @, or simply use donna packer in outlook)
The Allocation Plan - an excel spreadsheet.
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