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Faculty Assembly

Report of the Library Advisory Committee-Minutes of 30 October 2003 The LAC met on Thursday, 30 October 2003 at 8:15, in El Pomar 304C. Present: Lesley Ginsberg (chair), Rita Hug (Library), Leslie Manning (Library), Dick Discenza (Business), David Weiss (LAS-Sci), Patrick Yamell (LAS-Hum), Rodger Ziemer (EAS), Mary Hagedorn (Beth El), Mark McConkie (GSPA).

1. The minutes of the previous meeting of 2 October 2003 were approved.

2. Report on the book sale of Wednesday 8 October & Thursday 9 October. These were donated books (not de-accessioned). A gross of $1,200 was earned. Many donated time & energy to the sale. Leftover books were recycled for a $60 fee. The net gain goes into a gift fund for future library purchases.

3. The Library's upcoming Quarterly Budget Review was discussed. The Library will be formally presenting the state of the first quarter of the Library's budget at meeting to be held on Monday 3 November, at 4:40p., in El Pomar 304C. This meeting is open the campus. Dean Manning reported that expenditures thus far have been well within the budgeted ranges; the Library is not in danger of over-spending.

4. Impact of last year's budget cuts discussed-Dean Manning reporting. Total cuts were about 5%. This may be higher than other units. The Library faces chronic, dire problems re staffing; it has had no increase in its faculty positions since 1987. Meanwhile, student FTE has gone up by 52%, and Faculty FTE is up by 38% since 1987. Committee members pointed out that almost no units or colleges have received additional lines during the same time (perhaps the increase in faculty FTE reflects a growing reliance on non-tenure-track faculty?). Dean Manning discussed her contention that the Library is desperate for a new faculty line. In 1987 the library reached 41 % of the student body through Library instruction. It reaches the same number of students today-but the percentage has shrunk to 34% of the student body (due to enrollment growth). Now, with electronic resources, even more instruction is needed. In 2001, we had 1 library staff per 200 students FTE. In 2003, the proportion is 1 staff per 221 students FTE. In libraries in the rest of the state, the proportion is 1 staff per 125 students FTE. For our peer libraries, the proportion is 1 staff per 95 students FTE. We have 150 online databases that we didn't 5 years ago. 2001 saw a more than 200% increase in visitors, 20% increase in the number of print materials used, 638,000 users of electronic data. Additionally, we've added 2 PhD programs & several MAs and BAs, all of which add demands for staff.

5. Extended Studies debts. Right now the Library receives $12,500 annually for about 300 extended studies students (a bit: more than $415/student). This covers access to online sources, but does not cover the cost of providing students access to the online databases they need. In short, what the library provides for extended studies students costs more than what the Library receives to cover their costs (the state only funds students who are taught on campus).

6. Money raising strategies discussed. Although all other Library systems in-state have kept their Library fines for the past 18 years, at UCCS these fines go into a general fund, even though the Library bears cost of collecting the fines ($22,000 last year).

The meeting adjourned at 9:35a. The next meeting will be Thursday, 4 December, at 8:15a in El Pomar 304C.

Respectfully Submitted, Lesley Ginsberg, Chair, Library Advisory Committee.