Impact of funding changes on music collections in Canadian academic libraries
Date
2016-06-02
Authors
Doi, Carolyn
Behzadi, Houman
Guise, Jan
Madill, Kevin
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
Canadian Association of Music Libraries Annual Meeting
ORCID
Type
Conference Presentation
Degree Level
Abstract
Music librarians with shrinking acquisitions budgets, crowded shelves, and pressure to create more student study space face fundamental questions: How do we sustain the quality of the music collection with limited funds? How can we be proactive with collection development when so much is beyond our control?
Houman and Carolyn will present survey results that capture a snapshot of the current state of music acquisition funds and collection building activities in Canadian academic libraries. In particular, they will cover how these funds are organized, where they are being spent, and how fluctuations in institutional support for library collections may impact music collection-building mandates across Canada. Since the fall in the Canadian dollar and the lower purchasing power of the library, this survey may be used to develop contingency measures to examine potential changes in the area of music collection development.
Jan and Kevin will review the pros and cons of two potential responses to shrinking budgets. First, seeking donations (monetary or in-kind). Endowed funds can increase acquisitions budgets, but are vulnerable to market fluctuations. They can also come with donor restrictions. In-kind donations add value to our collections but require staff resources to process and catalogue. Second, collaborating with other music librarians to highlight unique collections and avoid duplication of effort. Successful collaboration depends on like personalities, geography, and institutional support. Do music librarians in Canada have enough purchasing power to negotiate with vendors? Can librarians serving different institutions and patron communities find a coordinated future together?
Description
Keywords
music collections, survey research