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Strategic Planning Goal 7 – Budget Flexibilities

Goal 7: Increase budget flexibilities to meet Library priorities

Metrics: 1) Increase the number of discretionary dollars available for strategic priorities; 2) Increase new money generated through donations, revenue, grants, etc.

  1. Realign overall allocations
  2. Establish priorities for fundraising and development
  3. Identify revenue generation opportunities in the Libraries

What has been accomplished

  • GLS was able to accomplish the $1.1 million in budget cuts during fiscal years 15-17 without any layoffs. $1 million of this cut came from the personnel line.
  • Wendt Commons and Wisconsin Tech Search (WTS) were merged with GLS on July 1, 2016.  WTS is a revenue-generating operation and revenue from WTS has been able to lend support to the Innovation fund for several years and also assisted with large one-time purchases for Collections.
  • Continual monitoring of student expenditures has led to a realignment of funds allowing each AUL to have additional student funds to allocate as needed in their units.
  • The Libraries have increased its activity around grants over the course of this strategic plan. This includes being part of more than $1.2M in grant funding from campus and external sources.
  • The Executive Team, in collaboration with the Development Director, identified fundraising priorities.  These priorities now need to be revisited with a new Vice Provost and University Librarian as well as a new Development Director. GLS also launched the fundraising initiative for personalizing a card catalog drawer. Funds from this development effort will assist with renovating spaces.
  • A task force identified several potential areas of revenue that can be pursued going forward.

Things we decided not to do

  • We could not permanently reallocate dollars from the personnel line to the collections budget after taking $1 million in cuts to the personnel line.

Yet to be accomplished

  • Sustained increases in donor revenues.
  • Better organization around planning and applying for grant funds.