This document discusses the development of a weighted library allocation formula at Arkansas State University. It outlines the process of gathering relevant data, selecting appropriate factors, assigning weights to those factors, and using the formula to allocate funds across departments. The authors describe brainstorming data that could be used in the formula, evaluating what data was available, choosing factors like credit hours, faculty, and materials usage, and subdividing some factors. They explain how the formula calculates allocations based on the assigned weights and allow for adjustments after running the formula. The goal is to create an equitable means of allocating funds that can adapt over time to changing needs.

1. Developing a Weighted Library
Allocation Formula
Jeff Bailey, Interim Dean
Linda Creibaum, Acquisitions Librarian
Dean B. Ellis Library
Arkansas State University
November 2, 2011
Copyright Jeff Bailey and Linda Creibaum, 2011

2. Ground Rules
• Questions are welcome at any time, but we do reserve
the option of deferring a question until later in the
workshop
• Interactive discussions are welcome
• We will do some brainstorming later
• There are no bad ideas or wrong answers
• No critiquing of ideas or suggestions while brainstorming
• Ideas and suggestions will be grouped and sorted after
brainstorming
• There will be a break about halfway through

3. Background and History
•In 1997 the Arkansas State University library had no
equitable means of making allocations
•One department accounted for nearly 20% of all
collection development expenditures
•Funds had not been reallocated/redistributed in many
years
•We had no means to support new programs

4. Background and History - continued
•We searched literature to discover methods of making
allocations, including the use of a formula (this was
before much of this type of information was available
online)
•We chose to use a formula based on one used by
Colorado State University (SPEC Kit #36)

5. Getting Started
Now is the time to pay attention!

6. First Steps: Gathering Data (1)
Do these before selecting formula factors
•List data that may be relevant
• Doing this is much like a brainstorming session

7. Some of Our Ideas
• Cost of materials
• Degrees awarded per department or program
• Faculty per department or program
• Number of course sections offered
• Number of courses in catalog
• Number of degree programs
• Number of majors in each program
• Semester credit hour production (actual enrollment)
• Use of materials

8. First Steps: Gathering Data (2)
•Evaluate and refine the list
• Eliminate duplicates and non-viable suggestions

9. Some of Our Ideas - continued
•What we used
• Cost of materials (from the Library and Book Trade Almanac)
• Degrees awarded per department or program
• Faculty per department or program (FTE faculty)
• Number of course sections offered
• Number of courses in catalog
• Number of degree programs
• Number of majors in each program
• Semester credit hour production (actual enrollment)
• Use of materials

10. First Steps: Gathering Data (3)
•Determine what data is available or could be gathered
• Both internal (within your library and within the field) and external
(campus, community, company, etc.)
• Eliminate possible factors for which data cannot be obtained
•Gather samples of available data

11. Next Step: Selecting Factors
These will not be easy decisions!

12. The Formula
•Weights
• The assigned weight values are inserted into the Excel
spreadsheet and are used in formula calculations
• Weighting is the assigning of values to indicate the
importance or impact of each factor in the formula relative to
the other formula factors

13. The Formula
•Assigning weights to each factor
• These should be determined based upon each institution’s
priorities and culture
• Library Committee
• Faculty Senate
• Institutional Administration
• Something else?
• We subdivided some factors before assigning weights
• We chose not to vary weights within a factor, but it can be
done
• Do test runs and adjust weights if needed

14. How the Formula Works
(by non-mathematicians)

15. Screen shot of a previous formula run

16. Running the Formula
•You can do separate formula runs for…
• Books
• Journals
• Print
• Online resources (databases/ejournals/eBooks)
• Any other budgets your library may have
• Or any combination of these
•We chose to run a single formula for all allocations

17. Additional thoughts…
•Before running the formula, determine how much of your
budget to allocate and how much to keep back for library
use (if any)
•You may choose to make adjustments to individual
allocations after running the formula
• Do no harm
• Nonparticipation
• Special entities or sacred cows
•Your formula will probably need to be modified at some
point in the future

18. In Conclusion…
•Document, document, document!
•Make the decisions and modify the formula to fit your
library’s needs
•Feel free to contact either of us with any questions you
may think of later

19. To download an interactive copy of the
demo spreadsheet
http://www.library.astate.edu/charleston

20. Contact Information
Jeff Bailey Linda Creibaum
Interim Dean Acquisitions Librarian
Dean B. Ellis Library Dean B. Ellis Library
Arkansas State University Jonesboro Arkansas State University Jonesboro
P.O. Box 2040 P.O. Box 2040
State University, AR 72467 State University, AR 72467
870-972-2724 870-972-3354
jbailey@astate.edu lcreibaum@astate.edu

21. Thank you!!!