Management: Budget

MANAGEMENT: Budget

Budget expenditures enrich the whole school. Through assessment of the collection and the development of program objectives, a budget can be established which becomes a planning document for the school library. A budget helps to ensure fiscal and program accountability.

Every school division and school establishes their own budget. To determine whether your budget is adequate, refer to the standards in Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for School Libraries in Canada.

Consideration when planning your budget:

Don't forget "the taxman cometh": GST, shipping, custom and broker fees,
restocking fees, etc.
Licenses charge both GST and PST.
Some expenses may be charged from Central Office initiatives.
Resources should be about 30% fiction and 70% non-fiction - though this may shift in an elementary school with the acquisition of easy books.
Budget development is a process that is ongoing throughout the year.
Each school and school division has its own expectations regarding budget format
and policy. Be sure to know!!
Include cost of lost or damaged resources.
Be sure to access cost effective sources for resource purchases.

Budget documents to help you create a plan for your annual operating budget:

Selection of Resources: Be clear on this process and how it links to your budget. more....

Budget Flow Chart: Take a look at the overall process throughout a school year cycle. RTF PDF

School Library Budget Planner: Customize this guide to create your own budget. RTF PDF

Implications of Budget Planning: An example of tying the budget to the curriculum goals and
school program. RTF PDF

Reflective Practitioner

If you have not done this before, copy the budget planner and fill in the expenditures for last school year. Then evaluate the pros and cons of your collection development. Were there shortfalls, areas not addressed, overspending in certain categories, etc?

With the principal and staff, identify key curricular focus areas, program initiatives, and collection evaluation. Develop a long-term plan for budget, a year plan, and the annual operating budget.

Create a plan to involve staff in identifying resource needs.

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Last Update: 10-Aug-2005 2:30 PM