This content reflects work done as part of the Indigenous Perspectives in School Librarianship (IPSL) grant funded by IMLS (RE-246303-OLS-20). Actual assignments may vary.

Module Objectives

  • Identify needs that should be supported in a library budget.
  • Plan a budget that includes funding for EDI efforts.
  • Identify sources of school library funding, including grants and local community resources.

Think

Required: Explore all of the following.

  • Farmer, Lesley S. J. (2016). Managing the successful school library: Strategic planning and reflective practice. American Library Association. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/montana/detail.action?docID=5109508
  • Chapter 7: Budgeting for Maximum Impact. In Hughes-Hassell, S. (2020). Collection management for youth: Equity, inclusion, and learning. American Library Association.

Optional: Choose three or more of the following.

Budgets

Create

Grant Finding Mission

Locate a grant that will fund supplies or services for school libraries. The grant may be local, regional, or national. You will be asked to share a link to relevant information, a description of the opportunity, requirements to apply, and information on how to apply (including timelines) in the Share section of the module.

Budget Check In

Respond with a yes, no, or unsure to the following statements. If you indicated no or unsure, list the steps you will take to be able to answer in the affirmative. You will be asked to turn this in during the Grow step of the module.

  • It is extremely important to keep an accurate ledge of all expenditures, with purchase order numbers, invoice numbers, date received, and final amount.
  • I know how to create a ledger using a spreadsheet. If not, I know where to find help to create a simple one.
  • I know basic terminology for budgeting and course discuss issues with the school business office.
  • If my library is underfunded, I know some steps I can take to build a case for increasing my budget.
  • I know what the fiscal year is in my state and the deadlines in my district / school for expending my funds.
  • I know how to generate a purchase order for the library, or who is responsible for completing that task, and how to initiate it. I know how to follow up with all my orders.
  • In site-based budget management, all stakeholders are vying for a piece of the pie. If this is the case in my school, I’ve considered how to change the culture from competitive to cooperative.
  • I know I must create a “big picture” view of the library budget and have considered how I can do that. I know I need to keep in mind the overall school needs and how the library fits into that.
  • I know grants can supplement my library’s budget but there is a risk in relying too heavily on them for support. I know how to search for grants.
  • I know my school / district’s policies around grant applications; such as getting permission from my administrator, submitting to my district’s office if the grant is over a certain amount, etc.
  • I understand how student needs can be tied to the building and/or library budget. For example, purchasing audio books to support struggling readers.
  • I know that I must regularly check with the business office to make sure my record matches the school / district records.
  • Even if my principal tells me that it’s not necessary, I need to create a budget each year to responsibly manage the library’s funds.
  • It is okay to purchase a professional library journal from my school library’s budget if I feel it is necessary and the budget is adequate. If my district has a district or professional library, they may have subscriptions that I can borrow or be willing to acquire one.

Share

In the grants discussion board:

For the grant you located in the create, share a link to relevant information, a description of the opportunity, requirements to apply, and information on how to apply (including timelines). Although there will be some duplication amongst you and your classmates, the hope is to create a list of opportunities you can all benefit from.

In the module discussion board, participate in the discussion in response to the following prompt.

You should post to the conversation three separate times. You do not need to create a new thread but may respond to a classmate. Consider this a conversation rather than a bunch of individual postings.

Do the priorities of the school and the school library align? How might a disagreement impact library funding and resources? Based on what you know about the current library budget is it adequate? What obstacles are there to having the resources the library needs to meet the school’s needs? What can be done to overcome those obstacles?

Grow

After completing the budget check in from the Create section of the module, submit it to your instructor per their directions.

Reflection Questions

  • What questions do you have about the course content in this module? (None is not an acceptable answer; exert your curiosity!)
  • What is your biggest take away from this module?