Session Description:
This paper presents an analysis of financial data from dozens of North American academic libraries. The purpose was to search for patterns in the allocation of funds to different types of library expenditures: labor, materials and other operational expenditures. The relationships serve as a basis for comparing strategic decisions amongst peer institutions. The analysis also investigates shifts in budget allocations across years before, during and after the recent recession. The overall value of this research is to provide normative evidence for reference in strategic decision making.
