Fee hike to keep library subscriptions stable

February 2, 2012 by Frank Johnson 

Cost of print, online periodicals increases every year; funding will keep pace in 2012-2013

There will be no losses to periodical subscriptions or any other library services in 2012 as a result of new revenue from increasing student fees.

UNLV Libraries will receive $450,100 of an estimated $6,486,000 in funding raised by the 8 percent increase in resident student fees being implemented in Fall 2012.

Because a $5 per credit surcharge will expire on July 1, tuition and fees costs to in-state students will actually rise a net 5 percent.

Cory Tucker, head of Collection Management for the libraries, said that the library spends $5,181,276 per year on 527 subscriptions to print periodicals and 20,079 electronic journals — and that cost is expected to rise every year.

All of the subscriptions increase 5 to 7 percent in value every year, meaning that the library has to increase its budget by the same amount annually in order to maintain these subscriptions.

“Last year we had to cut $300,000 worth of subscriptions to deal with not receiving a base budget adjustment and would have to continue to cut each year that we do not have inflation funds,” said dean of libraries Patricia Iannuzzi.

She said that without the influx of funding from increasing student fees, the libraries would have to cut $350,000 from their periodicals budget.

Iannuzzi and associate dean Scott Smith said that the libraries have cut $1.6 million over the last three years to adjust for inflation and to balance its budget.

As a result, the libraries cut 717 print subscriptions entirely, made 652 available only upon request, cut the purchase of books by 50 percent and terminated 18 employment positions.

Subscriptions were also canceled for 19 databases. Some, like Inspec for electrical engineering, were dedicated to specific research areas.

“Collections and salaries for faculty, professional and classified staff and student assistants account for most of our budget,” Smith said in an email, “with well under 10 [percent] going for operating and overhead expenses.”

Contact Frank Johnson at frank.johnson.ry@gmail.com.