If you've noticed that the library's research materials are looking a little sparse lately, blame the lack of state allocation for library funds.
The General Assembly has not increased the $5.4 million library materials budget since the 1994-95 school year.
As a result, the University has been forced to decrease the number of periodicals, books and other resources available to students.
The recently published University Institutional Performance Agreement cites as much as a 20 percent decrease in books per student in the last decade - a change officials say is caused by a lack of funds to purchase the necessary materials for students.
"When prices increase and the budget doesn't, you have to buy fewer things," said Diane Walker, associate University librarian for user services.
A major contributing factor of decreased material selection has been the continual hike of subscription prices.
With a yearly 10 percent inflation increase, the library would have to increase its budget by $300,000 each year just to keep up with current prices, let alone purchase new material, Walker said.
The library also has been reduced to ordering fewer books, canceling subscriptions to various electronic databases and relying more on borrowing materials through inter-library loans because of the lack of adequate available funding, Walker added.
University and library officials have been working closely with University faculty to determine what is needed to support the current curriculum.
"It's a constant examination of operations to be as efficient as [the library] can," Associate Provost for Management Kathrine Reed said.
Reed said funds from increased out-of-state tuition will not be applied to the library's budget to deal with changing University needs because they already are earmarked for other uses.
While in-state tuition is capped, any monetary increase from out-of-state tuition is mandated toward faculty and administration salaries, Reed added.
The ongoing strategy is to continue fundraising for University libraries through the Capital Campaign.
The library system is close to achieving its $5 million fundraising goal, but officials are looking towards generating more private donations in addition to procuring increased state funding.
"We are going to have to help ourselves for support, but it is reasonable to ask for state help as well," Reed said.
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