ACRL Board Virtual Action – Friends Funds Projects
Discussion period: 3/26/-4/2/2013
Voting Period: 4/2-4/9/2013
Association of College & Research Libraries
50 E. Huron St. Chicago, IL 60611
800-545-2433, ext. 2523
acrl@ala.org, http://www.acrl.org
Board of Directors Action Form
To:
ACRL Board of Directors
Subject:
Friends Fund Disbursement Request
Submitted by:
Mary Jane Petrowski, ACRL Associate Director
Date submitted:
March 11, 2013
BACKGROUND:
At the 2013 ALA Midwinter Meeting the ACRL Board of Directors voted to dissolve the
two subcommittees of the Budget and Finance Committee (Friends Fund Committee and Friends Fund
Disbursement Committee) effective at the close of Annual Conference 2013. Prior to this decision, the Friends
Fund Disbursement Committee would recommend disbursements from the Friends Funds for approval by the
Friends Fund Committee.
Recognizing that ACRL needed to continue to diversify its revenue streams, the Board also approved a
decision to change the way the Friends funds are recognized in the budget. In response to discussion at the
joint session of Board and Budget and Finance Committee, the ACRL staff will record donated funds and show
them as revenue in the operating budget beginning in FY14. Prior to this decision, donations were placed into
a restricted account and not recognized in the operating budget. This decision supports ongoing changes in
the organization of the Friends of ACRL program, enabling the division to use the funding to better support
strategic initiatives while honoring donor intent. Staff will maintain careful records of Friends Fund donations to
ensure that donations are spent only on specific projects in accordance with donor intent.
The Board also agreed to assume responsibility for disbursing Friends Funds (other than those dedicated to
professional development, which will be disbursed by the Budget & Finance Committee) to more directly
support the Plan for Excellence. Historically, most Friends donations have been used to support scholarships.
While scholarships are a worthy initiative, ACRL Friends have given for many other purposes. Because there
will be a Friends thank-you reception at the ACRL 2013 Conference it would be prudent to demonstrate how
Friends donations have been used to support a wide range of initiatives. Given the short time period between
this action and ACRL 2013 Appendix A includes a list of projects already planned and included in the FY13
budget that the Board might choose to fund from the Friends Funds on hand. As of February 28, 2013, the
balance in the Friends funds was $42,770. This amount excludes $10,610 in the Professional Development
Fund and $4,010 in the RBMS Scholarships Fund, which will be disbursed by the Budget & Finance
Committee and RBMS, respectively.
The ACRL Budget and Finance Committee discussed the proposed Friends Fund projects via ALA Connect
between March 13 and 18, 2013. Their comments have been appended underneath each project description in
Appendix A. The Budget & Finance Committee clearly favors funding some projects and not funding others. In
the end, B&F supports fully funding two projects (Spectrum and Scholarly Communications Workshop) and
partially funding another (Survey Reporting), is divided on one (Assessment in Action), and does not support
funding two (C&RL and Copyright Alliance).
Electronic submission is preferred for all Board actions. If electronic submission of the entire document is not possible, please send
the Action Form to ACRL Program Officer Lindsay Bosch electronically at lbosch@ala.org and the remainder in hard copy.
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ACRL Board Virtual Action – Friends Funds Projects
Discussion period: 3/26/-4/2/2013
Voting Period: 4/2-4/9/2013
The Board may consider the advice of Budget & Finance as it considers the projects but may make its own
decisions about the projects. Projects approved by the Board would be announced at a special event thanking
the Friends Fund donors in Indianapolis on April12. The Board may select one or several projects totaling no
more than $42,770 to fund. More projects are listed than ACRL has Friends donations to fund. Based on the
Board discussion, the action will be finalized to indicate which projects will be funded from Friends Funds.
ACTION RECOMMENDED:
That the ACRL Board of Directors discuss and approve a project (or projects) not
to exceed $42,770. Note: This action will be updated after the Board discussion to
indicate specific projects funded.
IF PERTINENT: Have other stakeholders been consulted? If so, please identify stakeholders and their
comments about this action. The Budget and Finance Committee, the ACRL Board, and the ACRL presidents have
discussed formally at their 2013 ALA Midwinter Meetings and on conference calls. The Budget & Finance Committee
has reviewed the list. At the request of the presidents, ACRL have prepared a list of projects for Board consideration
(see Appendix A).
STRATEGIC GOAL AREA SUPPORTED: Please add additional sheets as needed to explain. (Select the
goal area that will be affected most by this action.)
X Value of Academic Libraries
Goal: Academic libraries demonstrate alignment with and impact on institutional outcomes.
X Student Learning
Goal: Librarians transform student learning, pedagogy, and instructional practices through creative and innovative
collaborations.
XResearch and Scholarly Environment
Goal: Librarians accelerate the transition to a more open system of scholarship.
X Enabling Programs and Services
ACRL programs, services, and publications that target education, advocacy, and member engagement.
FISCAL AND STAFFING IMPACT: The FY13 budget deficit may be reduced by $xx,xxx, depending on how
many projects are approved for funding. Minimal staff time is required to transfer funds and update budget
projections.
MOTION:
Above recommendation moved
ACTION TAKEN:
Motion Approved
No motion made
Motion Defeated
Motion revised (see motion form)
Other: ___________________
Electronic submission is preferred for all Board actions. If electronic submission of the entire document is not possible, please send
the Action Form to ACRL Program Officer Lindsay Bosch electronically at lbosch@ala.org and the remainder in hard copy.
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