State of the Library
William Gray Potter
University Librarian and Associate Provost
August 15, 2006
HIGHLIGHTS OF PAST
YEAR
Collections
 Passed four-million volumes
– One of only 36 libraries in North America
 Significant collection from Chinese Government
– Already processed (Thanks to Cataloging!)
– Reciprocal gift to University of Nankai
 Major Watergate collection in Russell
 In-Process Collection Shrinking
Student Learning Center
 Gate count increased from 1.5M to 1.8M (20%)
 Added a fourth information desk
 Started laptop loans
 Began work on Digital Media Wing
 Remains a popular venue for events
Continued Growth and use of
Electronic Journals
 38,933 active titles in SFX
 Increase in Humanities and Social Sciences
 Delivery of full text articles 965,000
– Up from 750,000 in FY05 (30%)
– 380,000 of this is Elsevier
– Does not include 1,050,000 GALILEO
• Up from 850,000 in FY05 (24%)
– Combined, UGA and GALILEO = 2,015,000
Significant New Electronic Resources
 Early English Books Online
– Full-text of almost every book, pamphlet, and broadside published,
1473-1700
 American Periodicals Series
– 1,100 American magazines and journals, 1741 to 1900.
 Digital National Security Archive
– 58,000 declassified documents since 1945
 Encyclopedia of Genetics, Genomics, Proteomics and
Bioinformatics
– Reference tool for researchers in genomics, proteomics,
transcriptomics and bioinformatics.
Library Instruction–707 Sessions
Library Instruction Sessions, 2001-2006
800
706
707
2004-2005
2005-2006
700
590
600
500
556
472
400
300
200
100
0
2001-2002
2002-2003
2003-2004

Source: Reference Department Annual Report
Library Instruction-11,600 Students
Number of Participants in Library Instruction Sessions, 2001-2006
14,000
12,000
11,471
11,600
2004-2005
2005-2006
10,517
10,000
8,860
8,000
7,505
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
2001-2002
2002-2003
2003-2004

Source: Reference Department Annual Report
Implementation of ILLiad in ILL
 66% increase in registered users
 Considerable positive feedback
 Reduced turnaround by 21%
 Greater staff productivity
Digital Library of Georgia
 Grant for Civil Rights Digital Initiative
– $761,427 : Institute of Museum and Library Services
 New Collections
– Picturing Augusta: Historic Postcards from the Collection of the
East Central Georgia Regional Library
– Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for Georgia Towns and Cities
– Blues, Black Vaudeville and the Silver Screen, 1912-1930s:
Selections from the Records of Macon’s Douglass Theatre.
 Added 4,100 new documents to Georgia Government
Publications database, including 1,500 electronic documents.
 Georgia Newspaper Project generated 3,060 microfilm reels,
representing about 2.75 million pages.
Library Use
Circulation down about 7% - from 505,009 to
469,062
 1.6M hits on electronic reserves (50%)
 Exit counts at Main and Science down 7% - from
994,047 to 922,437
 GIL Express charges up 15,328 to 19,858 (30%)
 Shelving is very tight – considerable shifting –
some new shelving on third floor Main
•Personnel
 Able to address some salary issues – much to do
 Two job satisfaction surveys
– One for staff, conducted by graduate students
– One for faculty, conducted by Library
– Results: positive but concerns about
compensation and communication
 Five year review of University Librarian –
wrapping up
Exhibits and Public Events
 Georgia Writers Hall of Fame
 Power to the People! Rural Electrification in
Georgia - Russell Library
 Oversight or Overlook: Intelligence in the
Modern World – Symposium – Russell Library
 Lillian Smith Book Awards
 William Few exhibit – Hargrett
 Exhibit of new Chinese Books
 Home movie road show - Media
Fire Recovery
– Over 10,000 items rebound or new envelopes
• 6,000 rebinds through Gov Docs Processing
– About 90% complete on rebinds
– 300 replacement documents
– Sprinkling of rest of building in the works
• as well as Science
BUDGET
Status of Budget
 Personnel/Operations budget cut about 12% since
FY02
 No increase for FY07 apart from salaries
 No cuts yet for FY07, but we have been asked to
hold 2% in reserve
 Potential cuts due to energy and health insurance
Library Materials Expenditures
 FY03 $9.3M
 FY04 $9.6M
 FY05 $10.1M
 FY06 $10.2M
– Note: very small increase over FY05 – we
shaved some recurring expenditures - very
important, as you will see
 FY07 Project $10.5M
Library Materials Budget
 FY03 Base $7.81M
 FY04 Base $7.35M
 FY05 Base $7.91M
 FY06 Base $8.84M
 FY07 Base $8.84M
– No increase AND we have to hold
$176,720 for reserve (2%)
Budget Gap FY06 (last year)
 FY06 – budget =$8.84M spent $10.2M
 How did we close gap?
– Student Tech Fee = $400,000
– Research Stations = $87,000
– The rest from one-time funds from University
Administration
Budget Gap FY07
 FY07 – budget = $8.84M
 FY07 projected expenditures = $10.5M
 How do we close $1.7M gap
– Student Tech Fee = $400,000
– Research Stations = $87,000
– One time funds from FY06 = $404,000
 Still leaves $775,000
– PLUS 2% reserve of $175,000
 TOTAL SHORTFALL = $950,000
•How do we close this gap?
 University could deliver relief – we will know mid-
September – I am optimistic
 Otherwise, we will have to cut:
– $200,000 books
– $400,000 journals
– $350,000 serials
 Selectors have developed lists to use IF we need
them – thanks to all involved – we are prepared
 We will consult with faculty in late September IF
we need to
Library Materials Budget





Looking beyond FY07 - Precarious – costs
continue to increase – University budget flat
Plus, many new publications, especially
electronic resources, to purchase
Strong University support, but difficult
Situation would be worse if we had not shaved
about $400,000 from FY06
Thanks again to all involved!
•Larger Budget Issues
 State revenue up, but energy and health care trump
higher education
 Chancellor suggesting a new process
– Shadow budgets
– Zero based approach
– Tied to strategic priorities not yet set
 We may have to prepare FY08 budget in the fall
 Much yet to be determined
Short Term Goals
Last Year and This Year
Short Term Goals for FY06
1. Maintain the best possible journal
collection given cost increases and
available funding.
This is a continuing goal that we must
confront every year. Again, strong support
from the University and budget restraint
has allowed us to meet this goal in FY06
and avoid cancellations.
Short Term Goals for FY06
2. Address problems with staff salaries.
Classified staff salaries are painfully low and do
not reflect the sophisticated work they do.
Reallocation and understanding from the
University administration allowed us to address
some significant problems. There is still much to
do.
Short Term Goals for FY06
3. Expand and improve available space.
With the Special Collections Libraries Building
some years off, we are short on space.
Converting some office space to shelving has
helped.
AND we still need to make the main and science
libraries more conducive for study and to find
additional space for shelving.
Short Term Goals for FY06
4. Expand and maintain an Institutional
Repository.
A prototype to house electronic publications
generated by University units has been
developed. It will go into production once we
acquire some additional hardware.
Short Term Goals for FY06
5. Establish an advanced search for
electronic databases.
Working with GALILEO, commercial
software (WebFeat) was acquired and
installed that allows simultaneous searching
of multiple databases. This approach is
being refined and enhanced and we try
MetaLib as well.
Short Term Goals for This Year
1. Maintain the best possible journal
collection given cost increases and
available funding.
This is a continuing goal that we must
confront every year.
Short Term Goals for This Year
2. Conduct a program review of the University
Libraires.
We will initiate and complete a program review, in
accordance with the seven year schedule
established by the University. Our first report, a
self-review, is due by October 15.
Short Term Goals for This Year
3. Initiate Planning for a Fine Arts Library.
With music and art faculty and students
moving to East Campus, there is a demand
to relocate the fine arts collections to that
area. Once the University approves a site
for a Fine Arts Library, we will work with
appropriate schools to raise private funds.
Short Term Goals for This Year
4. Undertake a second iteration of LibQUAL
While the first use of this nationwide assessment
of libraries identified significant strengths, this
second round will provide important measures of
progress over the past two years.
Short Term Goals for This Year
5. Advance the Special Collections Libraries
Building on new Regents list.
Given significant private funding, a sizable
investment in design, and a demonstrable
need, we will work with appropriate
University and Regents staff to ensure that
this building, which was moving up the
existing list, fares well in the new “strategic
capital model.”
Five Year Plan - Quick Recap
The Teaching Library: Building Partnerships
The Evolving Collection: Blending Access,
Ownership, and Preservation
The Strengthened Heart of the University:
Library Buildings
The Empowered Staff: Investing in the Staff
and Faculty of the Libraries
As we look down the road, things
are not always as they appear
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