SCELC Annual Library Budget Survey: FY2021 Response Rate, Design & Questions

Download a PDF of the Full Report

Please send questions or comments to:

Jason Price, PhD / Research & Scholarly Communication Director / jason@scelc.org / 310-728-6798

Thanks to the SCELC Member library directors who responded with alacrity at a very busy time of the year. This project benefited greatly from feedback from SCELC management and staff, particularly when it came to developing clear questions with actionable answers. Jason Price built and administered the survey, created the graphs and tables, and wrote this report.

Response Rate: 92 of 109 member libraries responded (84%) 

(including 31 of the 32 largest libraries)

• Timing: After our April survey, which was designed for early forecasting, we were careful to wait until most libraries could report on their final fiscal year 2021 budgets. Because of the reopening uncertainty brought about by COVID, we did not launch it until the first week in September 2020. Even at this late date, only 50% of respondents with fiscal years Starting in September or before reported that they had a final or very likely to be final budget, and more than 10% could not even provide a likely scenario. 
• Population: We chose to survey all member libraries in the hopes that they would support a high, representative response rate
• Structure: The 27 question survey had 4 parts: Demographics, Budget info, Pending cancellations, and Possible additions.  Skip logic was applied throughout, accommodating different fiscal year starts with clear language and posing many fewer questions to most participants (i.e. when they were not relevant to their local situation).
• Survey Tool: Google forms allowed for subtotal formulas to summarize real-time results which was very useful in supporting our Flat Renewal Request project (here's a view of the data from the form results in context). 
• Survey questions underwent 3 rounds of review and were sent as an attachment to facilitate delegation and preparation before responding.
• Respondents: our requests were sent to Directors only, after our contact list was reviewed and updated. Up to four reminders were sent to those that had not yet responded with a running total of the number of respondents in each mail merge over a period of 2.5 weeks.

SCELC Fall 2020 budget & cancellation survey Preview 20200901

Questions are required unless otherwise noted

Demographic Information

1. Respondent Name & Respondent Email
2. Institution Name
   • Drop Down
3. Institution Type
   • General Academic | “Special Focus” Academic | Research/Hospital
4. Expected Fall 2020 Student, Researcher, or Staffed-Bed FTE
   • 1-500 | 500-1200 | 1201-3000 | 3001-5000 | 5001-8000 | 8001-12000 | 12001+
5. How is your institution’s FTE expected to change this fall (compared to last fall)?
   • Decrease | about the same | decrease | don’t know what to expect
6. If you have an expected PERCENTAGE change in fall FTE, please enter it below (Optional) (versus last Fall)
7. In which month does your fiscal year begin?

   (*If next fiscal year Starts in Oct - March, the following questions are presented as next & current instead of current & last)

Budget Information

1. Do you have final *total* library budget amount for your current fiscal year? (including staff, operations and materials)
   • Yes | Maybe | No, have a most likely scenario | No, and I can't provide a most likely scenario (skip to Pending Cancellations)
2. How did your current fiscal year's TOTAL library budget change relative to last year?
   • Decreased / stayed the same / Increased
3. By what percentage did your TOTAL library budget change?
   • (Expected values ok)
4. What was your library MATERIALS budget ($) for *last* fiscal year?
   • In dollars
5. What is your library MATERIALS budget ($) for *this* fiscal year? (Responses based on expected values are fine)
   • In dollars
6. How did this year's *electronic resources* budget change relative to last fiscal year?
   • Decreased / stayed the same / increased / To be determined
7. Please estimate the percentage change in your *electronic resources* budget from last year to this year (Optional)
   • Number

Pending Cancellations

1. How likely are you to cancel SCELC subscriptions that renew on or before Jan 1, 2021 that SCELC hasn't yet been notified of?
   • Unlikely...Unsure...Likely
     • If unlikely, skip to Additions? If Unsure Or Likely>>
2. Please enter your best estimate of the cost ($) of likely or possible electronic resource cancellation(s) that SCELC hasn’t yet been notified of (Optional) (subscriptions that renew on or before Jan 1, 2021 - Your best estimate or expectation is ok, and even a rough estimate would be helpful)
   • Dollar value
3. If you estimated a cancellation cost, please add a ($) range here representing the likely minimum and maximum cancellation: [e.g. 0 - 50000] (Optional)
4. When do you expect to notify SCELC of these additional cancellations? (Notification prior to November 1 is required for most January 1 renewals)
   • Sept 15 / Sept 30 / Oct 15 / Oct 31

Pending ejournal package cancellations

1. Does your institution subscribe to a journal package from one or more of the following

   through SCELC? (ACS, BioOne, Cambridge, Elsevier, Emerald, Oxford, SAGE, Springer Nature, University of Chicago, Wiley)

   • No / Yes
     • IF NO, skip to Additions? If YES >>
2. How likely is your library to cancel one or more of these packages effective Jan 1 2021. (SCELC must receive notification no later than October 31, 2020)?
   • Unlikely / Unsure / Likely
     • If unlikely, skip to Additions? IF LIKELY OR UNSURE >>
3. Which package or packages is your institution likely and/or unsure about cancelling? (Select all that apply)
   • ACS, BioOne, Cambridge, Elsevier, Emerald, Oxford, SAGE, Springer Nature, University of Chicago, Wiley)
4. Of these, which one package is your institution *most likely* to cancel effective Jan 1 2021? (Choose one)
   • ACS, BioOne, Cambridge, Elsevier, Emerald, Oxford, SAGE, Springer Nature, University of Chicago, Wiley)

Additions?

1. Does your library plan to add or replace any electronic resources to address needs brought about by Covid19? (i.e. any time between now and June 2021)
   • No / Maybe / Yes
     • If no, skip to Final Comments/Questions; If Maybe / Yes >>
2. Which type(s) of resources are you looking for? (Select all that apply)
   • eBooks | eTextbooks | eJournals/eJournal article Databases | streaming video | other electronic content (e.g. Datasets, Primary Sources) | software / platforms (e.g. Springshare, ThirdIron) | online educational tools/apps
3. Please tell us more about the specifics of what you're looking for (Optional)
   • Free text

Final comments / questions

1. Please add any comments or questions here (Optional)