Library Budgets: ACRL news

The Global Economic Crisis and Its Effect on Publishing and Library Subscriptions: ARL Issues Statement to Scholarly Publishers and Vendors

Excerpt:

For immediate release: February 19, 2009

For more information, contact:
Karla Hahn
Association of Research Libraries
202-296-2296
karla@arl.org
The Global Economic Crisis and Its Effect on Publishing and Library Subscriptions
ARL Issues Statement to Scholarly Publishers and Vendors

Washington DC—The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has released a statement on the current global economic crisis and its effect on publishing and library subscriptions. The ARL statement, which is aimed at scholarly publishers and vendors, reinforces some of the key points in a recent statement by the International Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC) and offers additional observations and recommendations from the perspectives of ARL member libraries.

Large libraries are far from exempt from the consequences of the current global economic crisis. Downturns in state support for public institutions along with substantial losses in endowment funds mean that many ARL member libraries are facing substantial reductions in both operating and materials budgets. In addition to cuts already made, there is strong evidence that most ARL member libraries are preparing for further budget reductions in the 2009–2010 fiscal year.