Assignment 2: A Program Budget for the Research ...vh45/eport/artifacts/Budget.pdf · updates are sent out with up-to-date tour dates, times, and expected attendance. Also included

Assignment 2:

A Program Budget for the Research & Genealogical Library of the

Burlington County Historical Society

for

INFO 640 902 : MANAGING INFORMATION ORGANIZATIONS

Drexel University

Mike Krasulski

By

Valerie Hines

VH45

VH45 Assign 2 : Budget

Table of Contents

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1

Program Budget ............................................................................................................................................ 2

In Class Education ..................................................................................................................................... 2

Acquisitions / Preservations ..................................................................................................................... 3

Reference Services .................................................................................................................................... 3

New Services and Products ........................................................................................................................... 4

Cost Benefit Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 5

Requests for Salary Increases ....................................................................................................................... 6

Appendix A .................................................................................................................................................... 9

Appendix B .................................................................................................................................................. 10

Appendix C .................................................................................................................................................. 11

Appendix D .................................................................................................................................................. 12

Appendix E .................................................................................................................................................. 13

Appendix F .................................................................................................................................................. 14

Appendix G .................................................................................................................................................. 15

References .................................................................................................................................................. 16


1

Introduction

The resource center for this report is a Research & Genealogical Library for the

Burlington County Historical Society. The historical society’s mission is to encourage

education, acquire records, artifacts and articles, and interpret and share the area

history through programs and projects. The library houses many types of records in a

variety of media, including microfiche, disks, online databases, journals, vital

records, maps and archival resources that include photographs, deeds, rare books,

scrapbooks, and more. The library has three goals (1) to encourage historical study

and research, (2) to acquire and preserve records, artifacts, and articles of historical

interest, and (3) to support the historical society’s goal of interpreting and conveying

the historical legacy.

There is a new program being proposed in this budget. This is a two-part

program. The first part is a digitization of acquired items that includes scanning or

photographing unique books and other articles that have been acquired by the library.

For example, the library has acquired personal diaries that are unpublished, but are

an important part of the area history. The second part is a digitization of unacquired

items, such as family histories, photographs, and diaries, which are not owned by the

society. For example, a person may have a personal diary that has been passed down

through generations, but does not want to part with the diary. The society would

then be able to borrow the item and scan in the pages making it accessible to

researchers.


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The final section of this budget is a request for salary increases. The three

employees in the resource center have shown loyalty and commitment to the society.

A proposed increase of 4% of the library’s salary budget is requested. The 4%, or

$4,296, would be divided among the three staff members based on individual

performance and contribution to the library.

Program Budget

Description Line Totals In Class Education

Acquisitions / Preservations

Reference Services

TOTALS $ 355,122 $ 67,700 $ 119,909 $ 167,513

*For complete budget, see Appendix B

In Class Education

This program provides support for the historical society’s education program.

The members of the society make requests of books, articles, or artifacts. This

information is usually thematic and will be presented to school-aged children in either

school sponsored in-class programs or society sponsored in-house programs.

Occasionally, the information is used to support adult oriented in-house programs or

tours. Most of the material is located within the physical building or can be obtained

through a subscription database. These requests often require items to be

photocopied for distribution. Several times, library staff has been asked to join the

presenting person(s), necessitating some travel throughout the county.


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This program actively seeks to obtain and preserve documents and artifacts of

a genealogical and historical nature. These items are available for the society

members as well as the general public. Persons interested in genealogy are

encouraged to come and browse the records. The librarian has created a regularly

updated frequently-asked questions handout for persons doing research in the

physical records or online databases.

Reference Services

This program supports the society’s goal of interpreting and conveying the

historical legacy of the area by providing a more thorough search and retrieval

process than that provided in the In Class Education program. The society offers

walking tours of historical areas, such as Downtown Burlington City, and requests

detailed background information, in context, for the tour directors. Weekly email

updates are sent out with up-to-date tour dates, times, and expected attendance.

Also included in the emails are any new acquisitions, subscription services, and

helpful research tips and tricks.

As illustrated in Appendix C, shared costs have been allocated to all programs.

The excess costs from the In Class Education and Reference Services programs have

been re-allocated to the Reference Services program.

The library has three employees, a full-time librarian, a part-time library aide,

and a cleric liaison. All three staff members participate to different degrees in all


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three programs. The direct costs and expenses that relate to each program can be

seen in Appendix D. Here is a summary:

In Class Education $ 56,944 Acquisitions / Preservations $110,915 Reference Services $151,354

Direct costs do not include organizational overhead.

Indirect costs, organizational overhead, include supervisory and administrative

expenses. These costs have been calculated at 21% of the budget total ($171,000 x

21% = $35,910). These costs breakdown for each program as follows:

In Class Education $ 5,387 15% of budget Acquisitions / Preservations $14,364 40% of budget Reference Services $16,160 45% of budget

New Services and Products

There is a new two-part service being proposed in this budget. The first part of

the service is an in-house digitization project of acquired items, making those items

available online for researchers. The second part of this service is an in-house

digitization project of borrowed items, those that are not owned by the society or

physically housed in the society building. The digitization of acquired and borrowed

items will help the library and the society fulfill its mission of “encourag[ing]

historical study and research” and also of “preserv[ing] records, artifacts, and articles of

historical interest” (BCHS, n.d., para. 2).


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*For complete overview see Appendix E & F

Cost Benefit Analysis

The objective of this analysis is to determine whether one or both parts of the

proposed project should be undertaken. Digitizing of acquired items would save labor

hours; patrons would be able to research the online database quickly with minimal

librarian assistance. Digitizing of borrowed items would save labor hours; patrons

would have new resources online, freeing time for the library aide and clerk.

Step One: Cash Flow ~ Hours spent assisting patrons in the physical archives or

making inquires for special requests would be reduced significantly. This translates

into a conservative estimate of $23,000 per year.

Quick Project Overview : Two-Part Digitization Project

Project Name: Digitization of Acquired Items

Project Requested by: BCHS Chairperson

Project Manager: Librarian

Imposed Budget: 15,000$ (desired limit)

Imposed Delivery Date: January 1, 2010 (desired)

Estimated Cost: 14,650$

Estimated Delivery Date: March 15, 2010


Project Name: Digitization of Borrowed Items



Imposed Budget: 5,000$ (desired limit)


Estimated Cost: 4,600$



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Step Two: Costs & Benefits ~ Purchase of a scanner, online storage, training,

and maintenance are estimated at $19,250. The benefits include freeing up time for

the librarian, library aide, and clerk; and increasing access of materials.

Step Three: Savings ~ Total project costs are $20,000, ongoing benefits would

be $23,000 per years. The program would pay for itself within nine months

($23,000/$20,000 = 8.7 months).

Requests for Salary Increases

The final section of this budget proposal is a request for salary increase. A 4%

cost of living increase is requested, increasing the budgeted salary from $107,400 to

$111,696. This increase would be distributed to the three employees based on

performance evaluations.

Request for Salary Increase

Current Salary

Proposed Salary % Increase

Librarian 50,900

52,189 3%

Library Aide 32,000

33,718 5%

Clerk Liaison 24,500

25,789 5%

Total 107,400 111,696 4%

The STAR rating form in was used to evaluate each employee.

*For the complete form, see appendix G

STAR Rating Form for Library Employees

Ineffective Effective Highly Effective

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9


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For the librarian, a 3% increase in salary is being requested based on a STAR

rating of 6. The librarian has been with the organization for 14 months and has a

pleasant manor and aptitude. She knows the purpose of the library and has worked to

strengthen her role in it. She uses the library aide and the clerk liaison effectively to

solve difficult research requests, and she works well with both.

For the library aide, a 5% increase in salary is being requested based on a STAR

rating of 8. The library aide has been with the organization for 10 years and has been

a tremendous asset. He knows the purpose of the library and has effectively

contributed to the library’s and the society’s success. He knows when and how to

raise difficult issues and often uses the librarian and clerk liaison in a team effort to

fulfill near impossible requests. He is very forthcoming with praise for his co-workers

achievements and appreciates others viewpoints. He has communicated effectively

and satisfactorily with all patrons that have made requests of or through him.

For the clerk liaison, a 5% increase in salary is being requested based on a STAR

rating of 7.5. She has been with the organization for 4 years and is a wonderful asset

to the library and a great compliment to the staff. She knows the role of the library

and can effectively communicate her part with unabashed enthusiasm. She defers

difficult requests to the librarian or library aide, but is always will to assist them in

those tasks, looking for an opportunity to improve her skills. She communicates

effectively in two languages, Spanish and English, and is very considerate of others

feelings and viewpoints.


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All three members of the library staff are hard-working, dedicated people who

strive to meet and exceed the goals of the library programs. The members of the

staff complement each other well; where one has a weakness another has strength.

They communicate well with each other, the society members, and with all of the

patrons, taking the time to ask the right questions so that the correct information can

be found. In short, all three deserve to be rewarded.


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Appendix A


Mission Statement The mission of the Burlington County Historical Society is to encourage historical study and research; to acquire and preserve records, artifacts, and articles of historical interest; and to interpret the history of the area through education, programs, projects and pursuits in order to convey this historical legacy to current and future generations.

Vision The Burlington County Historical Society is dedicated to preserving and interpreting Burlington County's nationally significant history. We are committed to teaching that historic legacy. We intend to carry out this important work through partnerships with businesses as well as the community, educational, and governmental agencies. We seek support from a diverse, ever-growing network of members, volunteers and funding sources. Realizing this vision of the future will enable us to enrich the lives of current and future generations by giving them a greater appreciation for their heritage.

Acquired from <http://www.burlingtoncountyhistoricalsociety.org/aboutus.php> on October 31, 2009

Historical Library

Our library is host to volumes on the local area, with various rare and out-of-print books such as Smith's History of the Colony of Nova Caesaria or New Jersey, Schermerhorn's History of Burlington, N.J., and De Cou's Burlington, a Provincial Capital. Our collections include historical maps, deeds, scrapbooks, historical photographs, and much more. (More detailed information on our collections is compiled below)

Acquired from <http://www.burlingtoncountyhistoricalsociety.org/library.php> on October 31, 2009

http://www.burlingtoncountyhistoricalsociety.org/aboutus.php

http://www.burlingtoncountyhistoricalsociety.org/library.php


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Appendix B

Program Budget for Research & Genealogical Library of the


Description Line Totals In Class Education


Reference Services

Subscriptions and books 156,000

23,400

54,600

78,000

Supplies (including photocopies)

9,300

3,720

930

4,650

Phone, fax, postage 4,500

450

1,350

2,700

Staff travel 1,200

1,020

120

60

Salaries 107,400

21,480

32,220

53,700

Fringe benefits @ 38% 40,812

12,244

16,325

12,244

Organizational overhead @ 21% 35,910

5,387

14,364

16,160

TOTALS $355,122 $67,700 $119,909 $167,513

Goals:

Encourage historical study and research

Acquire and preserve records, artifacts, and articles of historical interest

Support historical society's goal of interpreting and conveying the historical legacy

Programs:

In Class Education


Reference Services


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Appendix C

Shared Costs Total Allocation

Salary Allocation Difference

In Class Education

Material Costs 40,834

40,834

Labor Costs 21,480

21,480

Allocated O/H 5,387

6,500

1,114

Program Subtotal 67,700

68,814



73,325

Labor Costs 32,220

32,220

Allocated O/H 14,364

20,467

6,103


126,012

Reference Services


97,654

Labor Costs 53,700

53,700

Allocated O/H 16,160

8,943

(7,217)


160,297

Resource Center Total $355,122 $355,122


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Appendix D

Direct Costs Line Totals In Class Education


Reference Services

Subscriptions and books 156,000

23,400

54,600

78,000

Supplies (including photocopies)

9,300

3,720

930

4,650

Phone, fax, postage 4,500

450

1,350

2,700

Staff travel 1,200

1,020

120

60

Subtotal 171,000

28,590

57,000

85,410

Salaries 107,400

21,480

32,220

53,700

Fringe benefits @ 38% 40,812

12,244

16,325

12,244

Subtotal 319,212

62,314

105,545

151,354

Organizational overhead @ 21% 35,910

5,387

14,364

16,160

Totals $ 526,122 $ 96,290 $ 176,909 $ 252,923


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Appendix E


Project Name: Digitization of Acquired Items



Imposed Budget: $ 15,000 (desired limit)


Estimated Cost: $ 14,650


Purpose:

The purpose of this project is to make one-of-a-kind items available

to all researchers while minimizing the potential damage of having

multiple people handling those items. This will assist in preservation

and research.

Initial Situation:

This items are currently stored in-house, limiting the number of

researchers who can use the items. It is believed that by creating

a digital copy of these items, it will allow more researchers, especially

those not in close proximity to the physical items, access to all items.

Current Situation:

Any persons interested in the items must either come in person or

make a research request to the librarian.

Goal:

To make all items available to all persons regardless of their

proximity to the library and to assist in the preservation of unique

items by limiting handling of said items.

Work Plan:

The librarian and assistant librarian will spend 10% to 20% of the

work week (4 to 8 hours per week) on the project. Work on this

project does not supersede work on the three current projects.


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Appendix F


Project Name: Digitization of Borrowed Items



Imposed Budget: $ 5,000 (desired limit)


Estimated Cost: $ 4,600


Purpose:

The purpose of this project is to make one-of-a-kind items available

to all researchers while minimizing the cost to the society. These

items will be on loan from the owners and will be returned after

being digitized.

Initial Situation:

The society currently has no records of items that are not physically

in its possession or available through online databases. Persons who

own the items of interest my want to share the items, but do not want

to relinquish possession.

Current Situation:

These items are not currently available for use.

Goal:

To make all items available to all persons while limiting acquisition

costs to the society. This will expand the genealogical history of the

area.

Work Plan:

The librarian and assistant librarian will spend time on the project

as items become available to the society. Arrangements will be made

between the librarian and the item owner.


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Appendix G

STAR Rating Form for Library Employees

Ineffective Effective Highly Effective

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Unable to describe the purpose of the library and own the role on it.

Described the purpose of the library and his/her own role.

Described how role in library contributed to society success.

Did not display awareness of others' viewpoints.

Sometimes used others as problem-solving resources.

Raised and discussed difficult issues/requests.

Emphasized differences and criticized others.

Mentioned an awareness of others' viewpoints.

Viewed others as valuable problem-solving resources.

Unwilling to help patrons or respond to requests.

Worked well with others to complete requests.

Rewarded others when their efforts made substantial contributions.

Ignored disagreements in the group.

Related effectively to people of differing backgrounds and interests.

Consistently demonstrated an awareness of others' viewpoints and feelings.

Worked very effectively with people of differing backgrounds and interests.


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References

Burlington County Historical Society (BCHS), (n.d). Mission Statement. Retrieved October 31,

2009 from http://www.burlingtoncountyhistoricalsociety.org/aboutus.php

http://www.burlingtoncountyhistoricalsociety.org/aboutus.php

Documents

Assignment 2: A Program Budget for the Research ...vh45/eport/artifacts/Budget.pdf · updates are sent out with up-to-date tour dates, times, and expected attendance. Also included