[LIBRARYDIR] question about paying for databases

Tue May 30 09:53:58 PDT 2023

Hi Claire and all,
The college I was at prior to Shoreline had a zero balance budget. This
means we would have to spend money for goods and services out of that
budget year and come to zero at the end. If a database started in July or
August great - it fit the model. However if a database more than $1000
started September - June, It was prorated so that the part paid out of the
current year budget came out of the balance, and the part that came out of
the next year's budget would be held in an account to be taken out of the
following year's budget. For example, a $2000 database paid in December
would have 1000 in the current budget and 1000 in the next years budget.
However, vendors got their full payment when it was due in December. The
library kept separate balance sheets for each year. It was complicated and
messy - not recommended.
In 2017 when I became the interim leadership of the library there was a bit
of turnover in the business office, and the roll over of accounts to the
following year was missed. The new provost and I were very perplexed by the
fy16-17 budget being over spent by $90K until I learned the process and
figured out what step had been missed. On the up side, that gave us an
additional 90K to spend in fy 17-18. My executive assistant and I worked to
change as many databases and subscriptions as we could to start in July and
August in order to minimize the roll over amounts.
I am happy to talk to you about this process and what it entailed for the
library. Do note that the college in question is not in Washington, and is
a 4 year school offering bachelors and masters degrees.

*Dawn Lowe-Wincentsen, MLIS*
Executive Director of Learning Resources

Dlowe-wincentsen at shoreline.edu

*Shoreline Community College*
www.shoreline.edu  |  206.546.4101

Pronouns: she, her, hers

On Tue, May 30, 2023 at 7:08 AM Claire Murata via LIBRARYDIR <
librarydir at lists.ctc.edu> wrote:

> Thank you! If anyone else knows why/how we get to pay in one fiscal year
> and use in the next, I would love to hear!
>
> Also, Lynn, thanks for bringing up the $30,000 single vendor limit. I'm
> definitely asking our budget office about that!  Happy Monday, all! Claire
>
> *Claire Murata, MLIS*
> Associate Dean, Library and Learning Resources
> Edmonds College
> 20000 68th Ave. W., Lynnwood WA 98036 | edmonds.edu
> claire.murata at edmonds.edu | (425) 640-1522
>
> [image: college logo]
>
>
> On Thu, May 25, 2023 at 12:58 PM Kanne, Lynn via LIBRARYDIR <
> librarydir at lists.ctc.edu> wrote:
>
>> Same here at Seattle Central.
>>
>>
>>
>> I’ve never had an issue with prepayment for licensing databases…and no
>> vendor would accept payment *after* the term of service ended. However,
>> I have recently run into the $30k limit for a single vendor…which happens
>> for one jumbo districtwide subscription/bundle. Databases were previously
>> exempt from this rule, but no more. We will have to do a sole source
>> process for that one next year.
>>
>>
>>
>> Fun times.
>>
>>
>>
>> Lynn
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* LIBRARYDIR <librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu> * On Behalf Of *Jennifer
>> Dysart via LIBRARYDIR
>> *Sent:* Thursday, May 25, 2023 11:37 AM
>> *To:* WACTC Library Directors <librarydir at lists.ctc.edu>
>> *Cc:* Jennifer Dysart <JDysart at greenriver.edu>
>> *Subject:* Re: [LIBRARYDIR] question about paying for databases
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Claire, our practices match yours. Databases are unusual in that we
>> are purchasing access. For a not-insignificant number of databases, we will
>> pay in June while access starts July 1.
>>
>>
>>
>> I know this is not uncommon and won't attempt to justify it under our
>> bureaucratic rules. In eLearning it works the same way. We are billed for
>> Canvas in June but access starts July 1. That perpetual access model seems
>> to work for SBCTC. IT purchases software subscriptions in advance. So I
>> don't know why it's ok, but I trust that it is!
>> Jennifer
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Jennifer J Dysart
>>
>> Dean of Library, eLearning, and Media Services
>>
>> Green River College
>>
>> Auburn, WA 98092
>>
>> 253-288-3445
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> *From:* LIBRARYDIR <librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu> on behalf of
>> Claire Murata via LIBRARYDIR <librarydir at lists.ctc.edu>
>> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 24, 2023 5:32 PM
>> *To:* WACTC Library Directors <librarydir at lists.ctc.edu>
>> *Cc:* Claire Murata <claire.murata at edmonds.edu>
>> *Subject:* [LIBRARYDIR] question about paying for databases
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>> Hello wonderful colleagues!
>>
>>
>>
>> Here's my question of the day:
>>
>>
>>
>> In my college and the library, we are supposed to spend our budget in the
>> current fiscal year and if there's any left over, it returns to the general
>> college fund. But I realized that we paid for databases in this fiscal year
>> (FY23) but for terms of service that are (mostly) in FY24. Any monographs
>> we purchase have to be received in the current fiscal year or we have to
>> wait until July 1 and the money comes out of next year's budget.
>>
>>
>>
>> Is there some law or WAC that makes this ok, or is that down to local
>> accounting practices? Thanks for considering! Claire
>>
>> *Claire Murata, MLIS*
>> Associate Dean, Library and Learning Resources
>> 20000 68th Ave. W., Lynnwood WA 98036 | edmonds.edu
>> claire.murata at edmonds.edu | (425) 640-1522
>>
>> [image: college logo]
>>
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>> ITHelp at seattlecolleges.edu.
>>
>>
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