Like many areas of the University of Waterloo, the Libraries are experiencing ongoing reductions to the operating budget. As the University works through a multi-year plan to return to a balanced budget, the Libraries continue to review services to ensure we're balancing the needs of library users with the realities of a reduced budget.
The collections budget, while separate from the operations budget, is also under strain. External factors increase collections costs annually, impacting buying power in the best of times. In times of cost containment, it will mean cancellations and reduced capacity to purchase new materials.
Our commitment to empowering students and researchers by providing access to information, tools and expertise vital to their success remains our focus. We have developed specific principles that align with our strategic priorities to guide budget planning and decision making.
Planning principles
- Transparency: effectively communicate information to users and library staff about the review process and any resulting changes to resources and services
- Reflect strategy through priorities: prioritize activities to ensure we are effectively and efficiently advancing our strategic goals in alignment with the University’s priorities
- Leverage expertise: of library staff to minimize reductions and impacts to services
- Learning and research needs drive choices: consider the needs of library users, both now and into the future, as we identify transformational opportunities and prioritize activities
- Focus on where we have agency, not on the things we can’t control, and make data-informed decisions
For more information about changes to various aspects of the Libraries, please review the following:
If you have questions about our strategic priorities or budget planning process, please contact me at universitylibrarian@uwaterloo.ca.