Fairness in Book Fund Allocation

Efforts to improve book fund allocations have generally focused on developing better formulas, or models, that utilize quantitative measures to determine how the budget will be divided among various subjects. Librarians are attracted to the seemingly rational approach of formulas, but their potential to provide better allocations is limited by the environment in which allocation decisions are made in academic libraries. This environment is characterized by scarce resources, conflicting departmental goals, and a virtually infinite number of factors that affect the need for library resources. Each one of these considerations stimulates deep concern about the fairness and equity of allocations. Research on how recipients view their allocations and the process by which they are made offers insights that can help library administrators and collection developers to manage the allocation process more effectively.