Budget & Finance

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The goal of this course is to introduce the student the following budgeting and finance concepts:

  • The role of the library trustee in the budgeting process
  • Financial statements (i.e., profit & loss, balance sheets, assets, etc.)
  • Basic internal and external audits
  • Financial policies and procedures (i.e., purchasing, credit cards, reimbursements, financial control)
  • How organizational budgets such as programming budgets, capital budgets, etc. are develops, prepared, and monitored
  • The cost/benefit analyses
  • Differences among funding sources including district / political unit (municipal or county) / private (“association”)
  • Effective collaboration with accounting personnel
  • The basic principles of library financial administration, including budget planning and administration
  • The process of budget approval from local funding bodies
Upon completion of the course, the student is expected to understand the basic types of budgeting used in library administration, to be able to analyze financial statements and audit reports and be aware of how to work more effectively with accounting personnel and those responsible for providing funding to the library. While, this is not an accounting course, basic understanding of Excel is expected from all students.

Special Note:
Please make sure you have a copy of the text for this course before classes begin. The book is "Financial Management for Libraries," by William W. Sannwald. It's available in paper (978-0-8389-1560-8) or PDF, ePub, and Kindle. If you cannot get the book before the course start date, please email the instructor (chakalaausperk@gmail.com) 

Instructor:
Catherine Hakala Ausperk

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