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Budgeting for Mean, Lean Times Part 12

More than anytime in history mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness, the other to total extinction. Let us pray that we have the wisdom to choose correctly. Woody Allen 

12. I can use technology to improve my budgeting and communication skills. 

Actions do speak louder than words. What better way to convince decision-makers of the power of information technology, than by using technology when creating and presenting a budget. These tools are ones which every budget maker needs to master:

A spreadsheet
While they come with a variety names, features, and price, all spreadsheets basically do two main tasks for budget makers:

• they allow you to easily add and subtract numbers
• they allow you to display those numbers in readable columns and rows or as charts and graphs

Budget makers can create easily “what-if” scenarios using a spreadsheet: If books average price changes to $22 from $18.00, what is the impact on the total budget? What if we order 50 computers with 2g of RAM rather than 4g of RAM?

Spreadsheets are also an efficient means for keeping track of the money you have allocated. A simple bookkeeping system which records the date, purchase order number, vendor, item and amount can do wonders in solving any discrepancies between your records and your business office’s accounts.

For most purposes, free spreadsheets from GoogleDocs, Zoho or OpenOffice have all all the features you’ll need, and are easy tools to learn. Microsoft Excel is the defacto standard in spreadsheets, however, and is no more difficult to use at a basic level.

A word processor
One of the most popular refrains in writing classes has always been, “Does neatness count?” It did, and it still does.

A clear and readable narrative of your budget helps “sell” it. Good organization, correct grammar and spelling, and a clean layout are all more easily accomplished using a word processor. A sophisticated user can create use bulleted items for eye appeal and ease of reading, select appealing fonts for impact, and add graphics for illustration and interest. Robin William’s classic book The Mac is Not a Typewriter is an excellent primer for effective document layout.

Again, the free word processors in the applications mentioned above have enough features to create professional-looking documents. Integrated software also makes it easy to add spreadsheets and charts to the budget narrative.

A presentation program
When pitching your budget to a decision-making group, a computerized presentation program can help your audience literally “see” the points you are making.

While you can create a slide show using the packages above, this is one application that calls for the features of a stand alone program. Microsoft PowerPoint all gives the presenter the ability to make effective slideshows. The program also comes with “wizards” which help new users create professional-looking presentations. A word of caution: Practice with the equipment well in advance of giving the presentation. You don’t need technical concerns getting in the way of getting your message across. (See my column “Slide Show Safety” for additional tips.)

I am now more than totally bored with the entire topic of budgeting. And for someone who rarely gets tired of reading one's own stuff, that's pretty bad.

Do take budgeting seriously. Don't complain about not getting funding for your program when you haven't even asked for it.

Resources:

Crawford, W. and M. Gorman. Future Libraries: Dreams, Madness and Reality.  Chicago: ALA Editions, 1995.

Crawford, W. "Paper Persists: Why Physical Library Collections Still Matter." Online, January 1998

Lewis, D. “Eight Truths for Middle Managers in Lean Times”. Library Journal, Sept. 1991.

Johnson, D. “Giving and Taking” Technology Connection. Oct 1996

Johnson, D.  “Ethics in the Use of Technology” Ethics in School Librarianship: A Reader. Ed by Carol Simpson. Linworth, 2003

Johnson, D. “Sustainable Technology” 1997

Johnson, D. “Weeding the Neglected Collection” SLJ, Nov 1990

Johnson, D. “Why Do We Need Libraries When We Have the Internet?” Knowledge Quest, .2:

Shanklin, M and L. Horvitz “Low-budget libraries have high cost” Orlando (FL) Sentinel, November 10, 2002

Warner, A. “Library Budget Primer”. Wilson Library Bulletin. May 1993

Williams, R. The Mac (PC) Is Not a Typewriter. Berkeley: Peach Pit Press, 1990. 

Budgeting for Mean, Lean Times Part 11

11.  I know the importance of serving in school, professional and political organization leadership roles.

 At the school level.
Volunteer or run for governing committees. I am always shocked by how few individuals in an organization want to be decision makers. Serving on these bodies always takes extra time. But hey, one learns to love those 7:00 am meetings.

Make a list of groups who make decisions in your school. Do you have:

• A site council or a committee that writes building goals and improvement plans?
• Curriculum committees?
• Staff development committees?
• A parent-teacher organization?
• Committees that interview and select new staff members?
• Textbook selection committees?
• Accreditation team?
• Long-range or strategic planning groups at the district level?
  

If you have a chance to take a decision making role and do not, you’ve lost all whining rights about the choices that are made for you.

Work with other groups to influence legislation.
For many school districts, budget problems and their solutions lie at the state level. It is imperative librarians and technologists get and stay active politically if they really care about funding for their programs.

There are other groups in schools that have educational goals and political agendas, some of which may be closely aligned with those of the library program. Our district has a legislative committee which meets during the sessions. We formulate a list of three or four items we feel are of particular importance to our district, and find ways to let our local legislators know about them.

Nearly all state and national associations with educational affiliations have legislative platforms - the school board association, administrators associations, parent-teacher organizations, the NEA, etc. These organizations often hold forums for local politicians. Attend, get informed and get active. Our state library organizations sponsor a yearly library legislative day which gives librarians from around the state a chance to visit with their legislators. Usually the school library people are scarce at this gathering. Join us.

Is one of your faculty, a neighbor, or church member in the legislature? Schmooze. Write letters. Send e-mail. 

Participate in local politics.
County political party meetings and fund raisers often give you a chance to visit with a variety of local politicos. It’s always nice to be able to start a conversation with your senator by saying, “As we were discussing at the fall fund raiser...”

Help pass bond issues and elect school board members. Members of the community who have children in school and therefore a vested interest in schools are becoming a smaller and smaller percentage of the total population. It’s therefore taking increasingly more work to get referendums passed and progressive board candidates voted in.

Offer to give short talks at service groups like Kiwanis, Sertoma, and Lions. Inform the community about your program, and fill the talk with specific times your program helped individual students.

Of course one can always make the ultimate sacrifice: run for office. We all wanted to know about the skeletons in your closet anyway!