14 · Survey Results: Executive Summary
indicated that the library did only 11 (26%) said it did
not. The types of support that libraries frequently
provide include:
• Support for strategic direction/vision (by
university librarian, associate directors)
• Budget planning and management
• Assessment and evaluation (by assessment
librarian or committee)
• Grant and funding proposal preparation
(provided by a variety of places)
• Travel/conference/workshop attendance
• Reassignment of staff expertise to the
project
Library Innovation: Funding
The survey then examined how libraries fund innova-
tive activities through a series of questions that elic-
ited information about both the specific case study
example and library support for innovative activities
in general. Almost all of the libraries responding (40
or 91%) make funding decisions for innovation on
an individual, case-by-case basis. Almost two-thirds
of the libraries (28 or 64%) fund the activity in col-
laboration with other units in the institution. Over
half of the libraries (27 or 61%) have made a recurring
commitment to innovation, and half (22) have made
one-time commitments to innovation. Other strategies
articulated in the survey responses include partner-
ships with other institutions, support for release time,
external grants, fund raising, and support from the
parent organization through special requests or fees.
When asked to specify the sources of funds that
are used to support innovative activities, the over-
whelming majority of respondents (93%) indicated
that they fund both the case study activity and inno-
vative activities in general from the library’s operating
budget. Only five libraries reported that they have a
separate library innovation budget line. Additional
funding strategies reported include a parent institu-
tion grant to the library (17 or 39%), internal grants to
staff (15 or 34%), a library endowment fund specifying
innovation support (9 or 21%), and a library gift fund
that is earmarked for innovation (7 or 16%). Twenty-
eight respondents noted that they tap other sources
of funding to support innovation. Key among these
sources are external grant funding from state and
federal agencies, private foundations, and monies
made available from cooperative organizations to
support specific development activities. Other fund-
ing sources include lapsing salary dollars, private
donations to support specific innovative activities,
campus research and innovation funds, and unre-
stricted library endowment funds.
Twenty-seven libraries reported that their par-
ent institution provides funding to support innova-
tion, and indicated that they obtain innovation funds
through a number of on-campus channels. The most
frequently reported process for securing funds is
through the library annual or periodic budget request
(19 or 70%). Special request by the library director to
an institutional administrator is another common
method of obtaining parent institution support (15
or 56%). Twelve libraries (44%) also reported that they
participate in some type of competitive funding pro-
cess at the institutional level. Other sources of funds
include student fees and institution-level funds allo-
cated to enhance technologies and teaching.
While only five libraries reported having a sepa-
rate innovation budget line, a total of 11 libraries track
the amount that is spent on innovative activities. Eight
of these reported on the amount they allocate to in-
novation. Four libraries allocated between $11,000
and $50,000 to the case study innovation, and two
allocated $400,000 and $500,000, respectively. Three
allocate between $1,000 and $50,000 to innovation
overall, and five allocate on a larger scale, ranging
from $100,000 to $550,000.
Library Innovation: Staff Skills and Rewards
The survey also explored the types of skills and
knowledge that are required of library staff in order
to implement the case study innovation. Clearly, the
libraries that responded to this survey view the need
for new skill acquisition as important for supporting
successful innovation. The overwhelming majority of
respondents (41 or 93%) noted that staff need project
management skills in order to successfully manage the
innovation. They also need marketing and publicity
skills (32 or 73%), web development (31 or 71%) and
programming and scripting skills (27 or 61%), knowl-
edge of intellectual property rights (19 or 43%), and
skill in grant proposal preparation (14 or 34%). Other
indicated that the library did only 11 (26%) said it did
not. The types of support that libraries frequently
provide include:
• Support for strategic direction/vision (by
university librarian, associate directors)
• Budget planning and management
• Assessment and evaluation (by assessment
librarian or committee)
• Grant and funding proposal preparation
(provided by a variety of places)
• Travel/conference/workshop attendance
• Reassignment of staff expertise to the
project
Library Innovation: Funding
The survey then examined how libraries fund innova-
tive activities through a series of questions that elic-
ited information about both the specific case study
example and library support for innovative activities
in general. Almost all of the libraries responding (40
or 91%) make funding decisions for innovation on
an individual, case-by-case basis. Almost two-thirds
of the libraries (28 or 64%) fund the activity in col-
laboration with other units in the institution. Over
half of the libraries (27 or 61%) have made a recurring
commitment to innovation, and half (22) have made
one-time commitments to innovation. Other strategies
articulated in the survey responses include partner-
ships with other institutions, support for release time,
external grants, fund raising, and support from the
parent organization through special requests or fees.
When asked to specify the sources of funds that
are used to support innovative activities, the over-
whelming majority of respondents (93%) indicated
that they fund both the case study activity and inno-
vative activities in general from the library’s operating
budget. Only five libraries reported that they have a
separate library innovation budget line. Additional
funding strategies reported include a parent institu-
tion grant to the library (17 or 39%), internal grants to
staff (15 or 34%), a library endowment fund specifying
innovation support (9 or 21%), and a library gift fund
that is earmarked for innovation (7 or 16%). Twenty-
eight respondents noted that they tap other sources
of funding to support innovation. Key among these
sources are external grant funding from state and
federal agencies, private foundations, and monies
made available from cooperative organizations to
support specific development activities. Other fund-
ing sources include lapsing salary dollars, private
donations to support specific innovative activities,
campus research and innovation funds, and unre-
stricted library endowment funds.
Twenty-seven libraries reported that their par-
ent institution provides funding to support innova-
tion, and indicated that they obtain innovation funds
through a number of on-campus channels. The most
frequently reported process for securing funds is
through the library annual or periodic budget request
(19 or 70%). Special request by the library director to
an institutional administrator is another common
method of obtaining parent institution support (15
or 56%). Twelve libraries (44%) also reported that they
participate in some type of competitive funding pro-
cess at the institutional level. Other sources of funds
include student fees and institution-level funds allo-
cated to enhance technologies and teaching.
While only five libraries reported having a sepa-
rate innovation budget line, a total of 11 libraries track
the amount that is spent on innovative activities. Eight
of these reported on the amount they allocate to in-
novation. Four libraries allocated between $11,000
and $50,000 to the case study innovation, and two
allocated $400,000 and $500,000, respectively. Three
allocate between $1,000 and $50,000 to innovation
overall, and five allocate on a larger scale, ranging
from $100,000 to $550,000.
Library Innovation: Staff Skills and Rewards
The survey also explored the types of skills and
knowledge that are required of library staff in order
to implement the case study innovation. Clearly, the
libraries that responded to this survey view the need
for new skill acquisition as important for supporting
successful innovation. The overwhelming majority of
respondents (41 or 93%) noted that staff need project
management skills in order to successfully manage the
innovation. They also need marketing and publicity
skills (32 or 73%), web development (31 or 71%) and
programming and scripting skills (27 or 61%), knowl-
edge of intellectual property rights (19 or 43%), and
skill in grant proposal preparation (14 or 34%). Other
