Can fee-based services be a source of funding university libraries?
Fee-based services as a source of funding academic libraries.
Introducing a fee might primarily depend on two major economic factors :
a) willingness to pay and
b) ability to pay.
Further, one must then do a market research about the current and potential users to find out what they think about it and if they have the resources to pay. Also, understanding their motivation for using the library will tell us if a fee will encourage or deter them. Libraries are usually not for ‘’profit-making’’ but are mostly public services.
As you can see, this is not an opinion subject where the chief librarian and administrators can just wake up and decide to charge fees without considering specific contextual conditions. Even if some will pay, how sustainable will it be in the long term?
When students pay their fees or are admitted on scholarship, in most cases, access to the library is part and parcel of the package. Will the library fee be hidden in the school fees and increase them?
- If the reason for a library is for students and others to access information, why burden them with a fee?
- Perhaps using a system where late returns are charged will deter those who recklessly keep books.
- What are the alternative ways of funding a library? Community fund raising, alumni support and donors who willingly give to support education but do not seek to control or influence anything...
- All other options are open but it is important not to burden students. Life is already hard enough for them if they don’t have part-time jobs. Hope this helps.
@Ahen...Thank you very much for your write up.. It was indeed very insightful.
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