A multicriteria approach for library needs assessment and budget allocation

Abstract Libraries are feeling increasing pressure for efficient allocation of resources by service area (books, periodicals, equipment, etc.) and by subject discipline or department. An extensive literature review shows that the majority of approaches used to deal with this problem involve formula allocations or mathematical programming. The latter is used primarily for selecting or eliminating specific periodicals or volumes. In this paper, a two-phase approach is presented and illustrated with a case from a small college library. A representative panel of providers and consumers of library services identifies library goals, benefits, needs and pertinent criteria, and uses a systematic hierarchical approach to rate each criterion and alternative (service type and discipline). A goal programming model is then invoked to allocate the library budget proportionally to measured benefits, while satisfying a variety of other conflicting goals. A group decision support system is outlined for eliciting and improving individual judgments, testing users' agreement, and identifying critical factors affecting the rating of alternatives.