More accountability for books, purchase order system discussed

The issue is complicated: without a tracking system, the library is often unaware of what the monetary value of purchases have been ordered but not yet delivered to the North 8th Street facility. Since there is no tracking of open orders and encumbered funds, the budgeted amount for book purchases is often cut off at the budget year end and then outstanding orders paid out of funding from the next annual budget cycle. Gavenman proposed the creation of a set annual book budget and a system to track purchases to include cash expenditures that could be drawn down from the fund balance as received.Librarian Dan Robles noted that a major book supplier often discounts books by an amount not known until shipment is made.“...I’m just looking for a little accountability” in spending, Trustee Ninette Reyes-Sena said later in the meeting, after noting that there seemed to be an accounting problem of matching invoices to purchases and backing purchases out of the budgeted book funds.There is also some misunderstanding of the budget process, with staffers believing that budget figures are set, noted Robles. “...They’re not actual, but what we anticipate” in funding, and that staff has suggested that the book acquisition budget be lowered to a guaranteed $18,000 annually.