The in’s and out’s of library budget preparation

Newcomers to the budget process seldom realize that it is much more than just one element (most often an annual activity) in the management cycle. Those individuals who succeed in securing the funds requested are those who understand it is a complex‐year‐round process. They also recognize the fact that it is a political process as well as competitive in nature. This article explores some of the most important issues to think about, if one wants to improve one’s chances of succeeding in the “budget battle”. Topics covered are who should be involved, environmental factors, the budget cycle, defending the request, the political issues, budget formats and end‐user involvement.