Library faculty and professional staff represented the university in many local, state, regional and national organizations and presented at numerous national and international conferences, forums and symposia during the year. A combination of forces has eroded the quality of the library's collections and its ability to meet the needs of the JMU community. Each year, there are more and more books and periodicals published, but with a steady-state materials budget, the library can afford to buy a smaller and smaller proportion of them. The cost for college level books and periodicals has increased significantly over the last five years as reported in the University Library Price Index, while the library materials budget has remained steady. Wise long-term collection development decisions cannot be made without a dependable funding base.
Periodical subscriptions represent an ongoing committment.
As journal subscription prices increase, less can be spent on the book collections. The quality of the collections declines. Other library costs continue to rise rapidly. The student population at JMU has grown from 11,539 to 14,414 during the last five academic years. Each of these programs has resulted in increased demand for library resources and services.