Print publishers have been quick to respond to the rapid use of educational technology, and support it in a variety of ways. There is now a greater selection of curriculum print references than ever before. Publishers also update their materials with greater frequency and offer more specialized resources. While many districts provide equitable funding for technology and core online resources, print budgets still seem to be at the discretion of the building and are often in competition with technology dollars. Barb Fiehn, Media Director for Rochester, Minnesota Public Schools, says the budgeting decision is left to the buildings apart from basic online resources.
Schools use a formula based on a flat amount for each building plus an allottment per student.
Otherwise schools are allowed to purchase what they need. Small schools such as those Schnabel serves, may be especially challenged to keep pace since it costs the same to provide a good core collection for a small school as a large one. Although a great deal of attention is placed on acquiring technology, it is essential that media specialists provide a balanced collection that meet the needs of all students. One way to document the need for a strong print budget is to evaluate the strength of the print collection based on copyright data. Several years ago at Winona, we completed an extensive copyright assessment of the collection.