Collection Funding FAQ

To meet the research and teaching needs of the Cornell community across the disciplines, our collections budget pays for access to a vast range of resources – text, images, data, and more in various electronic and physical formats. Totaling around $18 million annually, the budget is comprised of an appropriation from Cornell University, restricted and unrestricted endowment funds, and gifts to the Library.

What is Cornell University Library’s main goal in collection development?

How do you maintain fiscally sustainable collections and services?

Why are there so many expenditure changes from year to year?

Can Cornell researchers provide input into the Library’s decisions?

How much do you spend on subscriptions?

Why share your subscription expenditures?

Is Cornell University Library the first to publish such costs? 

Do all universities pay the same amount for electronic resources? 

How does the Library subscribe to resources?

What do these data tables show? 

Does the data include Weill Cornell Medicine Samuel J. Wood Library in New York City?

Who can I contact with further questions?