Randall Library has been granted a substantial budget increase for the upcoming academic year thanks to UNC Wilmington’s increased revenue from the enrollment growth of the 2015-2016 academic year.

Armed with a budget of approximately $1 million for the upcoming academic year, Randall Library plans on using its increased funding to better serve UNCW’s students.

“As UNCW faced substantial budget cuts over the past decade, university leadership made it a priority to protect core instructional units,” said a university spokesperson in an email. “The budget increase… is an investment that will finally allow Randall Library to address critical educational and operational needs – and to serve our students in the most efficient and modern ways we can.”

“Enrollment Growth Funding positions Randall Library to better serve our primary constituents: UNCW students,” said Sarah Watstein, university librarian. “UNCW can count on Randall Library staff to move forward with our users in mind.”

The budget will be divided and allocated to different projects and departments in order to better serve the library’s business and operational needs.

“Funds have been allocated to shore up the library’s materials budget, its investment in facility and furnishings, and its commitment to staff development,” said Watstein.

The monies allocated to the materials budget will be used to strengthen and diversify Randall’s selection of periodicals, databases and online resources.

“This allocation… positions the library to pace periodicals’ price projections including inflation costs,” said Watstein. “Knowledge of historical trends and current estimates informed our decision making in this regard.”

But Randall’s collection of the written word is not the only thing that will benefit from the increased budget; funds will also be used to improve Randall Library itself.

“Even in the digital age, the library building as a place… maintains an essential role in academia. Enrollment Growth Funding has been allocated to support several facility related initiatives on the first and second floor of Randall Library,” said Watstein.

Unfortunately, the specifics of those initiatives have not yet been released. Details regarding those improvements in the library’s facility and furnishings as well as details regarding enhancements to Randall’s information technology environment will be released on Randall Library’s website soon.

Watstein added that electronic devices, connectivity and more are all set to improve with the budget increase.

Additionally, the budget will support “new positions that will impact student academic success,” according to Watstein. A humanities librarian, a social sciences librarian and an online applications support technician are all staff positions for which the budget allots money.

“[The online applications support technician] will help us better meet the rapidly evolving needs of students in online and hybrid courses,” said Watstein.

“Randall Library provides resources, services and facilities that cannot be replicated elsewhere, and we are appreciative of campus leadership for this initial installation of Enrollment Growth Funding,” said Watstein. “Library stewardship in a networked age is a tall order.”

Because the funds that allow for the increased budget originate from UNCW’s increased enrollment during the 2015-2016 academic year, a university spokesperson ensures UNCW’s students that there will not be an increase in fees to pay for Randall Library’s planned improvements.