FAU Libraries Technical Services Division/Library Acquisitions Procedures for Purchasing Library Materials

The primary responsibility of the Library Acquisitions Unit in Technical Services is maintaining a responsible audit trail* through monitoring and proper expenditure of the library materials budget.  With responsibility goes accountability for the results.

Acquisitions procedures are designed to meet these goals, and are accomplished through use of an internal fund accounting system.  Acquisitions data is utilized to provide reports on allocations, encumbrances, expenditures and free balances, and to make reliable predictions for future spending.  The fund accounting system must also be able at any time to perform successfully in an audit review.

It is essential to provide appropriate documentation of all purchases, expenditures and encumbrances.  In order to accomplish this goal, all library material purchases must be referred to Acquisitions for complete processing through the internal fund accounting system.

If purchases and expenditures against the library materials budget are permitted outside of Acquisitions, the integrity of its reports, statistics,  and its ability to withstand an audit will be compromised.  In the event of an audit, failure to record accurate information in a timely manner would be a poor reflection on the library and on the Acquisitions staff.

In order to successfully fulfill the requirements of the University and the State, the following procedures/policies must be properly executed:

1. Orders for library material will be placed by Acquisitions staff only.  Exceptions to this policy must be based on clear need and not convenience or seniority.

2. An order form must be submitted for each purchase request. Order forms must have the signature of a librarian authorized to commit expenditure of funds from the library materials budget. A supply of forms is available in the Technical Services offices from the Office Manager.

3. The following timetable should be followed when submitting monographic orders to Acquisitions:

   November 1   50% of orders should be submitted to Acquisitions
   February   1   75% of orders should be submitted to Acquisitions
   April 1          100% of orders should be submitted to Acquisitions

   Allocations not committed on April 1 will revert to unallocated status, and will be utilized for purchases that will realize the most efficient disbursement of funds.

4. Vendor accounts, including deposit accounts, must be established through Acquisitions to ensure proper adherence to purchasing and invoicing requirements. Vendor invoices are to be sent directly from the vendor to the Library Acquisitions Unit, Technical Services, and should be addressed to the attention of J. Donahue, Assistant Director for Technical Services.

5. Acquisitions maintains files of all invoices.   Requests for copies of invoices will be honored, and will be fulfilled in the manner most efficient and least disruptive to the work flow of Acquisitions.  Where available, invoices will be provided to the requestor in electronic format.

   Procedures for requesting copies of invoices:

   • The requestor must submit a request including vendor name, approximate date of purchase of material, and/or any other identifying information available, as appropriate.  The requestor will be notified within 48 hours of the availability of the invoices.  E-mail requests are preferred.  Address requests to Donahue@fau.edu, Abaid@fau.edu, and Mberenba@fau.edu with the subject line as follows: REQUEST FOR INVOICE COPY.

   • Invoices may be photocopied by requestor in the Technical Services area within 48 hours of notification.

6. P-card purchases. Purchases of library material to be charged to the Libraries= materials budget will be placed by Acquisitions staff as presented in (1) and (2) of this document.  The staff is fully equipped to handle requests for expedited materials through use of the P-card.

   All P-card purchases of library material must be documented by Acquisitions with an order form for title(s) purchased, receipt, packing slip, and accompanied by material purchased.  Appropriate vendor records and audit trails will be established, invoices will be coded for correct fund accounting, and authorization for payment from the materials budget will be recorded on invoice(s), and will be forwarded within 24 hours to the Library Administration Office Manager for final entry.

7. Telephone orders, and material received through telephone solicitations will not be processed for payment.  Unsolicited material will not be processed for payment, and will be disposed of, unless the sender provides return postage.

   *audit trail - a sequence of postings in an accounting system that is tied to original documents such as purchase orders, invoices, statements and vouchers.

   8/22/02;9/6/02rev; 9/9/02rev

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