Yes, we believe there is hope for the future. Goal 2.1.d of the SU Strategic Plan is:
Begin increasing library spending with a goal of achieving the median total library spending per FTEs of SU's performance peers.
In FY2012, the most recent year for which data are available, our spending lagged well behind that of our peers:
Peer Libraries: $391.13/FTE*
SU Libraries: $279.73/FTE*
Total: SU's library spending was $1,050,000 below that of our peers.*
As SU begins to increase library spending to achieve this strategic plan goal, we will be able not just to keep up with inflation but add resources to best meet the needs of our faculty and students.
*Data from the National Center for Education Statistics' "Compare Academic Libraries" site, based on the annual Academic Libraries Survey, http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/compare/default.aspx, accessed 3/18/2015.