FINAL D R A F T
Membership Dues Payments for Librarians
Using Research and Development Funds
Definition:
It is the policy of the University to consider sponsoring memberships in organizations designed to promote the advancement of education and research. A major consideration in securing a membership shall be the cost of membership in relation to the benefits the University expects to derive from an individual’s membership. (See UCSC Payment Guide, Pay Type 37, and University of California Business and Finance Bulletin, G-43.)
The costs of membership in business, technical, and professional organizations can be charged to State funds, only if allowable per the budget.
Allowable Memberships
Memberships for librarians must have a direct relationship to their job duties and assignments. Memberships must be used primarily for business purposes, i.e., activities that contribute to any one of the University’s major functions of teaching, research, or public service.
Additionally, whenever possible, institutional rather than individual memberships shall be obtained, since institutional memberships often allow participation by several or alternate employees.
Process When Library Pays Vendor Directly
1. The librarian should go to the Library Financial Services website to see if the Library already has an institutional membership that extends individual benefits. This should especially be used for one time attendance at conferences and workshops where membership is required to attend.
2. The librarian and her/his section head discuss the appropriateness of the membership. The membership in the organization must be directly related to the proposed member’s University responsibilities.
3. The librarian should fill out the “Request for Support” form, either printed from the Library Financial Services website or obtained from the self-service “forms” tray in the Library Office. The librarian must attach to the “Request” the completed membership application, including payment information.
4. The section head should sign the “Request.”
5. The “Request” should be forwarded to the LAUC R&PD representative for their sign-off.
6. After signing, the R&PD chair should send the “Request” to the Library Office for AUL Administrative Services or University Librarian sign-off.
7. Once the AUL-AS approves the “Request,” the librarian will be notified of approval by the Library Office.
8. The AUL-AS forwards the approved form to the Budget Analyst in Financial Services North, who processes the direct pay to the institution.
An Alternate Method: Process to Receive Reimbursement
Sometimes the librarian must obtain the membership more quickly than the procedure above allows. The librarian may pre-pay the membership invoice, but must follow the procedure below. Reimbursement is not guaranteed for memberships obtained outside of this process:
1. The librarian should go to the Library Financial Services website to see if the Library already has an institutional membership that extends individual benefits that may be invoked to fulfill the request from the librarian. This should especially be used for one time attendance at conferences and workshops where membership is required to attend.
2. The librarian and her/his section head discuss the appropriateness of the membership. The membership in the organization must be directly related to the proposed member’s University responsibilities.
3. The librarian should fill out the “Request for Support” form, either printed from the Library Financial Services website or obtained from the self-service “forms” tray in the Library Office.
4. The section head should sign the “Request.”
5. The “Request” should be forwarded to the LAUC R&PD representative for their sign-off.
6. After signing, the R&PD chair should send the “Request” to the Library Office for AUL Administrative Services or University Librarian sign-off.
7. Once the AUL-AS approves the request, the librarian will be notified of approval by the Library Office.
8. The librarian pays for their membership and sends the confirmation of payment to the Budget Analyst in Financial Services North. The confirmation of payment should indicate: the name of the membership organization; the amount of payment; and the member’s name. If member’s name is not indicated on the confirmation, the librarian should print and sign their name on it.
9. The Budget Analyst processes the reimbursement directly to the librarian for the membership expense.
