Timeline

Book orders need to be placed in alignment with the fiscal calendar (July 1-June 30). School librarians should work with their school bookkeeper to be mindful of annual deadlines for placing orders. Book orders require 6-8 weeks for processing and delivery. 

Spending deadlines can be found in Focus on Finance newsletters. 

Spending deadlines posted for the 2025-2026 school year are shown below. Please note that these spending deadlines do not necessarily align with the lead time required for a book order with full cataloging and processing. In order to receive all materials before the May 15th deadline, you should plan to have a purchase order submitted several weeks before the April 3rd deadline.

Common Funding Sources

There is no set budget amount that is allocated for the school library. School librarians, with the support of their MTAC, should work with their administrator to determine a budget that will address the needs outlined in the Collection Management Plan. 

Funding sources:

• School Funds - Principals can designate a portion of school funds for library purchases. Librarians should understand that that state allots schools $65 per student for all instructional supplies (this includes things like copier costs, mailing, paper, etc.). Schools that do not receive additional funds from Title I, Magnet, or Community Use may have a more difficult time allocating a portion of these funds to the library.

  • Fund 6 - Each school has a Fund 6 account specifically for the library media center. Any money collected for lost or damaged books goes into this fund. This money cannot be transferred into another fund, and it rolls over from year to year. 

  • Before/after care - Schools that run their own before or after care programs can use the funds from those programs for library purchases, as long as the materials purchased can be used by the before or after care program. 

• PTSA 

  • Bookfairs

• Grants - Before applying for any grant, you must work with the grant coordinator at your school to complete an Intent to Apply form. 

  • Learn more about grants on the Grants office page on WakeConnect. 

Budget Allotments

It can be helpful to view budget allotment information for your school in order to better understand what potential funds may be available. You can find this information on the WakeConnect Allotments page. You must be connected to the WCPSS network to access this page. 

Budget>Allotments>Allotment Application

Funds in PRC 061 represent your principal's operating budget for instructional supplies and materials.