Purchasing Refreshments/Food for Library Sponsored Events: Home

If you have an event coming up and want to provide refreshments, please start planning early. Reach out to Paige and let her know:

1. Event Title
2. Date, time, and location of event
3. Who is attending (i.e. students, faculty, people outside OSU)
4. How many will attend (estimated)
5. Length of event
6. What refreshments/food you are hoping to provide
7. What funding source you intend to use

Begin planning as soon as possible. 4 weeks before the event is recommended. Please don't wait until your event is less than 2 weeks away.

Our first preference when purchasing refreshments would be to use Foundation funds.

• Professorship Funds
  • Clerico Family Chair for Library Excellence - Approval needed from Dean Sheila Johnson
  • Puterbaugh Professorship for Library Services - Approval needed from Aso. Dean Juliana Nykolaiszyn
  • Claud D. Kniffin Professorship of Library Services - Approval needed from Aso. Dean Mary Larson
  • Hyle Family Endowed Professorship - Approval needed from OOHRP Department Head Sarah Milligan
  • W.P. Wood Professorship for Library Services - vacant
  • Doris Neustadt Professorship of Library Service - vacant
• Friends of the OSU Library
  • commonly supports Library initiatives
  • Approval needed form Dean Sheila Johnson
• There are other Foundation funds that the Library has access to, which could possibly be used for this purpose. Please visit with Paige Jones about other possibilities.

How do we pay?

• If Foundation funds are being used to purchase refreshments, we typically will use Hazel Caldwell's P-card to make the payment. After the fact, Paige processes a Foundation reimbursement to cover the charge from the appropriate fund.
• If the charge to Hazel's P-card is going to be over $2,500, then the food invoice will need to be paid directly by the Foundation. This kind of Foundation payment is processed by Paige.
• If the vendor is Celebrations Catering (Student Union), then they can bill the library via CVI. We don't use Hazel's P-card, and the $2,500 limit does not apply.

There are many rules to be followed if we are purchasing refreshments with State Funds. In the Library, the only state funds we might use for refreshments are:

• Professional Development Funds - earned and used by various faculty
• Grant funds, when appropriate

Per the OMES Statewide Accounting Manual, light food and drink items may only be purchased:

• When participants pay a fee AND the brochure/advertisement specifically indicates the fee will cover the food/meal. 
  • This would include events such as conferences where the Library makes the arrangements, participants pay a fee, and food is provided.
• Or, When the event is determined to be within a business purpose and beneficial to the Library.
  • meetings or workshops held for and in the interest of the general public, including business guests of the Library

Per the OMES Statewide Accounting Manual, light food and drink items may NOT be purchased with state funds for regularly occurring meetings/workshops (i.e. weekly meetings).

How do we pay?

• OK Corral - Purchase Order and Invoice
  • PO Date must be ahead of event date
• P-card payment

For either process, Paige will first ensure all guidelines are met, then Josh will process via OK Corral or P-card when instructed.

Documentation of the business purpose, signed by the Dean, must be included.

Light food and drink items would include:

• e.g. doughnuts, cookies, cake, coffee, tea, soft drinks, etc.
• plates, napkins, cups are also allowable when needed

When the Library is holding a lengthy meeting/workshop (5+ hours), a meal can be approved.

• e.g. boxed lunches, sandwich trays

Not Allowed with State Funds:

• Meetings with only OSU employees associated with day-to-day internal operations of the Library (e.g. staff meetings, employee training sessions/seminars, etc.)