Linda points out the importance of taking into consideration the discipline, and I would like to suggest another consideration, which is how aggressive you want or need to be in managing subscriptions. 

Since we are a independent biomedical research institution, where immediate online access is highly prized by our scientists, I try to take a conservative approach to managing a very expensive subscription list based on cost/use data.  We have heavily used journal subscriptions that are core to our basic research mission that cost as much as $13,000.  In our case, a $30.00 threshold would be unacceptable.

I’ve just finished a review of our 280 mostly basic medical sciences subscriptions list.  I used the Counter full text downloads for 2007 & 2008 (annualized), and the 2008 prices to calculate the cost/use for each title, then I determined the average (Mean) cost/use for the list and set a threshold for possible cancellation at the Mean + 1 Standard Deviation from the mean.  In our case that puts the threshold at $72 + $108 = $180/use.

So that’s my formula.

Cheers,

Danny

=======================
Daniel H. Jones, M.L.S., Director
Preston G. Northrup Memorial Library
Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research
Shipping address:
     7620 NW Loop 410
     San Antonio, TX  78227-5301
Mailing address:
     P.O. Box 760549
     San Antonio, TX  78245-0549

Tel:  210-258-9426
Fax:  210-670-3313
Email:  djones@sfbr.org
=======================

From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Hulbert, Linda A.
Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 1:19 PM
To: SERIALST@list.uvm.edu
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] cost per use for individual journals

I also use the $30 as a general rule of thumb – but I also look at a discipline like all of social sciences and see what the average cost per use is for that area and when evaluating the suggestions for cancellation I use anything over the average cost per use. We use Counter statistics and do it based on downloads.

Linda

Linda Hulbert, Associate Director 
        Collection Management and Services
O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library #5004
University of Saint Thomas
2115 Summit Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
Phone: (651) 962-5016         Fax: (651) 962-5486        email: lahulbert@stthomas.edu

The journal article you find is the journal article you were looking for

From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Sutton, Sarah
Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 12:40 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [SERIALST] cost per use for individual journals

Does anyone have a formula for deciding their maximum acceptable cost per use of a journal? What I’m really wondering, is how much is too much? It’s easy to justify cancelling print when the cost per use of a print journal is, say, $250 per use. But what about a journal that costs $20.47, cancel it or not?

Clearly there are many other criteria that play into such a decision (e.g. shelf space, curriculum support, accreditation requirements, etc.).  I’m just wondering how (if) the collective wisdom of this list use cost per use data.

Thanks,

Sarah

Sarah Sutton

Serials / Electronic Resources Librarian

Mary & Jeff Bell Library

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

6300 Ocean Drive

Corpus Christi, TX 78412-5702

phone 361-825-2355

fax 361-825-5973

email sarah.sutton@tamucc.edu