"Serials inflation is inflated and unjustly erodes a library budget" Speak of 'just prices' and you've entered quite an intellectual thicket. They charge the prices they have discovered their customers are willing to pay. IW I. Woodward Serials Office Colgate University Libraries Case Library and Geyer Center for Information Technology 13 Oak Drive Hamilton, N.Y. 13346 Ph.: 315-228-7306 Fax: 315-228-7029 -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Thomas, Susan Elaine Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 10:25 AM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Libraries Moving Towards E-Only Access I would agree that it is not a standard best practice to cancel a print subscription with the plan to rely on the electronic copy available in the aggregated database. However, when budgets are tight (flat budget for over eight years), canceling print subscriptions that are currently available full-text in a aggregated database becomes a viable solution. Serials inflation is inflated and unjustly erodes a library budget. In discussing the cancellations with faculty, we refer to it as avoiding duplicate expenditure with a note that making this decision now may result in a temporary loss of access in the future. When and if that happens, we note that we will re-evaluate the subscription. I have been involved in such cancellation decision in the past eight years at two different libraries and from what I have seen, the number of titles that stopped being available that were still requested by the faculty/department, was not statistically significant enough to warrant a discontinuation of this practice. Periodical subscriptions are currently in a great state of flux with an exponential increase in the availability of an electronic copy. We are now working with an assumption, with both periodical subscriptions and reference materials, that it is no longer a question of losing access but rather, who will be the new supplier. Susan E. Thomas Head of Collection Development Schurz Library Indiana University South Bend (574) 520-5500 suethoma@iusb.edu -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Hutchens, Chad Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 3:07 PM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Libraries Moving Towards E-Only Access As has already been said, I think it's very risky to cancel print in lieu of a title being available in an aggregated database. It's one thing to cancel an individual print subscription and upgrade to e-only (as we often do)...you're still a subscriber and are in control. It's a completely different thing to cancel print and expect it to be there in an aggregator over time...you have absolutely no control over whether that content will remain in an aggregated database. Long story short...I think it's a very, very bad idea that has some serious (and not good) repercussions for libraries that choose to do it. Chad E. Hutchens Electronic Resources Librarian Montana State University Libraries P.O. Box 173320 Bozeman, MT 59717-3320 (406) 994-4313 phone (406) 994-2851 fax chutchens@montana.edu -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Yacobucci, Karen Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 8:13 AM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Libraries Moving Towards E-Only Access Could everyone respond to this e-mail by replying to SERIALST. I am interested too. Thanks!! Have a great day! :) Karen Yacobucci, MLS Serials Librarian New York Medical College Health Sciences Library 95 Grasslands Road Valhalla, NY 10595 Tel. 914.594.4213 karen_yacobucci@nymc.edu -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Tracey Thompson Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 10:14 AM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Libraries Moving Towards E-Only Access This is a question that we will be reviewing this year. I have a few specific questions. If the title is available in an aggregated database, do you drop the print? (This question is being pushed from higher up.) What particular license issues do you require before you drop the print? Does anyone have a written policy on this issue that they would be willing to share? Thanks. Tracey Thompson Acquisitions Librarian New Mexico State University Library MSC 3475 P.O. Box 30006 Las Cruces, NM 88003-8006 (p) 575-646-8093 (f) 575-646-7477 -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Barbara Pope Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 8:59 AM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Libraries Moving Towards E-Only Access Hello, Karen. We have gone online-only for several journal packages (American Chemical Society, American Psychological Association, and Sage) as well as several individual titles where the faculty are open to electronic access. Some journals just are not available in electronic format, so I don't think we will be going entirely electronic. I guess one caution I have is going with a reliable vendor that has few technical problems and is maintaining some kind of archive. Barbara Pope, MALS Periodicals/Reference Librarian Axe Library Pittsburg State University 1701 S. Broadway Pittsburg KS 66762 620-235-4884 bpope@pittstate.edu Yacobucci, Karen wrote: > Dear Serialisters, > > Just out of curiosity, I am wondering how many libraries out there have > dropped their entire print collections/subscriptions and gone E-only! > > I am hearing about more and more libraries following this trend and was > wondering how it has worked out for them and why they decided to make > that move. Thanks!! I look forward to hearing from you soon. > > Best, > > Karen Yacobucci, MLS > Serials Librarian > New York Medical College > Health Sciences Library > 95 Grasslands Road > Valhalla, NY 10595 > > Tel. 914.594.4213 > karen_yacobucci@nymc.edu > > >
