Re: Serials cancellations/Facutly input Carmel Yurochko 16 Oct 2008 11:39 UTC
Hi Linda, Thanks for your feedback. We did a very thorough review of our online subscription titles a couple of years ago and have since just been tweaking the ScienceDirect subscriptions based on zero/low use. We are generally swapping in and out five or six titles a year. The initial review was a long process and we did seek faculty input. We are trying to be proactive and determine if we have to do such a time consuming review each renewal period. That constitutes a job on its own. Thanks again, Carmel -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Linda Wobbe Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 5:08 PM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Serials cancellations/Facutly input Hi Carmel, For our most recent cancellation project, we had a dollar target we needed to meet. We "allocated" the target among programs to match their percentage of periodicals expenditures. In other words, if Biology spent 10% of the periodicals budget, they had to cancel 10% of the cancellation target amount. We provided each department with their periodical titles, along with prices. Data from recent usage studies were included. Availability within electronic packages, both aggregator and publisher was included. Subject librarians indicated which titles they thought could be cancelled - generally low use titles that might also appear in an electronic package. All communication was through the departmental liaison and department chair. Departments were given a deadline. If a department did not meet the deadline for giving feedback, the subject librarians communicated their final decision. This generated some negotiation over the specific title list, which was resolved by generally accepting the department's preferences. We compiled a list of the final cancellation titles, and sent that out via email to the entire faculty list. I don't recall having many - in fact maybe not any - complaints at that time. Since every department shared the burden relatively equally, and there was an understanding that periodical inflation was the culprit, we had very few complaints. Indeed, we hoped the faculty would be lobbying the administration for relief to the library budget. But, during this same time period, the faculty were arguing for improved salaries and reduced teaching loads, diverting their attention. We allowed ourselves about a year to complete the project, and I think it went very well. Linda Wobbe Carmel Yurochko wrote: >Please excuse any cross-postings. > > > >Hello to all, > > > >I am asking for input regarding both print and online serials cancellations, >and faculty input on cancellations. Please feel free to respond to me off >line. > > > >. Does your institution cancel print/online serials solely based on >library criteria, i.e. cost and use? > > > >. Does your institution cancel print/online serials only after >consulting with faculty? > >Is this done title-by-title or by discipline/schools? > > > >. Does your institution publicize cancellation decisions ahead of >the actual serials cancellation? > >If so, what is the outcome of critical responses? > > > >Thank you, > >Carmel Yurochko > >________________________________ > >Carmel Yurochko > >Serials/Electronic Resources Librarian > >Psychology Dept. Liaison > >Gumberg Library > >Duquesne University > >600 Forbes Avenue > >Pittsburgh, PA 15282 > > <mailto:yurochko@duq.edu> yurochko@duq.edu > >(412) 396-5233 / (412) 396-5639 fax > >"I am tired of words, let's have action." - Blessed Frederic Ozanam > > > > -- Linda Wobbe Head, Electronic Resources & Periodicals Subject Selector for Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Health, Physics, Kinesiology Saint Mary's College Library PO Box 4290, 1928 Saint Mary's Road Moraga, CA 94575-4290 ph (925) 631-4232 fx (925)376-6097 lwobbe@stmarys-ca.edu