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Frequently Asked Questions about the Cancellation of Subscriptions in FY04
- How did the Libraries decide which titles to cancel?
- What materials are being considered for cancellation??
- How is the serial review related to journal and database cancellations?
- What happened during the serial review?
- Aren't there other ways to balance the budget?
- Why are we canceling titles over the summer?
- After a title is cancelled, when do we stop receiving it?
- If I want articles from a journal that's been cancelled, how do I get them?
- I use a journal electronically. Will it go away when we cancel the print?
- Who should I talk to about a cancelled title?
- Why is so much emphasis being placed on subscriptions? Doesn't the library buy a lot of books?
- How does electronic publishing affect journal cancellations?
- Does this mean that no new subscriptions are possible?
1. How did the Libraries decide which titles to cancel?
While a few obviously low value resources were identified initially and could be used to balance the budget "off the top", the Libraries must make across the board cuts to serials funds to find significant savings. All serial funds and categories bear an equal burden in rebalancing the budget. Target savings amounts are set for each fund to allow the library faculty who manage these funds to determine the number of titles they will need to cancel. Library faculty use the lists of low priority serial titles identified in the 2002/2003 serial review to identify titles for cancellations. The serial review process provided an opportunity for library faculty to consult closely with colleagues in academic departments about low priority titles. The lists of titles identified also ensured that the campus had an opportunity to review the prioritizations library faculty developed.
2. What materials are being considered for cancellation?
The Libraries are trying to reduce all continuing commitments. These are generally of two types: subscriptions to print or electronic resources and standing orders for monographic series. The Libraries have subscriptions to thousands of journal titles and hundreds of electronic resources. Electronic resources are mainly licensed as annual subscriptions. A standing orders for a monographic series can cost as much or more on an annual basis than journal subscription. The Libraries are looking to balance the materials budget by cancellations in all of these categories of commitments.
3. How is the serial review related to journal and database cancellations
The goal of the review process was gather data and develop a clear understanding the relative value of our lowest priority titles. Title identification was the only outcome of the review. The review was part of an ongoing triennial cycle initiated in 2001 at the request of the University Library Council, a committee of the University Senate. The next collection-wide serial review will occur in 2005/2006. With the recognition that reductions in serials commitments are required to balance the materials budget in FY04, the Libraries are now forced to begin a new project to cancel titles. Title cancellations are based on a percentage cut applied evenly to all serials funds. The collection manager works with the low priority lists to identify the titles that will provide the savings needed. Obviously low priority titles are cancelled before higher priority titles.
4. What happened during the serial review? ?
During the 2002/2003 academic year the Libraries completely reviewed all of their journals, electronic subscriptions, and standing orders for monographs. This process was part of the regular triennial review cycle the Libraries implemented several years ago for collection management. Library faculty worked closely with faculty in academic units on campus to identify the lowest priority titles. Because of the budget cuts that had already occurred, the Libraries identified the lowest priority 25% of all of the Libraries serial commitments. The percentage was based on cost not number of titles. These lowest priority titles were sorted into three groups and rated 3, 2, and 1 to indicate titles that could be lost with the least damage to the collections to titles whose loss would most damage collections. The low priority titles were not necessarily distributed evenly through these categories. Detailed information on the process and results of the serial review are available at http://www.lib.umd.edu/CLMD/REVIEW/intro.html.
5. Aren't there other ways to balance the budget?
Many people wonder if cancelling print journals and relying on web-based versions can save the Libraries money. Unfortunately, market-wide, publishers seem more likely to view electronic publishing as an opportunity to increase their revenues than as an opportunity to increase the affordability of their journals. In many cases, print simply cannot be cut without loss of electronic access to the title. In cases where print can be cancelled for a savings, the savings are typically on the order of 10% of the print price. Another concern is that most publishers make little or no commitment to ongoing archiving of electronic journals. The Libraries have estimated that currently only about $50,000 will be easily recovered by moving to electronic-only access for titles with good archiving commitments.
The Libraries have also been scrutinizing their commitments to electronic indexes and abstracts. Rather than buying unlimited campus-wide use of databases, in many cases the Libraries are using data on past usage to renegotiate lower pricing for more limited access to electronic indexes and abstracts. While a few users may have to wait briefly to access these resources at times of peak use, this practice will provide access to a wider range of resources for the campus as a whole.
The Libraries have also been monitoring the performance of the many vendors used to purchase information resources. Increasingly the Libraries have moved to alternate vendors where cost savings are possible. Users will notice many electronic indexes and abstracts moving to new interfaces as these changes are implemented. The Libraries only makes changes of this type after careful trial and evaluation of the new vendor to ensure that comparable functionality will be provided.
Also see question number 11. Why is so much emphasis being placed on subscriptions? Doesn't the library buy a lot of books?
6. Why are we canceling titles over the summer?
Subscription renewals typically occur in the summer to ensure uninterrupted receipt of issues. Electronic resources are largely renewed in late spring before the next fiscal year begins (in July). If the Libraries have to make any changes in subscriptions, cancellations have to occur at the time of renewal. Most electronic resources have to be cancelled in June and most journals have to be cancelled in July or August. Cancellations after these "windows of opportunity" close mean that savings cannot be achieved until the 2005 fiscal year.
7. After a title is cancelled, when do we stop receiving it?
Journal subscriptions for the calendar year 2003 were paid in the summer of 2002. Any cancellations made in the summer of 2003 thus do not affect delivery until January 2004. Electronic resources operate on a different time scale. Electronic indexes and abstracts are generally provided for 12 months from the time of last payment. Since most electronic indexes and abstracts accessible now were paid in July 2002, when cancellation occurs in 2003, access ceases essentially immediately. Most cancelled electronic indexes and abstracts will become inaccessible on July 1. Electronic indexes and abstracts with renewal dates later in the year will become inaccessible as their renewal date arrives. Most electronic journals are tied to the calendar of print publication. Thus if a print journal is cancelled electronic access will generally cease at the end of the calendar year. A print journal cancelled in July 2003 will only be accessible online until January 1, 2004.
8. If I want articles from a journal that's been cancelled, how do I get them?
All members of the campus community can use the Libraries' Interlibrary Loan service to obtain copies of articles. ILL delivery of articles increasingly is offered electronically so you can access the article from your desktop when it is received. In some cases individual articles are accessible in full text databases offered by the Libraries. Look for the SFX button when you are using library databases to check for online availability.
9. I use a journal electronically. Will it go away when we cancel the print?
In most cases access to an electronic journal is tied to print subscription. Titles that are available free online are marked on the Libraries electronic journal pages. Typically if a print journal is cancelled, electronic access will cease at the end of the calendar year. A print journal cancelled in July 2003 will only be accessible online until January 1, 2004.
10. Who should I talk to about a cancelled title?
A list of the library faculty who work with departments is available at http://www.lib.umd.edu/CLMD/CMT/managerdirectory.html
11. Why is so much emphasis being placed on subscriptions? Doesn't the library buy a lot of books?
Print journal subscriptions alone account for almost half of the Libraries' materials budget. Electronic resource subscriptions account for just under 20% of the rest. With standing orders, these continuing commitments account for approximately 70% of the materials budget. While inflation rates vary some from title to title, this portion of the budget has historically inflated at an annual rate of 8-10% a year. The Libraries' spending on books has been held at a constant dollar amount since the early 1990's. Book funds are not a practical source of funds to prop up serial purchases for many reasons. Monographic purchases add value to collections as much as serials. Given the large proportion of the materials budget devoted to serials and their rapid inflation rate, if the Libraries relied only on redirecting monograph funds to maintaining serials the Libraries would be acquiring no monographs at all in less than three years.
12. How does electronic publishing affect journal cancellations?
At the moment, a majority of the Libraries' journals do not have electronic counterparts. The vast majority of electronic journals are available to the campus contingent on the maintenance of our print subscriptions. In such cases, there is no opportunity for saving funds by relying on electronic access and canceling a print subscription. In some cases there is an opportunity for modest savings by canceling print and relying only on electronic access. Savings typically are 10% of the print subscription cost in these cases. In the instances where there are opportunities to convert print subscriptions to electronic subscriptions with a cost savings, this option may be considered as part of the cancellation project. In a very small number of cases it is possible to cancel print access and recoup the full cost of the print subscription. The Libraries are considering this option where it is practical.
13. Does this mean that no new subscriptions are possible?
The UM Libraries have no funding for new subscriptions in FY04. Until the Libraries are confident that there are sufficient funds to maintain as many existing resources as possible, the addition of new resources cannot be practically considered. Faculty are encouraged to continue to discuss needs for core materials not held by the UM Libraries with the Library faculty member working with their department.
