RLG Prospective Journals Preservation Project (Sep 2008- Jul 2009)
Project goal: empirical evaluation of preservation risks associated with long-tail print journals in
research collections, based on qualitative and quantitative assessment of aggregate and individual
library holdings, under prevailing institutional retention and acquisition profiles
Methodology: independent review of local holdings for selected titles in US research library collections,
including scope and coverage of holdings, quality of bibliographic description, condition of physical
inventory, environmental controls, usage over 12 and 50 month periods, subscription status, intent to
retain, etc.
Selection criteria: active, peer-reviewed scholarly journals in the humanities and social sciences with
print-only distribution channels and <50 aggregate library holdings in WorldCat; limited to titles with an
assigned ISSN
Sampling method: random selection of 230 titles meeting the stated criteria and held by at least one of
eight participating libraries
WorldCat title list: http://www.worldcat.org/profiles/cmalpas/lists/346407
Title review data: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pkqKYpngW-3vpUslQNRdDJw&hl=en
Aggregate library holdings:
Most widely-held title in sample: (0049-5123) with 49 holding libraries.
Least widely held title in sample: Magister (0212-6796) with 1 holding library.

RLG Prospective Journals Preservation Project – selected data
July 2009
Scope of local holdings:
Incomplete: local
17% holdings represent <50%
of volumes issued
Incomplete: local
holdings represent >50%
51%
of volumes issued
32% Local holdings are
complete: 100% of
volumes issued and
supplements are held
For titles with holdings <50% of volumes published, median coverage was 15% of publication record.
For titles with holdings >50% of volumes published, median coverage was 80% of publication record.
Subscription status:
35%
Institution currently
subscribes to this title.
Subscription has been
cancelled.
65%
Condition of local holdings:
84-94% with non-brittle paper and fully legible text block
5-10% with loose pages or acidic paper
28% with unbound back files
For more information: Constance Malpas (malpasc@oclc.org)
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RLG Prospective Journals Preservation Project – selected data
July 2009
Use of local holdings:
80%
70%
% of titles reporting
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
ce
x
1x
2x
3x
4x
5x
6x
8x
9x
14
en
id
ev
0
Requests/circulations over 5 years
Most frequently requested title in sample: Loyola Jour al of Social Scie ces (0971-4960) with an
average of 3 requests per year over 5 years.
Local storage environment:
Mixed: holdings are distributed across
several locations
100% of holdings are in off-site facility
(including current issues)
100% of holdings are in closed stacks
100% of holdings are in open stacks
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
For more information: Constance Malpas (malpasc@oclc.org)
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RLG Prospective Journals Preservation Project – selected data
July 2009
Frequency of publication:
6%
4%
8% Annual
33%
Semi-annually
Quarterly
18% Irregular
Monthly
All others
31%
Language distribution:
Participating libraries:
*California Digital Library University of Arizona
Getty Research Library UCLA
New York University University of Michigan
Penn State University University of Pennsylvania
*Stanford University
* did ot participate i title review
For more information: Constance Malpas (malpasc@oclc.org)
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