Thursday, November 4, 2010 5:45 - 6:30 PM Two decades ago when electronic journals were being considered by libraries, many librarians wondered if it was a format that would take off and be accepted by patrons. Not only did e-journals succeed, for many libraries one question that continues to be discussed is whether maintaining redundant print journal subscriptions is sustainable or necessary. Some of the factors evaluated by libraries are the costs of maintaining current and archival print subscriptions as well as the level of confidence in having perpetual access to electronic holdings. Drawing on a study of over seventy academic libraries in Indiana, this paper will examine the reasons why, in general, we are seeing academic libraries make an ongoing shift toward electronic journals and away from print journals. Using data collected from a survey as well as interviews with library administrators, the decision-making process at college and university libraries in Indiana will be discussed. The libraries in the study are both private and public and range from a seminary with an enrollment of 100 to ARL research institutions with enrollments of over 40,000. Drawing on the principles and practices of these libraries, attendees will learn about models to consider as they address this issue at their home institutions. There will be time for the audience to ask questions and to share their local practices.

1. MOVING FROM PRINT TO ELECTRONIC JOURNALS
A STUDY OF LIBRARIES AT INDIANA COLLEGES
AND UNIVERSITIES
Jo McClamroch
Indiana University
Charleston Conference
November 2010

2. BRIEF HISTORY
• Skepticism in the early days (1990’s)
– Do users really want this format?
– How “full” is full-text?
– Fluidity of titles in aggregators
– Permanent archival access
• Growing acceptance (early 2000’s)
– Demand and preference for electronic format increasing
– Availability of remote access improving
– More confidence that full-text is truly “full”
– But… is the cost to support two formats sustainable?

3. BRIEF HISTORY
• Recognition that electronic is here to stay (mid-2000’s)
– Increasing number of e-journals
– Questions re sustainability of maintaining dual-format
– Archival access ongoing concern
• Now what about print?
– Acceptance that use of electronic journals far surpasses use of print
– Growth in electronic publishing; publishers phasing out print versions
– Reliable archival access available via publishers, Portico, JSTOR

4. DEMOGRAPHICS

5. PRIVATE or PUBLIC
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
Private Public

6. FTE ENROLLMENT
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
Under 1,000 1,001 - 5,000 5,001 - 10,000 10,001 - 25,000 Over 25,000
Under 1,000 26.9%
1,001 - 5,000 42.3%
5,001 - 10,000 23.1%
10,001 - 25,000 3.8%
Over 25,000 3.8%

7. HIGHEST DEGREE OFFERED
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
Associate Bachelor Master Doctorate
Associate
Bachelor
Master
Doctorate
Associate 8.3%
Bachelor 20.8%
Master 37.5%
Doctorate 33.3%

8. DATA

9. TOTAL MATERIALS BUDGET
30.4%
17.4%
13.0%
17.4%
21.7%
$250,001 - $500,000
Over $1,000,000
$100,001 - $250,000
$500,001 - $1,000,000
Under $100,000

10. EXPENDITURE – PRINT JOURNALS
Under $50,000
$50,001 - $100,000
$100,001 - $250,000
$250,001 - $500,000
54.5%
22.7%
9.1%
13.6%
$100,001 - $250,000
$50,001 - $100,000
$250,001 - $500,000
Under $50,000

11. CURRENT SUBSCRIPTIONS – PRINT
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
Under 500 501 - 1,000 1,001 - 2,000 2,001 - 5,000

12. EXPENDITURE FOR ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
(INCLUDING E-JOURNALS)
27.3%
18.2%
22.7%
18.2%
9.1%
4.5%
$250,001 - $500,000
Under $50,000
Over $1,000,000
$100,001 - $250,000
$500,001 - $1,000,000
$50,001 - $100,000
Under $50,000 $50,001 - $100,000 $100,001 - $250,000 $250,001 - $500,000 $500,001 -
$1,000,000
Over $1,000,000
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%

13. DECISION MAKING – WHO

14. CANCELLATION –PRINT JOURNALS
90.5%
52.4%
33.3%
14.3%
9.5%
Library Committee
Faculty
Librarians
Librarian/Faculty Committee
Library Administrators

15. CANCELLATION E-JOURNALS
95.2%
57.1%
33.3%
14.3%
4.8%
Library Committee
Faculty
Librarians
Librarian/Faculty Committee
Library Administrators

16. DECISION MAKING – WHY

17. GENERAL CANCELLATION FACTORS
81.8% 18
81.8% 18
63.6% 14
54.5% 12
45.5% 10
40.9% 9
31.8% 7
27.3% 6
27.3% 6
27.3% 6
Redundancy
Print used less than electronic
Usage statistics
Change in curriculum
Subscription cost
Space
Faculty recommendation
Electronic preferred by students
Budget reduction
Confidence in perpetual access

18. CANCEL PRINT WHEN INCLUDED IN AGGREGATOR
81.8%
81.8%
72.7%
54.5%
45.5%
40.9%
31.8%
31.8%
27.3%
18.2%
Subscription cost
Space
Faculty recommendation
Budget reduction
Confidence in perpetual access
Electronic preferred by students
Change in curriculum
Redundancy
Print used less than electronic
Usage statistics

19. SELECTED AGGREGATORS SUBSCRIBED
100.0%
90.5%
81.0%
81.0%
76.2%
71.4%
38.1%
33.3%
4.8%
4.8%
PsycArticles
JSTOR
Education Index Full-Text
Readers' Guide Full Text
BioOne
Business Source Premier
Academic Search Premier
ERIC
Universal Database of Social Sciences and
Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe

20. SUMMARY
• All libraries face the same issues and wrestle with the same concerns, “it’s just a
matter of scale”
• Primary decision-makers are the same across libraries
– Librarians
– Faculty
– Library administrators
• Cancellation decisions based on same criteria across libraries
– Subscription cost
– Electronic preferred by students
– Redundancy
– Budget cuts
– Print used less than electronic

21. FINAL THOUGHTS
• Some concerns have not been resolved even after 20 years or more of discussion
– Complete confidence in archival access
– Perpetual access to content in titles previously available in aggregators
– Cooperative collection development (either within or across consortia)
• Enduring issues
– Rising subscription costs outstrip budgets
– Space for bound journals is shrinking
• Need to repurpose library stack areas for new programs/initiatives
• Not practical to keep building more and more off-site storage facilities
• Future concerns?