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Journal review,
2003-2004
This is an update
to inform you of the results of last spring's library journal cancellation
effort. You'll recall that the faculty and Library staff completed a review
of all current library subscriptions to identify titles to cancel in order
to reduce the Library's FY04 journal costs. This was not an easy process,
but one that was strengthened by the combined efforts of the faculty and
the Library staff to make these difficult choices. At the start of the
process it was estimated that our journal collection base would have to
be reduced by $60,000-$100,000. Faculty in a number of academic departments
identified two tiers of titles to cancel to meet this range of savings
targets. Library staff also reviewed titles in the reference, government
documents, library science and special collections.
Here are the results:
- Journal and serial
prices are expected to go up by 9-10% in 2004; the Library's collections
budget increase will not keep pace with this. We need to save
$60,000 to stay within our approved FY04 journal budget. This
means that only the "Tier 1 titles" have to be cancelled this year.
- During the summer
of 2003, the 133 journal and serial titles recommended for cancellation
to meet the Tier 1 target savings amount of $60,000 were cancelled.
Most cancellations will go into effect with issues that will be published
beginning in January 2004.
- In instances
where departments chose to cancel titles this year in order to be able
to start new subscriptions, the orders have been placed; in
most cases, the subscriptions will begin with 2004 issues. Approximately
twenty new titles will be added as a result.
- To ensure a real
reduction in the base journal budget, the titles cancelled this
year cannot be reinstated for at least three years (i.e. 2007).
- Given the uncertainties
of the local, national and international economies, it's not clear that
we are out of the woods yet. We do not yet know if we will have to make
the additional $40,000 worth of cancellations (i.e. the "Tier 2 titles")
for FY05. With this in mind we have decided that it would be prudent
to place a temporary freeze on the library's journal collection: for
the time being, we will not start a new journal subscription unless
another journal of equal cost is cancelled.
- If additional
cancellations are required for FY05 we will revisit the lists of Tier
2 titles with the academic departments before making additional cancellations.
- Access to articles
that are no longer available on campus will be provided through Interlibrary
Loan (http://www.wellesley.edu/Library/ILL/illmain.html), which
now provides desktop delivery of articles whenever possible
The links
at the right take you to a list of the titles that have been cancelled.
For some periodicals, we have access to online versions from a reliable
source and have chosen to cancel the print edition; these titles are marked
with an asterisk.
In the coming
months we will provide updates to keep you informed on this situation.
If you have general questions about this process, contact Micheline Jedrey,
V.P. for Information Services (x2095) or Eileen Hardy, Manager of Library
Collections (x3317) by phone or email.
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A
list of journals recommended for cancellation is available in the following
formats:
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