Why are library resources being reduced and how much is the reduction?

Like other University departments and units, the Libraries must cope with the 6% reduction mandated by the state government, amounting to a cut of $560,000 in the Libraries' acquisitions budget. In addition, inflation for journals has averaged over 7% per year and the accumulated effects of inflation have created a shortfall of just over $1,100,000 between the Libraries’ allocated budget and what is needed to maintain existing journal subscriptions. The rate of inflation for journal subscriptions is so high that this shortfall represents just the current year plus one additional year of unmet inflation. When the shortfall and the budget cut are added together, we face a need to reduce expenditures by $1,660,000.

In past years the University has allocated additional funds, including supplemental funds, to the Libraries to cover the shortfall, but this year overall budget limitations are likely to lessen or eliminate the University’s ability to close the shortfall. Everyone recognizes that the loss of these materials will have a significant negative impact on research and instruction. The fact that we are considering cancellations of this magnitude indicates the extent of the state's financial problems.

Why are journal subscriptions being targeted for cancellation?

Journal subscriptions account for the largest proportion of the Libraries acquisitions budget. Spending for journals increased by 30% in the last five years, and the Libraries managed to avoid major cancellations thanks to the additional funding provided by the University. The Libraries also reviewed titles annually and reduced expenditures whenever possible. This year, inflation in the price of journal subscriptions has outpaced the ability of the University to provide adequate funding, due in large part to the budget reduction we all face.

During the same five-year period, we have not been able to devote any funds toward inflation costs of other library materials such as books. Every year we have purchased fewer books; thus in effect our expenditures for books have already been significantly reduced.

How were journals selected for cancellation?

Library subject specialists reviewed thousands of journal titles and made selections based on the following criteria: cost, rate of cost increase in recent years, amount of use (this is tracked for electronic subscriptions), cost per use, how often a journal is cited by UGA authors, publisher’s reputation, relevance to curriculum and research interests, alternative availability (e.g., in an aggregator database* such as Academic Search Complete), and how widely the journal is indexed in bibliographies and databases.

*Aggregator databases provide full-text access to journals gathered from a variety of publishers. This access is less desirable than a subscription because publishers often exclude the most recent 6-12 months of the journal’s issues, and because content can appear and disappear unpredictably as agreements change between database vendors and publishers. Nevertheless, some access is preferable to none.

Were cancellation selections made equally across disciplines?

The amount to be cancelled was determined as a proportion of the total cost of subscriptions in broad subject areas. Subject areas with fewer subscriptions will have fewer cancellations and areas with more subscriptions will have more cancellations. Cancellations will fall most heavily in the sciences because that is where we spend nearly 80% of our funding for journals.

Why do some journals have a cost of $0.00?

Some subscriptions include more than one journal title. The total cost is recorded under the main title and accompanying titles show a cost of $0.00. The name of the main title is included with the accompanying titles. Look for the words 'comes with subscription to' to identify the main title.

What is the list of non-subscribed titles?

The first list contains titles for which the Libraries hold paid subscriptions that are now slated for cancellation. However, through various arrangements, we have managed to gain access to other titles at no additional cost over the years. These arrangements usually involved cooperative agreements with other libraries. Given the magnitude of the reduction we are facing, many of these arrangements will have to be cancelled. As a result, we will lose access to these additional titles. The list of non-subscribed titles contains several hundred journals that you may have used in the past few years that will no longer be available. (Note: This list may not be available initially but will be added soon.)

Do cancellations include both print and electronic journals?

Yes. During the past few years, there has been a definite trend toward electronic journals and away from print, especially in the sciences. At this point, over half the journals to which we subscribe are provided only in electronic form.

Will cancellations affect journals that I access on the Internet?

We have worked to make access to journals as simple as possible. The resulting ease of use sometimes masks the fact that a journal is available only because the Libraries pay for a subscription. Therefore, it is important that you review this cancellation list. A title that you may have assumed to be freely available on the Internet could well be a subscribed title.

If an electronic subscription is cancelled, will we lose access to previous years of the journal as well?

If the Libraries had a paid subscription to previous years of an electronic journal, that access will continue even if the current subscription is cancelled. The Libraries also maintain backfiles to many journals in print format.

What about journal titles available through JSTOR?

The JSTOR database is not being considered for cancellation at this time. While the Libraries will make every effort to preserve this important database, if deeper budget cuts are required by the state or University, any and all library resources may have to be considered.

How can I find out which journals in my subject area are being cancelled?

The list of paid subscriptions can be sorted by subject by clicking on the subject column heading. You may also search the list by specific titles or subjects.

How can I communicate my concerns about specific titles on the cancellation list?

When you click on a journal title, you’ll be taken to a screen where you must log on as a university user with your last name and UGACard or Library Barcode Number. After you are validated, you may leave a comment about the journal that will be submitted to the Libraries administrators for review. You may comment on as many journals as you like; the validation step will happen only once each time that you access the journal list. If you would prefer to discuss this directly, you may contact Lucy Rowland for science titles (lrowland@uga.edu, (706) 542-6643) or Nan McMurry for social science and humanities titles (nmcmurry@uga.edu, (706) 542-8474). You are also welcome to contact the head of the Libraries: Dr. William Gray Potter, University Librarian and Associate Provost (wpotter@uga.edu, (706) 542-0621).

Can I get a title removed from the list?

The Libraries will use your comments to prioritize the list. Titles that elicit comments will have a greater chance of being preserved, but the preservation of any title depends on the availability of additional funding from the University. If titles must be cancelled now, your comments will also be used to reinstate titles in the future when funding permits.

Is there a deadline to submit comments?

We ask that you review the list and post your comments to the site by Friday, October 17.

When will the final decisions about journal cancellations be made, and when will cancelled subscriptions take effect?

We hope to know by late October whether additional funds can be provided to maintain these subscriptions. Subscriptions run for the calendar year, and the Libraries need to begin to process 2009 cancellations by the end of October.

How can I get access to a journal article if the Libraries’ subscription has been cancelled?

Some journal content will continue to be available through databases such as Academic Search Complete. Consult the Libraries Electronic Journals Locator list to determine if an article is available. If it is not, you may acquire a copy of the article through Interlibrary Loan.