Journal Collection Usage Data

The Lamar Soutter Library (LSL) is committed to providing increased access to print and electronic journals; however, the phenomenal rise in journal subscription costs and State budget problems have had a negative impact on the LSL's budget, making it necessary to re-evaluate our journal collection. This web site has been developed to make you aware of the issues and to ask you to help us plan for the future.

Project Goal

To identify journals for cancellation totaling approximately $100,000. This dollar amount represents the estimated cuts the LSL must make to its journal subscriptions for fiscal year 2004. Cancellations must be decided on by September 1, 2003 and will take effect January 2004.

Project Background

The LSL started collecting usage data on the print journal collection in September of 2001. This data is gathered when print journals are re-shelved. In March of 2002 we were able to start gathering electronic journal usage from the LSL's website. Each time a user selects an electronic journal link from the LSL's website it is counted. We only compiled electronic journal usage statistics for titles that we buy in print. There are electronic journals that we have access to only in an electronic format; their usage is not reflected in this project. In both instances data is not collected if a user shelves a print journal themselves or if a user goes directly to an electronic journal through a publisher's homepage or through a database product such as Ovid.

Project Data

Table One: Total Project Usage (Low to High)
All of the journal titles listed in Table One have been selected for cancellation. This list has been compiled based on low use of the print journal since September 2001 and the electronic journal since March 2002. Please review the list carefully and see below on how to provide your feedback.

Table layout:

Journal Title
Fiscal Year 2003 Print Cost:
Journal Usage

Print: September 2001 to March 2003
Electronic: March 2002 to March 2003

Table formats: Excel - Word - PDF

Table Two: Cost per Use for Fiscal Year 2003 (High to Low)
Table Two is a complete list of the Library's current journal collection with the associated FY 03 cost per use of the titles. This table is available to show the impact of low use - high cost on the Library's budget.

Table layout:

Journal Title
Fiscal Year 2003 Print Cost:
Fiscal Year 2003 Usage

Print: July 2002 - March 2003

Cost Per Use

Table formats: Excel - Word - PDF

We Need Your Help!

Please look at the journals targeted for cancellation in the tables above. You may view the listings online or print them in Excel, Word, or PDF format. Notify Barbara.Ingrassia@umassmed.edu (856-1041) of "must keep" titles. If we don't hear from you by September 1, 2003 we will proceed with cancelling subscriptions to these targeted titles, based on usage and cost per use data.

Thank you,

Elaine Martin, MSLS
Director of Library Services