145 SPEC Kit 352: Collection Assessment
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
Memo to faculty on Collections Review and Journal Subscriptions
NC STATE UNIVERSITY
MEMORANDUM
TO: NC State Deans and Department Heads
FROM: Susan K. Nutter
Vice Provost and Director of Libraries
SUBJECT: Collections Review and Journal Subscriptions
DATE: 14 February 2014
Under the guidance of the University Library Committee (ULC), and in consultation with the NC
State community, the NCSU Libraries is preparing for reductions to the FY 2014/2015 collections
budget. Cuts to the Libraries budget this year and continued price increases for journals and
databases above standard inflation rates require a review of current collecting to identify up to
$750,000—7.5% of the 2013/2014 collections budget allocation—in potential cuts. This review will
include reductions to the book budget and a comprehensive review of all journal and database
subscriptions.
The Libraries is working directly with Departmental Library Representatives
(http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/sites/default/files/files/images/LibraryReps2013_11182013.pdf),
which includes a faculty member from each department and a graduate student from departments
offering advanced degree programs, and the University Library Committee (ULC), to disseminate
the collections review site (https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/collectionsreview2014) and
broadly solicit feedback from faculty, staff, and students. Please work with your representatives,
colleagues, students, and staff to ensure that your department’s input is fully represented during
the review process. As evidenced by the over 11 million uses of the collection this past year, the
collection is at the center of what we do and is essential to research and teaching. Faculty, staff, and
student input is crucial in making the best possible decisions related to the collection during this
difficult period.
Staff from the Libraries met with Departmental Library Representatives and the ULC in the Fall to
discuss the strategy for reviewing titles and a communication plan for soliciting feedback. The
Departmental Library Representatives suggested, and strongly endorse, a data informed process
where subject specialists from the Libraries review usage data, citation and publication activity at
the university, disciplinary trends, price, and impact factor to compile a potential cancellation list
for review by the NC State community. Per that recommendation, a list of potential journal
cancellations is presented for review and feedback using an interactive, tiered input system at
https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/collectionsreview2014. The interactive review site includes
the various data points, such as online usage, requested by the ULC and Departmental Library
Representatives, along with options for filtering and sorting by subject.
NCSU Libraries
Campus Box 7111
Raleigh, NC 27695-7111
Vice Provost and Director of Libraries
919.515-7188 (phone)
919.515-3628 (fax)
http://www.lib.ncsu.edu
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