In Spring 2009, based on recommendations from the Academic Affairs Review Committee, the Library was asked to identify $100,000 in cuts to our collections and operations budget, effective July 1, 2009.
Current Budget:
The total library budget in 2008-2009 was $2,500,000.
The Process
The Library’s goal was to work closely with students and faculty to identify the cuts, and to operate in an open and transparent manner.
To that end the Library:
• Consulted with the Senate Library Committee
• Consulted with the Faculty Senate.
• Consulted with Deans
• Worked closely with Academic Department Heads
• Scheduled open faculty and student meeting
• Included budget-related questions on the Library’s Annual Spring Survey
• Met with any department, college, or individual at their request
A Bit of Budget Background
The Library eliminated $390,388 in journal costs from 2000-2003. The base budget had not kept pace with inflation and ongoing subscriptions were paid for with one-time money. This accounted for about 40% of active journal subscriptions at the time.
As of 2008-2009, subscriptions account for 84% of materials spending or $981,832. Of that:
• Electronic subscriptions account for 78% of subscriptions spending or $767,595.
• Print subscriptions account for 22% of our subscriptions spending or $214,237.
Use of Journal Resources: Print versus Electronic
In 2006-2007 there were 483,608 full-text articles downloaded from our online journal resources.
In 2007-2008 there were 2,534 bound and unbound print volumes used on the 2nd floor. The Library increased the print figure to 5,000 to take into account self-shelved items and summer usage.
Based on this data the ratio of electronic journal use to print journal use is close to 99 to 1.
In 2005-2006 in response to a Library Survey question 80.5 % of faculty and students reported they preferred accessing journals in online form.
Based on the above data, the Library recommended that the entire subscription collection be reviewed, but that print, microfilm, newspaper, standing order and other physical subscriptions is given the closest look.
The Outcome
Library faculty worked with the campus throughout the Spring term to obtain input and finalized the list of journals to be cancelled in July. At present the Library’s Acquisition’s Department is working with journal supplies to cancel titles.
A list of journals cancelled by format is below:
A full list of the 398 cancelled titles is available on the Library’s wiki at: https://wikilib.utc.edu/index.php/Budget, look about ½ down the page for a link called “Final: List of Serials Cut, Summer 2009, see cancellation tab”
Our hope is that in using usage figures to determine cancelled titles, we will minimize the impact to students and faculty. However, we know that is not going to be the case. As always, if you find the Library does not have the journal article you need, please request it, free of charge, from our Interlibrary Loan service.