FY22 Educational Resources Assessment

As outlined on the Financial Stewardship page, since FY2019 the University Libraries have taken numerous steps to reduced expenditures for educational resources. Although we have made a concerted effort over the years to protect the materials allocation, we now find it necessary to reassess some of the resources that we subscribe to on your behalf.

The following provides a brief overview of the assessment process followed by the library faculty during late spring and all summer 2021, and continues through the end of 2021.
 

March - April
Following the Dean of Libraries' communication that the Libraries would reduce educational resource expenditures for FY22, Libraries personnel developed dossiers for about 90 of the Libraries' databases and electronic journal packages. These dossiers include an array of information about each resource, including annual subscription costs, collection and title-level usage statistics, and cost-per-use statistics. Completed dossiers are provided on the Renewed Resources page and the Departmental Review page.
 

May - June
As Libraries personnel worked to complete preparation of the resource dossiers, Library Liaisons from several departments worked together to develop a rubric for use by the Liaisons to evaluate each resource for renewal, renegotiation, or discontinuation for FY22. These rubrics evaluate each resource for relevance to teaching and learning; progressive research; program accreditation; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Completed rubrics are provided on the Renewed Resources page and the Departmental Review page.
 

June - August
Throughout the summer months, the Liaisons used these dossiers and rubrics to research and review each resource. Each resource was reviewed first by a subject area expert, then by their colleagues at Henderson or Lane libraries, then by all Liaisons through the Libraries' Collection Development Committee. This procedure ensured that all Liaisons had an opportunity to review and weigh in on each resource before participating in a final Liaison survey to rank each resource for renewal, renegotiation, or discontinuation. 
 

August - September 
Following the review of each resource, the Liaisons participated in a final survey to rank each resource according to the following scale. In addition to considering the findings of the dossiers and rubrics, the Liaisons were also asked to consider the value of each resource to the five Research Impact Areas under development by the Office of Research. This survey generated a ranked list of all resources under review from most to least essential to the Libraries' collections:

Essential: The resource is essential to meeting patron needs and would be impossible, unduly inconvenient, or costly to offset if cancelled. Cancellation should be considered only in the most dire circumstance. 

Important: The resource is important to meeting patron needs but likely could be reasonably offset if cancelled. Loss of the resource would be noticed, but not fatal to the Libraries' ability to meet patrons needs. Cancellation may be considered, but with reservation.

Desirable: The resource is desirable for meeting patron needs but could be easily offset if cancelled. Loss of the resource may entail changes in patron behavior but it would not interfere with the Libraries' ability to meet their needs. Cancellation should be considered.

Inessential: The resource is inessential to meeting patron needs and is a strong candidate for cancellation.

Additionally, the liaisons completed a survey to review and suggest changes to a list of recommend journals to renew for each of the  journal packages listed on the Departmental Review page in case these packages were cancelled or renegotiated with vendors. Once tabulated, these results were forwarded with the completed rubrics and dossiers to the Dean of Libraries to decide how best to meet the Libraries' FY22 budget goal.
 

Early September
After reviewing the findings of the Liaison surveys, rubrics, and dossiers, the Dean of Libraries determined that the best way to meet the Libraries' FY22 educational resource budget goal while preserving access to the most important, high-use resources is to renew all resources listed on the Renewed Resources page, then "break up" and renegotiate the journal packages listed on the Departmental Review page. For more about this approach, see the Departmental Review page.
 

September - October
Beginning September 27th and concluding October 29th, the Liaisons will work with each of the departments to review which journals from each journal package listed on the Departmental Review page should be renewed, and which can be discontinued. The Liaisons and the Dean of Libraries will use this feedback to make final decisions about which journals to renew for FY22. The deadline for departmental feedback is October 29th. For more about the departmental review process, see the Departmental Review page.
 

Late October and Onward
Beginning in late October and continuing through the end of FY22, the Libraries will renegotiate the journal packages listed on the Departmental Review page, renewing as many recommended journals as possible while meeting budgetary targets. Along with the Libraries' other renewed resources, going forward these journals will be continually reassessed for ongoing renewal.