Focus on Assessment - Sep 27, 2010

The University Libraries provide access to a broad array of resources in all formats to support the
research and teaching needs of faculty, students, and staff. Assessment of existing collections
and current and future collection needs is an ongoing process for selectors at all locations. While
new funding has been added to the collections budget, inflation combined with reductions in
income from some funding sources has resulted in funding shortfalls. This has resulted in the
need to reduce or cap expenditures in some areas.

The largest portion of the collections budget is allocated to continuing resources such as journal,
serial, and database subscriptions and standing orders. Selectors review their mix of continuing
commitments each year with the goal of generating sufficient savings to cover the projected
inflation and/or generate savings to address other collection needs. University Park subject
groups must also manage projected inflation on their monograph approval plans as part of the
review process.

The transition from print to online continuing resources has provided enhanced system-wide
access but has also provided new complexities in the review process. For example, individual
journal titles may be part of large e-journal packages and cannot be cancelled or online access is
linked to a print subscription. These complexities limit the number of titles that can be cancelled
and make retention and cancellation decisions even more difficult.

The annual Rolling Review is the final step in the review process for continuing commitments
and documents the retention and cancellation decisions for each library location. Serials and
Acquisitions Services posts a current title list of journals, serials, and databases to the department
page https://intranet.libraries.psu.edu/home/acqser/budget/serrevprocess.html for review by
selectors. Most journal titles are subscribed to on a calendar year basis (January – December),
and therefore, the Rolling Review completed in July/August 2010 takes effect for the 2011
subscription year. The renewal cycle for databases and serials may vary from a calendar year
basis but those resources are also included in the annual Rolling Review. After selectors have
reviewed their lists and submitted cancellations (if any), a list of potential cancellations is posted
to the department web page for review by selectors at all locations. In some cases, one library
may cancel a title and another may decide to maintain their subscription to retain access within
the system. Once the cancellations have been finalized and University Park approval plans
reviewed, inflation coverage and savings is calculated for each campus and University Park
subject group. Final collection budget allocations are in part based on the outcome of the annual
Rolling Review.