Spring Semester 2009
CONTENTS
- Introduction
- Textbooks in Reserves
- Taylor and Francis No Longer Online
- E-Books
- BioMed Central
- Additions to CAB Resources
- Trees on Campus
- Bioline International
- JSTOR Additions
- Library Contacts
- Library Hours
- Electronic Newsletter Subscription Information
Introduction
The world of electronic information is constantly evolving. In this newsletter we describe some additions to the collections, and two instances in which we were unable to reach an agreement with the publishers. Contracts with publishers are often complex and may be unstable. Advertising for electronic products is often misleading, especially when the word "free" is used. Scholarly information is never "free" but a matter of who pays the costs. Please consider this aspect when you decide which journal you choose to publish your article in. Another factor is that many publishers are increasing their subscription costs by thousands of dollars yearly. Some journals are doubling their subscription prices for 2009, and we will be faced with tough choices as to which journals will be accessible on a regular basis. Interlibrary Loan will be the backup for access to journals which the Libraries do not have a subscription.
Also be sure to check for online versions of the journal before you come over to the library on a cold day. In January many of our journals went to online only, to access them use the Get It link in the CAT or Citation Linker.
Textbooks in Reserves
This semester we have had many more requests for textbooks than we normally have, perhaps due to the unstable economic times. Our request to you is to please put your textbook on reserve. Click here to go to the Reserves page to learn how to put books on reserve. Also please start thinking about putting your textbooks on reserve next fall. If hard times are affecting this spring's students, then next fall will have even more requests for textbooks. If a student asks about buying textbooks, we always recommend buying the textbook, but with the difficult economic times we realize that some students may not be able to buy expensive texts. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.
Spring Semester Classes
This semester we have had many more requests for textbooks than we normally have, perhaps due to the unstable economic times. Our request to you is to please put your textbook on reserve. Click here to go to the Reserves page to learn how to put books on reserve. Also please start thinking about putting your textbooks on reserve next fall. If hard times are affecting this spring's students, then next fall will have even more requests for textbooks. If a student asks about buying textbooks, we always recommend buying the textbook, but with the difficult economic times we realize that some students may not be able to buy expensive texts. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.
Spring Semester Classes
We have been teaching many freshman seminars this spring. If you need a library class or if you are giving a library assignment, keep us in mind. We can help create assignments that teach the students how to find information with less frustration for you and the students. It's not to late to schedule a library session for your class. Contact your subject specialist.
Taylor & Francis Journals No Longer Online
Unfortunately we no longer have online access to most of the journals published by the Taylor & Francis publishing company. In December, without prior notice, the publisher presented Penn State with a new agreement that had new terms which we considered unacceptable. Our attempts to reach a mutually-agreeable compromise with Taylor and Francis have been unsuccessful. We are unable to ensure all-campus electronic access directly from Taylor and Francis without a large package subscription. The publisher's most recent offers included unacceptable terms that would tie our hands by requiring us to maintain a "current spend" (over $400,000 per year) and not pay them any less per year over the course of the next 5 years. The cost and the terms of the Taylor and Francis agreement are untenable in the currect economic climate. As a consequence the University Libraries have chosen not to renew the agreement.
Also, remember that faculty and staff may request copies of articles from print journals owned by Penn State delivered to their desktop. Log into ILLiad and simply choose the "article" link under the "Request Items Owned by Penn State Libraries" header in the Interlibrary Loan system.
Unfortunately we no longer have online access to most of the journals published by the Taylor & Francis publishing company. In December, without prior notice, the publisher presented Penn State with a new agreement that had new terms which we considered unacceptable. Our attempts to reach a mutually-agreeable compromise with Taylor and Francis have been unsuccessful. We are unable to ensure all-campus electronic access directly from Taylor and Francis without a large package subscription. The publisher's most recent offers included unacceptable terms that would tie our hands by requiring us to maintain a "current spend" (over $400,000 per year) and not pay them any less per year over the course of the next 5 years. The cost and the terms of the Taylor and Francis agreement are untenable in the currect economic climate. As a consequence the University Libraries have chosen not to renew the agreement.
We will have print copies of some of the higher use titles including:
- Avian Pathology
- British Poultry Science
- Children's Health Care
- Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis
- Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
- Critical Reviews in Plant Science
- Experimental Aging Research
- Food Additives & Contaminants
- Health Care for Women International
- Health Communication
- International Journal of the History of Sport
- Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology
- Journal of Community Health Nursing
- Journal of Occupational & Environmental Health Part A
- Nutrition and Cancer
- Society & Natural Resources
- Systematic Biology
Also, remember that faculty and staff may request copies of articles from print journals owned by Penn State delivered to their desktop. Log into ILLiad and simply choose the "article" link under the "Request Items Owned by Penn State Libraries" header in the Interlibrary Loan system.
E-Books
Did you know that there are a significant number of full-text electronic books available through the Libraries in the subject areas of Science, Technology and Medicine? Learn more .
In addition to the resources listed at the preceeding link, the following is another resource you may find useful:
Please remember to tell your students that these resources are a convenient way to find information for their course assignments. Often we have resources in print and on-line. The content is the same whether the resource is print or electronic, however students hesitate to use the electronic version becuase they are told to use a print resource.
Did you know that there are a significant number of full-text electronic books available through the Libraries in the subject areas of Science, Technology and Medicine? Learn more .
In addition to the resources listed at the preceeding link, the following is another resource you may find useful:
Please remember to tell your students that these resources are a convenient way to find information for their course assignments. Often we have resources in print and on-line. The content is the same whether the resource is print or electronic, however students hesitate to use the electronic version becuase they are told to use a print resource.
BioMed Central
We are often asked why Penn State is not a member of BioMed Central (BMC). Faculty are given the impression that membership in BioMed Central would allow them to publish in BioMed Central journals for free. This is at best very misleading. Membership does NOT mean that faculty can publish for free -- it means that the cost of publishing is paid by the University instead of the researcher. Click here for details.
The University could pay as a supporting member of BioMed Central, however this is very expensive and only provides a 15% discount in publication costs. We support open access when the pricing is realistic but BioMed Central is not a justifiable resource at this time.
We are often asked why Penn State is not a member of BioMed Central (BMC). Faculty are given the impression that membership in BioMed Central would allow them to publish in BioMed Central journals for free. This is at best very misleading. Membership does NOT mean that faculty can publish for free -- it means that the cost of publishing is paid by the University instead of the researcher. Click here for details.
The University could pay as a supporting member of BioMed Central, however this is very expensive and only provides a 15% discount in publication costs. We support open access when the pricing is realistic but BioMed Central is not a justifiable resource at this time.
Additions to CAB Resources
In January CAB Abstracts added their full text content to the Libraries subscription. Over 30,000 journal articles, reports and conference papers are now instantly available. Next to our "Get It" button will be a button called "CAB Full Text". Three types of resources are included, conference proceedings (see this conferences list), reports (government reports, international organizations) and journals (see the journals list).
In January CAB Abstracts added their full text content to the Libraries subscription. Over 30,000 journal articles, reports and conference papers are now instantly available. Next to our "Get It" button will be a button called "CAB Full Text". Three types of resources are included, conference proceedings (see this conferences list), reports (government reports, international organizations) and journals (see the journals list).
Trees on Campus
Ever wonder what trees are found or were found on campus at University Park? Two editions of the historical Campus Trees and Shrubs (1946 and 1980) are digitized and accessible electronically. If you want to find out what trees are on campus currently, check Trees of Penn State which is maintained by OPP.
Ever wonder what trees are found or were found on campus at University Park? Two editions of the historical Campus Trees and Shrubs (1946 and 1980) are digitized and accessible electronically. If you want to find out what trees are on campus currently, check Trees of Penn State which is maintained by OPP.
Bioline International
One organization that the University Libraries support is Bioline International, a not-for-profit scholarly publishing cooperative committed to providing open access to quality research journals published in developing countries. We can no longer afford subscriptions to many journals published outside the United States but this system allows us to provide access to a number of international research journals. Journals from Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, India, Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda and Venezuela are available through Bioline.
One organization that the University Libraries support is Bioline International, a not-for-profit scholarly publishing cooperative committed to providing open access to quality research journals published in developing countries. We can no longer afford subscriptions to many journals published outside the United States but this system allows us to provide access to a number of international research journals. Journals from Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, India, Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda and Venezuela are available through Bioline.
JSTOR Additions
JSTOR has added 5 journals in recent months. They are Microbial Ecology, Plant Physiology, Politics and the Life Sciences, Environmental History, and Journal of the History of Biology. Access them from the CAT or from JSTOR.
JSTOR has added 5 journals in recent months. They are Microbial Ecology, Plant Physiology, Politics and the Life Sciences, Environmental History, and Journal of the History of Biology. Access them from the CAT or from JSTOR.
Library Contacts
Responsibility for instruction, reference assistance, and the selection of books and other materials for the Life Sciences Library is divided by broad subject areas. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to request assistance or to recommend new titles for purchase. Please contact the appropriate subject specialist.
The Campus mail address for all these individuals is 408 Paterno Library.
Library Hours
Library hours, are available on the Libraries webpage:
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/hours/uphours.html
Electronic Newsletter Subscription Information
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