Nash Jacob L, McElfresh Karen R
J Med Libr Assoc. 2016 Oct;104(4):296-300. doi: 10.3163/1536-5050.104.4.008.
The research describes an extensible method of evaluating and cancelling electronic journals during a budget shortfall and evaluates implications for interlibrary loan (ILL) and user satisfaction.
We calculated cost per use for cancellable electronic journal subscriptions (n=533) from the 2013 calendar year and the first half of 2014, cancelling titles with cost per use greater than $20 and less than 100 yearly uses. For remaining titles, we issued an online survey asking respondents to rank the importance of journals to their work. Finally, we gathered ILL requests and COUNTER JR2 turnaway reports for calendar year 2015.
Three hundred fifty-four respondents completed the survey. Because of the level of heterogeneity of titles in the survey as well as respondents' backgrounds, most titles were reported to be never used. We developed criteria based on average response across journals to determine which to cancel. Based on this methodology, we cancelled eight journals. Examination of ILL data revealed that none of the cancelled titles were requested with any frequency. Free-text responses indicated, however, that many value free ILL as a suitable substitute for immediate full-text access to biomedical journal literature.
Soliciting user feedback through an electronic survey can assist collections librarians to make electronic journal cancellation decisions during slim budgetary years. This methodology can be adapted and improved upon at other health sciences libraries.
本研究描述了一种在预算短缺期间评估和停订电子期刊的可扩展方法，并评估其对馆际互借（ILL）和用户满意度的影响。
我们计算了2013年全年和2014年上半年可停订的电子期刊订阅（n = 533）的每次使用成本，停订了每年使用成本高于20美元且年使用量少于100次的期刊。对于其余期刊，我们进行了一项在线调查，要求受访者对期刊对其工作的重要性进行排名。最后，我们收集了2015年的馆际互借请求和COUNTER JR2拒绝访问报告。
354名受访者完成了调查。由于调查中期刊的异质性程度以及受访者的背景，大多数期刊被报告从未被使用过。我们根据各期刊的平均回复情况制定了标准，以确定停订哪些期刊。基于此方法，我们停订了8种期刊。对馆际互借数据的审查显示，没有任何一种被停订的期刊被频繁请求。然而，自由文本回复表明，许多人重视免费的馆际互借，认为它是立即获取生物医学期刊文献全文的合适替代品。
通过电子调查征求用户反馈可以帮助馆藏馆员在预算紧张的年份做出电子期刊停订决策。这种方法可以在其他健康科学图书馆进行调整和改进。
