Minutes of August 20, 1998 Meeting

Present:

Veronica Calderhead, Howard Dess, Ilona Caparros (for Kevin Mulcahy), Jim Nettleman, Jane Sloan, Halina Rusak (to present Gift Acquisitions Policy document), Robert Sewell (Chair and recorder)

Handouts: 1999 Cancellation Strategies, Proposed Cancellation of Print Indexes/Abstracts Duplicated via Online Access, Outline of Changes for RUL Resources in 1998/99 (to be published in the next Agenda), Long Range (Five Years) Plan for RUL Collections Budget, RUL Annex Facility: Operational Overview and Procedures Manual, Gifts Acquisitions Policy

1. Jane Sloan: A long-time of the committee, Jane Sloan, was reintroduced in her new capacity as Acquisitions Librarian. In addition to overseeing the operations of the Acquisitions Department, Jane will have several special projects: streamline the Approval Plan operations though profile revision and other means, facilitate the integration of Acquisitions and Copy Cataloging, and departments, see that all units that do acquisitions use the acquisition system.
2. 1998/99 Cancellation Strategies: There was a lengthy and spirited discussion on the cancellation strategies for 1998/99. Bob reiterated that, while the overall inflation for serials will be nearly $500,00 the target for cancellation was $250,000 because of additional funding that will become available in the fall semester. He also reminded the group that in addition to this "normal" inflation, in January hundreds of e-journals we now receive free from Springer and other publishers will now be charged for at a rate of approximately 10% of the print subscription which must be retained in order to get online access.
   
   Bob reported that a small group including himself and the three campus collection development coordinator (Howard Dess, Veronica Calderhead, and Jim Nettleman) had worked out strategies for cancellation involving the central and campus budgets, primarily related to electronic resources and the elimination of redundant resources. Their plan, which had previously been presented to Cabinet, was discussed.
   
   The plan outlined areas to be canceled for the central and campus budgets. Bob announced that all the cancellations outlined in the section related to electronic resources and the Central Budget have been completed for a saving of nearly $84,000. This includes ALL the full-image workstations in Kilmer and Douglass. As for the remaining cancellation within the Campus budgets are to be carried out in four areas: 1.Duplicate paper subscription to abstracts and indexes duplicated via online access, 2. Expensive duplicate subscriptions ($4000 +), 3. Duplication of paper subscription with full-text packages (especially related to Proquest Direct Research Library 1,300 full-image journal titles), and 4. Expensive unique, little used subscriptions.
   
   Approximately $40,000 worth of potential savings was identified in category 1 according to a list distributed bu Howard. (More than originally thought possible.) There was a consensus these should be canceled. Category 2 involves only science titles where duplication is primarily between the science libraries in New Brunswick and Newark, with just a few in Camden. It was noted by Jim that just a few cancellations could make up most of the deficient; others including Howard and Veronica noted that many of the most expensive science titles are among the most heavily used titles and their cost per use is not that high. Thus, their duplication is justified as is their location on particular campus since they fits into their campus needs.
   
   Category 3, duplicate paper subscriptions for titles available primarily on Research Library online, would require many cancellations in order to generate large savings because the titles included are less expensive. However, the 1,300 titles on Research Library are full-image so duplicate copies in paper are not necessary. Veronica and a graduate assistant have almost completed a comprehensive list of all holding in RUL that are duplicated in Research Library. Jim agreed to come up with prices for subscriptions based on Robeson's Faxon list. The saving that could be realized by this is not yet know but could be from $60,000-$80,000. Jim also pointed out that complete reliance on Research Library will total change the character of our libraries. Are we (libraries and its users) ready for this?
   
   The possible savings from Category 4 (expensive, lesser used titles) are not known. Move investigation is needed.
   
   It was finally agreed that the cancellations (pain) must be distributed in all of these categories and the savings realized from them will be determined within the next few weeks, since our renewals and cancellations must be into the vendors in mid or last September.
   
   There will be an early meeting of SACCDM on September 10 at 9:30 in the Seminar Room of the SCC in Alex. to finalize the cancellations.
3. 1998/99 SACCDM priorities: (distributed separately)
4. Gift Acquisitions Policy: Halina brought to the committee a policy statement on gifts that a committee of New Brunswick librarians developed. It was agree it was a good beginning but was really a New Brunswick document. It was agreed that it should be the bases for a systemwide document that would be finalized by a SACCDM subcommittee with representative from all three campuses.
5. Annex Policy: Ron discussed RUL Annex Facility: Operational Overview and Procedures Manual.