A Leap in the Dark A Leap in the Dark

A Pilot Project for an A Pilot Project for an Electronic-Only Engineering Electronic-Only Engineering

CollectionCollection

Laurel Kristick and Margaret MellingerOregon State University Libraries

IntroductionIntroduction

How we got here…How we got here…

IntroductionIntroduction

Making the case for e-onlyMaking the case for e-only– What’s in it for the users? What’s in it for the users? – What’s in it for the library? What’s in it for the library?

Why is it still a “leap in the dark?”Why is it still a “leap in the dark?”– Challenges, issues, considerationsChallenges, issues, considerations

What strategies can we use to move What strategies can we use to move forward? forward?

Why focus on Engineering?Why focus on Engineering?

Engineering FacultyEngineering Faculty

PressuresPressures– Greater responsibility for funding their own Greater responsibility for funding their own

research research – Balancing research & teachingBalancing research & teaching

PreferencesPreferences– Comfortable with online accessComfortable with online access– Benefits of convenienceBenefits of convenience– Types of information neededTypes of information needed

Engineering students Engineering students

Undergraduate curriculum tightly definedUndergraduate curriculum tightly defined

Less use of the library than other studentsLess use of the library than other students

Technologically adeptTechnologically adept

Benefits of e-onlyBenefits of e-only

Benefits of e-journalsBenefits of e-journals

Save the time of the userSave the time of the user

Access anywhere, anytime, multiple usersAccess anywhere, anytime, multiple users

Currency, earlier access Currency, earlier access

Enhanced functionalityEnhanced functionality– Search capabilities Search capabilities – Ability to link to other sourcesAbility to link to other sources– Ability to include multi-media elementsAbility to include multi-media elements

Benefits of e-onlyBenefits of e-only

Possible cost savings on subscriptionsPossible cost savings on subscriptions– Only one formatOnly one format

Save shelf spaceSave shelf space

No physical items to check-in, mark, No physical items to check-in, mark, shelve, claimshelve, claim

Save costs of binding and replacementSave costs of binding and replacement

Leap! Leap!

What’s stopping us? What’s stopping us?

Odin’s RavensOdin’s Ravens

MunninMunnin

MemoryMemory

HuginnHuginn

ThoughtThought

Challenges of e-onlyChallenges of e-only

Challenges of e-onlyChallenges of e-only

Publisher considerations? Publisher considerations? – Archiving issues Archiving issues – License agreementsLicense agreements– Pricing modelsPricing models– BundlingBundling– Availability of usage statisticsAvailability of usage statistics

Challenges of e-onlyChallenges of e-only

Content issuesContent issues– Content discrepanciesContent discrepancies

Version of record? Version of record?

Differences between vendors Differences between vendors

– Disappearing or masked contentDisappearing or masked content– Contents of bundled packagesContents of bundled packages

ChallengesChallenges

Technological issuesTechnological issues– Interface quality, ease of useInterface quality, ease of use– Staff expertise and time to provide systemsStaff expertise and time to provide systems– Hardware and software, server capacityHardware and software, server capacity– Pressures on campus computer network and Pressures on campus computer network and

printing provisionsprinting provisions– Interoperability with other online tools: Interoperability with other online tools:

catalogs, link resolvers, meta search toolscatalogs, link resolvers, meta search tools

Challenges of e-onlyChallenges of e-only

E-journal managementE-journal management– Electronic collection more expensive to Electronic collection more expensive to

maintain: administrative, CD, PR and maintain: administrative, CD, PR and especially reference related expensesespecially reference related expenses

– Both print & electronic systems in placeBoth print & electronic systems in place– Aggregator duplication; embargoesAggregator duplication; embargoes

Challenges Challenges

Staff time to select, acquire, represent in Staff time to select, acquire, represent in catalog and manage e-subscriptionscatalog and manage e-subscriptions

Staff trainingStaff training

User training User training

ReferenceReference

OSU LibrariesOSU Libraries

OSU Engineering Journal CollectionOSU Engineering Journal Collection

OSU Engineering Subscriptions 2003 265 Subscriptions (includes combined subscriptions) $301,562.73 226 Are available electronically $278,454.02 85.28% 87 Print only at OSU (could go e-only) $128,491.43 32.83%

139 OSU has both Print and Electronic $149,962.59 52.45% OSU Electronic-only Subscriptions 2003: 95 ACM Journals & Newsletters $2,848.00

200 ACM Conferences 125 IEEE Proceedings Order Plan $22,995.00 81 Other electronic-only (aggregators)

OSU LibrariesOSU Libraries

2004 Focus2004 Focus– IEEE Electronic Library (IEL)IEEE Electronic Library (IEL)– American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)– American Society of Mechanical Engineers American Society of Mechanical Engineers

(ASME)(ASME)– American Society of Agricultural Engineers American Society of Agricultural Engineers

(ASAE)(ASAE)

Looking Ahead: Looking Ahead: Going Beyond JournalsGoing Beyond Journals

StandardsStandards– IEEE Standards included in IELIEEE Standards included in IEL– ANSIANSI– ASTMASTM– Other standardsOther standards

Electronic booksElectronic books– KnovelKnovel– CRC HandbooksCRC Handbooks

Open Access JournalsOpen Access Journals

Criteria used to judge IELCriteria used to judge IEL

Rupp-Serrano, et al. 2002. Canceling Rupp-Serrano, et al. 2002. Canceling Print Serials in Favor of Electronic: Print Serials in Favor of Electronic: Criteria for Decision Making. Criteria for Decision Making. Library Library Collections, Acquisitions & Technical Collections, Acquisitions & Technical Services Services 26:369-378.26:369-378.

CriteriaCriteria

LicensingLicensing– RestrictionsRestrictions– ArchivesArchives

ProviderProvider– ReliabilityReliability– Aggregator DuplicationAggregator Duplication

CriteriaCriteria

Publication structurePublication structure– CompletenessCompleteness– Nature of the publicationNature of the publication

Technological considerationsTechnological considerations– Reproduction capabilitiesReproduction capabilities– AuthenticationAuthentication– Hardware, software, etcHardware, software, etc

Criteria Criteria

Local issuesLocal issues– Availability in local consortiaAvailability in local consortia– Importance to discipline, curricula, researchImportance to discipline, curricula, research– Faculty inputFaculty input– Institutional commitmentInstitutional commitment– SubjectSubject– User preference/usageUser preference/usage

CriteriaCriteria

Local resourcesLocal resources– Cost savingsCost savings– Space savingsSpace savings– StaffingStaffing

ConclusionsConclusions

Despite challenges, OSU moving ahead to meet Despite challenges, OSU moving ahead to meet needs of Engineering faculty and studentsneeds of Engineering faculty and students

Focus is on publishers with stable content which Focus is on publishers with stable content which match our needsmatch our needs

Bundles & “Big Deals” with weak titles or Bundles & “Big Deals” with weak titles or unneeded content not being considered right unneeded content not being considered right nownow

Customer service key for libraries and publishers Customer service key for libraries and publishers to work directlyto work directly

BibliographyBibliography

http://www.oregonstate.edu/~mellinma/bibliography.dochttp://www.oregonstate.edu/~mellinma/bibliography.doc

Discussion? Discussion?