Belk Library and Information Commons

The Library acquires information in many forms: paper, digital, journals, databases, media, books, and microform. Digital information is usually leased and now comprises the largest portion of the budget, over 80 percent. Most reductions must occur in digital format. Digital is also the most highly-used format. To preserve the digital, all other formats were closely examined to lessen the losses in that format.

Much of the digital leased content is contained in expensive e-journal "Big Deal" packages where a publisher leases for one price, an all-or-nothing package of their content. If these packages are heavily used, the Big Deal packages may be cost-effective. In many cases, the data show two-thirds or more of the content in some Big Deals is unused at Appalachian. These are the titles in engineering, surgery, anesthesiology, veterinary science, or other. In most cases if these packages are canceled, Appalachian retains the back file of content we leased in the past. Canceling does not completely remove access to to a title's previous issues online. New content will cease in most cases in early 2013.

If you were on campus during the FY 2002 State budget reductions, you may recall that departments were sent lists of individual journal titles for cancellation review. This is no longer possible, because most journals are now included in a Big Deal package.

Timetable

Comments and feedback

We encourage comments from faculty, staff, and students on these planned reductions. Please contact your University Librarian Mary Reichel, (reichelml@appstate.edu), your Collection Management liaison or John Abbott, Coordinator of Collection Management (abbottJP@appstate.edu).