an electronic journal impact study: the factors that change when an academic library migrates from...
TRANSCRIPT
An Electronic Journal Impact Study: The Factors that Change when an
Academic Library Migrates from Print
Carol Hansen Montgomery, Ph.D.Dean of Libraries, Drexel University
June 3, 2002
Funded in part by a grant from the IMLS, NR-00027
Introduction
Institutional Environment Developing E-Journal Collection Operational Impact IMLS-funded Research Impact on Users Lessons Learned Next Steps
Drexel University
Technologically Oriented Urban Undergraduates: 10,000 Graduate Students: 2,500 Faculty: 500 Research Intensive
W.W. Hagerty Library Centralized 100K square feet 400K volumes 40 FTE staff $4M budget for 2001/02 Fully wired & wireless network 100 public access desktop computers 50 circulating laptops
E-Journal Collection
Goal in 1998:
Migrate to an all electronic journal collection as quickly as possible
E-Journal Migration
Date/Type
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Print 1,710
1,475
1,000
300+
370
E-Journal 200
4,400
5,000
7,600
8,600
Institutional Readiness Administrative support Computer literate users Infrastructure in place Poor current journal collection Major budget increase Distance education programs Resource-rich environment
Developing the E-J Collection Much more complex Many more variables than print Purchased in package “Deals” Price/Contract negotiation------------------------------------------------ Database to manage selection Large transition period complete
Additional Variables Comparability Subscription or full-text Competitive sources Pricing plans Access restrictions Provision of statistics Linking capabilities------------------------------------------------ Archiving policy Lending via ILL
Print Collection 2002
“Browsing” Journals Fashion and Design Journals Core Library Science Journals Other Journals not yet Available
Electronically
IMLS Project Goals
Case Study Impact on staff activities Impact on costs: reduced, increased, re-allocated?
Stimulate Research Develop a methodology
Methods* Calculate capital costs, amortize Space for print Computing infrastructure for
electronic Calculate operational costs Staff costs Other operational costs e.g. subscriptions, binding Calculate subscription costs Compute/organize use data
*Using King model.
Impact on Staff & Costs: Measured by Department
Administration Technical Services Infrastructure/Systems & Space Circulation/Access Information Services------------------------------------------------- Document Delivery
Analyzed by Function Re-organized staff data to: Acquisitions Collection development Physical processing Record-keeping Reference Teaching Communications Public relations
Research Question
Hypothesis:
Electronic journals are less expensive
than print journals.
DEFINITIONSWhat is an Electronic Journal?
E-Journal [pure]: Individual subs or publisher packages
Aggregator: Individual journals from different publishers
Full text database: Search tool with selected full-text
DEFINITIONS What is a Print Journal [Serial]?
Continuations/Annuals? Newsletters? Newspapers?
DEFINITIONS What costs matter?
What is the unit of measure? Cost per: Journal title? Journal volume?
Journal issue?Journal article?
Journal “pages”? “words”?Article use?
DEFINITIONS What is a Use?
Print Re-shelving an issue or volume? Electronic Opening html file? Downloading a PDF document? Click on E-J database link More than X time spent viewing?
What about duplicate views/session?
Impact: Per Title Costs Vary [2002]
Print “only” 370 $112/title E-subscriptions 2,542 $137/title Aggregator 347 $ 83/title Full-text database* 11,200 $ 5/title
*Allocated half the cost of the database to the electronic journals. Non-unique.
Use Data Print (98/99) Bound & Current Use
All 1,710 titles 45,000 Print (00/01)
All 300+ titles 34,000
E-Journals (00/01) Measurable Use
Individual sub. 2,542 titles 100,881 Aggregator 347 titles 23,058 Full-text dbase 11,200 titles* 269,555
*Not unique.
Cost per Use (00/01)
Print Journals $1
Individual subscriptions $3 Aggregator $1 Full-text database* $0.21
* Allocated half the cost of the database.
Cost/Use Range
Print $1 to $50 Individual subscriptions $2 to $18 Aggregator $0.42 to $ 5 Full-text database $0.11 to $ 1
Impact: E-Journal Operational Costs Offset Print Savings Higher level staff required Selection/acquisitions costs high Statistics collection not automatic Onerous “claiming” procedure Inventory control made difficult by
E-Journal “volatility” Demanding of administrator time
Impact: Lower Use of Print Re-Shelving Statistics
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
97/ 98 98/ 99 99/ 00 00/ 01 01/ 02
Date
Use
Unbound Bound
Impact: Development Costs High E-J Management Database MSQL database PEARL to create html Features:
Creates web pagesSearch for print or E-J titleAllow updating by non-techie
Impact: Users Prefer E-Journals
84% prefer E-Journals to print
Increasing use of E-Journals
Need for training/awareness
Impact: Users Satisfied[1=no agreement; 10=strong agreement]
Mean E-Journals save time 7.7 E-Journals make work easier 8.6 E-Journals result in better quality research 8.1 E-Js enable me to find more 8.5
Lessons Learned
Don’t depend on full-text databases for core journals
Keep a larger browsing collection Assume a limited paper archiving
responsibility if justified Re-develop all related policies, e.g.
binding
Next Steps
Complete analysis Compare to previous studies of print
journal economics Measure cost to users of electronic
vs print journals