leveraging the collections budget: best practices in assessing information resources users need...
TRANSCRIPT
Leveraging the Collections Budget:
Best Practices in Assessing Information Resources Users Need
Leslie Horner Button
Associate Director for Collection Services
UMass Amherst Libraries
Slide 1
IntroductionPrior to 2004, the UMass Amherst Libraries engaged
in
measuring user service needs but not information
resource needs. Factors contributing toward
creating a programmatic approach to information
resource assessment:
ILLiad software acquired in 2000-2001 Collections budget had not kept pace with resource inflation 5 College Libraries jointly licensing of SFX in summer 2003 Turnover of 60% top library management in January 2004 Staff committed to analyzing data from all available resource
measurement tools
Slide 2
Setting the Stage
Slide 3
January 2004, the Libraries:
Subscribed to 4,718 print journals spending 41% ($2.2m) of a $5.3 budget on them
Spent 28% of budget on electronic resources Collections budget had not kept pace with inflation Perceived very few print journals purchased were
used by faculty or students Had not gathered any quantitative data on actual
use of unbound journals Recognized growing user demand for desktop
access 24/7
Assessment Takes Shape …
Slide 4
By June 2004, three steps towards meaningful informationresource assessment took shape through :
Gathering in-house use for unbound print journals Exporting ILL article borrowing reports for in excess of
copyright allowance from ILLiad Creation of 2005-2007 Three-Year Plan All assessment data posted to staff intranet
The Libraries now rely on a variety of software tools to gather
data on information resources uses seek including:
Circulation and use data from ILS ILLiad article and book borrowing requests SFX canned queries
This poster session outlines how the Libraries have usedthese tools to inform selection decisions and possible next
steps.
2005-2007 Three-Year Plan …
Slide 5
Outlined three areas to improve service to users:
Information resources User-Focused Service Environment Library as Place
These strategic areas were formulated on the following
user expectations :
24/7 access to resources, services and facilities Maximize effectiveness of current resources Connect users to information resources in a
seamless manner
Information Resources
Slide 6
Action items for Information Resources in planhighlighted the need to:
Analyze print resource usage in light of user demand for online content
Analyze ILL document delivery and borrowing to help inform selection decisions
Expand access to collections we do not own Explore cooperative collection development
opportunities Preserve the collection we own
Work on the first two action items had startedby the time the 2005-2007 plan was approved.
ILL Metrics: Borrow or Own?
Slide 7
Starting with 2002 and 2003 ILLiad article borrowing
data, a process to analyze cost effectiveness of borrowing
vs. ownership was instituted:
ILL staff exported report of articles borrowed in excess of copyright at end of calendar year
Spreadsheet contained title, total number of requests per title, cost of borrowing through ILL, cost of subscription and net cost were
Multiplied number of requests times $30 (then average cost of $30 of ILL borrowing.
ILL staff researched subscription price and added to it spreadsheet.
Rewards of Article AnalysisSince 2004: Each subsequent year’s ILL borrowing data
integrated into master analysis spreadsheet showing requests since 2002
Able to get royalty cost for articles borrowed from Copyright Clearance Center. Use that instead of $30 to calculate borrowing cost.
ILL data now uploaded to Ulrich’s Serials Analysis System to get publisher, price and format availability information (e.g., automate process)
Analysis of article borrowing assumed new meaning in 2005 when it became obvious that it was more cost-effective to subscribe to 93 of the 203 heavily requested ILL titles
Slide 8
Print Subscription Use Analysis
Slide 9
In June 2004, a process for gathering in-house
use statistics for the print journals was
developed:
Created “dummy” item records for each subscribed title
Embedded unique barcode into item Trained students to scan in-house use prior to re-
shelving issues Exported in-house use data monthly Posted that data to staff intranet
Quantitative Data on Print
Slide 10
Analysis of in-house use from July 2004 -June 2005revealed: 141 of the 4,718 print subscriptions received 73% of
the total in-house use 1,562 of the 4.718 subscriptions received 26% of the
total in-house use 1,733 were never re-shelved by staff
This quantitative data: Supported the three-year goal plan to maximize the
effectiveness of resources Started a systematic approach to gather print
resource use in light of increased demand for online resources
Provided data to share with faculty on whether the Libraries were providing access to the “right stuff”
With Print Use Data in Hand …
Slide 11
Journal review projects took shape:
Review phased in two stages – the 1st focusing on journals costing $1,000 or more and 2nd on journals costing $200-$999
Sought input from key internal and external stakeholders
Integrated use statistics for online journals where access was “free” by virtue of print subscriptions and removed journals with high print and/or online use
Proposed to Faculty Senate Research Library Council to drop little used journals and redirect money toward electronic resources and heavily requested ILL journals
Print Review Outcome
Slide 12
Overall Libraries proposed to drop 460 little used print subscriptions
Faculty provided rationale for retaining 130 (28%) of 460 journals
Libraries redirected approximately $300,000 to purchase 49 heavily requested electronic resources and 93 heavily requested ILL journals
Similar review process used to review lists of print subscriptions Libraries proposed to convert to e-only in September 2007
Using SFX Queries to Assess User Information Needs
Slide 13
In 2006 SFX canned queries were introduced to metrics
used to assess user information needs, particularly:
Journal Requested but No Full-Text Delivered Electronic resources staff review this data to fix errors
in target activation/configuration Once errors corrected, integrate results into fiscal
year spreadsheet to measure requests over time Integrate data into ILL analysis spreadsheet for
overall “view” of user demand Use this data when analyzing cost-benefit of new e-
journal packages Can inform online backfiles purchases
Other Uses for ILLiad Data
Slide 14
ILLiad article request data has benefit beyond the costof borrowing analysis. For example, consolidatedrequest lists created at fiscal year: Allows library liaisons able to see faculty and
students requests in their assigned departments Keeps faculty informed what their graduate
students might need Focuses on whether the Libraries are providing
access to resources to support teaching, learning, and research
ILLiad book requests can inform Books to digitize through the BLC Open Content
Alliance Adjustments in the BLC Cooperative Approval Plan
Music
Conclusion
Slide 15
There is a need for more data analysis to integrateother information resource assessment into theexisting program: Explore additional SFX canned queries (e.g., full-
text not accessed) Formalize process to measure value of electronic
resources in meeting user information needs Implement collection analysis recommendations
outlined in 2007-08 Develop coordinated strategy to demonstrate
value libraries provide and the need for additional resources
Users depend on our ability to supply informationresources they need when they need it. Analyzing
datais one way to find out what they need!
