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Serials Review: Letter to Faculty, January 2006

Dear Colleagues:

The University Council Senate Committee on Libraries invites faculty comment by February 20 on a proposal to modify the current plan for reducing serial commitments.

Background:
In August 2005, the Libraries announced a review of the collections budget in preparation for a reduction of commitments in FY2007 and FY2008. For the past three years, price increases for serials have been covered through the enhancement program, and journals have therefore not had to be cancelled. The last enhancement allocation to the Libraries was made for FY2006. Serial price increases over the next three years are now projected to outstrip the funds available by about $500,000. Consequently, we must reduce budgetary commitments either by reducing the number of journals on subscription or by spending less on books.

Library subject liaisons were asked to work with their departments to identify commitment reductions of 7% for FY07 and 5% for FY08. These reductions could be taken in serial commitments or in the allocation for book budgets at the subject liaisons’ and departments’ discretion. Price increases for serial titles not cancelled would be covered by the FY2006 enhancement allocation. The lists of journals identified for possible cancellation were posted on the Libraries’ web for campus review in December 2005 (http://www.lib.ku.edu/serialsreview/cancel2006.shtml).

The concern:
Many faculty have raised concern that to apply the same percentage to reductions in commitments for all disciplines does not fairly acknowledge disciplinary differences. Expenditures on books have increased, but proportionately much less than expenditures on serials, and book budgets have not kept pace with inflation or declining exchange rates.

Proposal to modify the current plan for reducing serial commitments:
The University Council Senate Committee on Libraries (UCSCL) has endorsed in principle a proposal from the Libraries that would modestly reduce the FY2007 savings target. Instead of 7%, subject funds with less than 75% of the total allocation devoted to serials would be reduced by 5, 4, or 3% on a sliding scale.

Full details of the “Proposal for a Tiered Approach” are available at http://www.lib.ku.edu/serialsreview/tierproposal102606.pdf

UCSCL is inviting you to comment on this proposal and send these to librarycommittee@ku.edu or to any member of the Committee (see http://www.lib.ku.edu/serialsreview/libcommitteeinfo.shtml for names and contacts).

Any journals to be cancelled in time for FY07 must be identified by March 17, 2006. Therefore, the Committee on Libraries seeks comment on this proposal by February 20, 2006.

The Committee and the Libraries recognize the need for a broader discussion on budgetary allocations and changing patterns of scholarly publishing and communication and look forward to facilitating that discussion in the months to come.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Barry Newton, Professor of Architecture and Chair, University Council Senate Committee on Libraries

Stella Bentley, Dean of Libraries