Journal Cancellations Review 2013 FAQ

Journal Cancellations 2013: FAQ

Cancellation project timeline
What is the deadline for feedback?
What is the goal of the cancellation?
Are the cancelled journals print or electronic?
What will happen to journals that are only available in print and cannot be subscribed online?
What constitutes an appropriate online journal subscription for a library?
How can I help?
Can I donate personal journal copies?
How are the journals selected for cancellation?
Why journals?
What about books and databases?
Will any cancelled journals be brought back?
When will the cancelled journals stop coming?
Can I still access past years of cancelled e-Journals?
How will I get new articles from cancelled journals?
What are the other library budget reduction measures?
What is an embargo?

Collection Review Contacts

What is the timeline for the journals cancellation project?

Journals must be re-ordered and paid for several months before the beginning of a new subscription year, which usually starts January 1. The review to identify possible cancellations must take place during the spring and early summer months. See the Timeline for more details.
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What is the deadline for feedback?

Please submit feedback on cancellation candidates by April 30th.
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What is the stated goal of the cancellation project?

The goal is to review and selectively cancel active journal subscriptions in order to meet budget reduction targets, while minimizing impact on users.
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Are the journals being considered for cancellation print or electronic journals?

The journals on this list include titles that are currently received in print only or as electronic subscriptions. The titles that are received print only will have a note to that effect. If any journal currently received in print gets significant positive feedback, the Library will attempt to renew it as an online subscription. If it cannot be renewed as an online subscription, it will be cancelled. If a journal is cancelled as a result of this project, we will no longer have any subscribed access to new content (electronic or print) published after Dec. 2013.
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What will happen to journals that are only available in print and cannot be subscribed online?

The Library will cancel nearly all journals that are only available as print subscriptions. View the list. This is because library users’ preferences and work practices have shifted overwhelmingly to accessing journal content online, and because these titles have no appropriate online subscription option for libraries at this time. Access to current content from print-only journals will continue to be available through Interlibrary Loan services.
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What constitutes an appropriate online journal subscription for a library?

An appropriate library subscription includes features such as authentication by institutional IP address (enabling users to access content via Onyen), and perpetual access to subscribed materials. The print journals being cancelled either offer no online access option, online access only via personal password, or online access to the current year only, etc.
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What can I do to help?

Participate in this review with your thoughtful feedback. Make your colleagues across campus and students aware of the journals review, and encourage them to participate. Please be aware and accepting of the necessity of this journals review and cancellation project. To help limit future cancellations, private support of the HSL today, and in the future, is vital. You can support the HSL directly by joining the Friends of the Health Sciences Library.
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Can I donate a personal journal subscription to the Library?

No – while we are very grateful for the offer, we are unable to accept recent issues received through a personal journal subscription. Libraries pay much higher prices for journal subscriptions than do individuals, on the expectation that many more people will use the library’s copy.
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How are journal titles being selected for cancellation?

The Library will first identify a list of candidates by these criteria. The journals will then be posted for review and feedback by the UNC community. After a careful examination of both feedback and other factors by the Health Sciences Library, the final list of cancellations will be created.
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Why is the Library focusing on cancelling journals?

The Health Sciences Library spends between 93-95% of its acquisitions budget on journals and databases. Journals costs have been increasing between 6%-12% per year. To counteract this trend and achieve reductions in the acquisitions budget, we must look at cutting back on some of the journals we purchase.
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Will the Library also spend less on books, media, and databases?

Yes. The Library will be reviewing all areas of collecting to absorb this budget reduction.
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Will any cancelled journals be brought back?

It is possible that a journal will prove to be missed more than expected – when the Library is again sufficiently funded, full consideration will be given to requests to re-subscribe to previously cancelled journals.
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When will the cancellations go into effect?

All or nearly all of the journal cancellations will go into effect in January 1, 2014. This means that access to new content for journal titles slated for cancellation will end in December 2013.
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Can I still access the past years/volumes of cancelled e-journals?

For most titles, we retain online access to the content published while a subscription was in effect, so we will continue to make this content accessible via the library catalog and in other listings. There are rare exceptions, however, so the ability to retain online access to past years/ volumes will be considered as one factor among others when making the cancellation decision.
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How will I get new articles from cancelled journals?

You may request articles using Interlibrary Loan services.
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What about other parts of the Library’ budget?

The Library is comprehensively reviewing its budget, reducing other expenditures, and extending budget resources through collaboration with campus, Triangle, and UNC System partners.
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What is an embargo?

Embargoed access is delayed access – you have access to the electronic journal, but not until some set period after the print publication. Typically, this period lasts six to eighteen months.
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Whom should I contact at the Library for more information?

For more information or any questions please contact:
Christie Degener, Resources Management Services Head
Susan Swogger, Collections Development Librarian
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