In the face of a decreasing budget and skyrocketing subscription prices, we have had to make several rounds of cancellations. We strive to make the decision process as transparent as possible. 

Process

Given the current environment, we are completing a thorough review of all subscription-based materials. These include current print journals, online journals and database titles. In the course of our analysis, we weigh both quantitative and qualitative data as well as the overall cost of the materials.

Titles and resources are added to potential cancellation lists for many reasons, including:

• Low usage in the last year, or a downward trend over the last few years.
• High cost per online viewing or downloading of a journal article. In some cases, we pay hundreds of dollars per use.
• Unreasonable price increases on the part of the publisher; for instance, some journal subscription costs will increase by more than 20 percent in the next year.
• Whether the journal is open access except for the most recent 12-24 months.
• Whether the journal is available simultaneously from one or several content providers.

Librarians compile data regarding pricing, frequency of publication and journal impact factors. We also analyze how K-State researchers use the materials through

• review of usage and circulation data
• citation analysis
• feedback gathered from departments and individuals

Get counted

Whether you’re using library materials in your research, classroom or Canvas, we want to make sure your engagement is included in our statistics. That information won’t be factored into our analysis unless you take steps to ensure it gets counted.

Directions for creating a permalink are available online through our Linking to Online Resources guide. If you need additional assistance, contact your librarian.

Provide feedback

When we have compiled a list of titles under consideration for cancellation, we ask the K-State community for their feedback. Please note that these comments do impact our decisions, particularly if we were unaware that a given title or resource is an active part of a department’s curriculum or related to accreditation.

Even when we are not seeking feedback on a specific list of titles, we encourage faculty members, researchers and administrators to engage with their librarian and keep them up-to-date on their research priorities, concerns and shifting needs.