Strategic Planning Exercises

1

Highlights of Collection Analyses In ASERL
Libraries
TRLN Annual Conference July 28,
2006 John Burger, ASERL Executive Director
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Quick Overview ASERL

• What is ASERL?
• Largest regional consortium of research libraries
  in US (37 libs in 10 states)
• Founded in 1956 as informal networking group for
  library directors
• Founded SOLINET, active in creating faculty
  status for librarians in 1960s
• Staffing started in 2000 now much more active
  program development

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Quick Overview ASERL

• Program Highlights
• Reciprocal ILL
• Kudzu/Document Delivery
• Virtual Reference
• Preservation of ETDs (LOCKSS)
• Cooperative Storage Trust (in planning)
• Training for non-MLS managers
• Collection Development Initiative
• Staff Exchange w/ HBCU libraries

4
ASERL/TRLN/FCSUL WorldCat Collection Analysis
Group

• Largest WCA groups service in world
• 60 libraries at 33 institutions, including 17
  ARLs
• Nearly 40 million titles held by group
• All 10 TRLN libraries subscribed to group
  individual WCA service
• Training offered last Fall via SOLINET
• Subscription expires as of Sept 30, 2006
• Renewal in process, 2/3 are renewing as of now
• TRLN renewals??

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ASERL/TRLN/FCSUL2005-2006 WCA Group Members

• Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
• College of William and Mary, VA
• Duke University, NC
• Duke University Law Library
• Duke University Medical Center Library
• Duke University School of Business
• East Carolina University, NC
• Emory University, GA
• Emory University, Pitts Theology Library
• Florida A M University
• Florida A M University College of Law
• Florida Atlantic University Libraries
• Florida Center for Library Automation
• Florida Gulf Coast University
• Florida International University - University
  Park
• Florida International University - Biscayne Bay
• Florida International University - College of Law
• Florida Solar Energy Center
• Florida State University Strozier Library

• Tulane University Medical Center
• University of Alabama Libraries
• University of Central Florida
• University of Florida - Smathers Library
• University of Florida - Holland Law Library
• University of Florida Gainesville Health Science
  Center Library
• University of Florida Jacksonville Health Science
  Center Library
• University of Kentucky Law Library
• University of Kentucky Libraries
• University of Kentucky Medical Center Library
• University of Louisville, KY
• University of Memphis, TN
• University of Miami, FL
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Health Science Library
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Law
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• University of North Florida
• University of South Carolina

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Anticipated Uses of WCA

• Use for accreditation reports, new program
  proposals, purchasing, weeding, identification of
  unique materials
• Compare breadth of subject area coverage with
  peers, all of WorldCat
• Compare age of collection by subject area,
  language, format
• Comparing holdings of print vs. electronic
• Identify titles for preservation, storage
• Subscribe for 1 year, then drop it

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Actual ASERL Member Uses of WCA

• Mixed responses to my inquiry
• All like it, but some find it easier to use than
  others
• Configuring sub-groups can be tedious, tricky
• Identifying real peers causes some
  consternation
• WCAs subject areas/sub-topics are not easily
  understood/clearly defined (match w/ LCSH/call
  number ranges would be helpful)

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ASERL Member Uses of WCA

• Virginia Tech
• Identified 200 monographs held by peers but not
  VT
• Placed 1,100 of those titles on wish list for
  purchase
• Already purchased 500 titles

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ASERL Member Uses of WCA

• Information Alliance (Vandy, UT, UK)
• Had pre-existing collection development
  agreements in a few subject areas to reduce
  duplication/increase uniqueness of combined
  collection
• Still wading through reports trying to determine
  thresholds for decision-making
• Helps librarians to know their collection
  intimately
• Would like to connect WCA data with circulation
  data to determine usage of multiple copies, what
  to weed/store
• Will use to identify titles for preservation
• Also use WCA data for bragging rights on occasion
• Suggest ASERL/SOLINET consider hiring
  statistician to coordinate collection assessment
  activitiess on regional level

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ASERL Member Uses of WCA

• University of South Florida
• Measured/reported existing resources for ABET
  Accreditation (Engineering Technology)
• Compared USF w/ NCSU for CompSci resources for
  accreditation/ planning/budgeting purposes
• Used for planning proposed new PhD Program in
  Literature Gender Studies (examined resources
  at Emory Chapel Hill)
• Used to analyze possible collections of
  distinction for possible ARL membership
  application

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ASERL Member Uses of WCA

• Emory University
• Compared collections w/ Duke Vanderbilt
• Used for benchmarking of collections by subject
  areas already reported on 20 subject areas
• Drafted new collection development policy based
  on WCA findings
• LOTS of overlap ½ of Emorys collection held by
  Duke
• Already purchased titles, esp in health sciences

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New WCA Functionalities for 2006-07

• At the risk of sounding like a commercial
• 27 pre-formatted groups for comparisons
• Includes ARL Top 20, Google 5 and by subject
  area
• Online demo at http//www.oclc.org/info/wcademo/sw
  f/.

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Questions?

• John Burger, Executive Director
• Association of Southeastern Research Libraries
• 1438 West Peachtree St, 200
• Atlanta, GA 30309
• 800/999-8558
• jburger_at_solinet.net
• www.aserl.org