Developing a core collection of print journals for a health sciences library Steven J' Brooks, Summe

1
Developing a core collection of print journals
for a health sciences librarySteven J. Brooks,
Summer Business Intern, University Libraries,
Loma Linda UniversityShirley Rais, MLS, Serials
Librarian, University Libraries, Loma Linda
UniversityCarlene Drake, MLS, Director,
University Libraries, Loma Linda University
Analysis
4
Background
1
Serial Usage in 2006 Print journals not in the
Core Collection made up less than 2 of the usage
in 2006. Flipping these to electronic only will
not compromise the research needs of the
university.
Journal Decline over 5 years These five journals
were the most popular in print in 2001. Some
journals dropped as much as 86. The Journal of
Prosthetic Dentistry was made available online in
2004, which might explain the sudden decrease.

• Efficiency
• A collection of 300 current journals would cover
  76 of current usage
• Electronic
• 93.7 of journal usage in 2006 was electronic,
  only 6.3 of use was print usage

• The Del E. Webb Library
• Supports 8 health science schools
• Has 1,125 current journals in print
• Has access to 18,839 electronic titles
• Wanted to identify a core collection of print
  journals
• To conserve valuable floor space
• To satisfy user preference for electronic
  journals
• To ensure perpetual access to key journals

Limitations
5

• Usage was the major factor considered in
  compiling the core list
• Due to discrepancy in usage collection periods,
  some data is averaged
• Only currently received journals were included

Method
2

• Tracking
• Print usage gathered during reshelving
• Online use collected from publisher supplied
  usage statistics
• Compiling
• Multiple spreadsheets were compiled into one
  master spreadsheet
• Only data from 2000- was used, as it was more
  reliable than previous years

How Many Journals to Include? If all journals
were used the same amount, then the graph would
be a straight (orange) line. However, since many
journals are very popular they get above average
use. So each of the 300 journals included in the
core collection receives average or above average
use.
The Electronic Age Over the last 5 years, many
libraries have noticed print usage continuing to
drop as more online resources have been made
available. But what is not always apparent is
that overall usage of serial resources is
steadily rising.
Conclusions
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of print usage
100- 75- 50- 25- a

• Combined online and print use statistics show
  that online use is causing overall serial use to
  increase even as print use is falling
• Creation of a core collection will reduce costs
  and space without compromising research needs

Non-Core Journals
(28,866)
76
Core Journals
3
Results

• Print
• 68 of titles decreased in usage
• The long tail effect was present
• Electronic
• Definite correlation between date online use
  started and date print use dropped

These 300 journals made up 76 of all print usage
in the last 2 years.
299 300 301
1125 Total Journals
FURTHER READING
Contact information
Williams, J. (2007) The Long Tail a Usage
Analysis of Pre-1993 Print Journal Literature.
Poster presentation at the Medical Library
Association Annual Meeting and Exhibition,
Philadelphia, USA. Lord, J. M., Wilson, D.T.,
Nuckolls, J. (2007) Determining a Core Journal
Collection in an Academic Health Sciences
Library. Poster presentation at the Medical
Library Association Meeting and Exhibition,
Philadelphia, USA.
Acknowledgements Steve Waters, Math Professor,
Pacific Union College
For further information contact [phone]
Shirley Rais SRais_at_llu.edu