A Leap in the Dark

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A Leap in the Dark

• A Pilot Project for an Electronic-Only
  Engineering Collection

Laurel Kristick and Margaret Mellinger Oregon
State University Libraries
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Introduction

• How we got here

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Introduction

• Making the case for e-only
• Whats in it for the users?
• Whats in it for the library?
• Why is it still a leap in the dark?
• Challenges, issues, considerations
• What strategies can we use to move forward?

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Why focus on Engineering?
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Engineering Faculty

• Pressures
• Greater responsibility for funding their own
  research
• Balancing research teaching
• Preferences
• Comfortable with online access
• Benefits of convenience
• Types of information needed

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Engineering students

• Undergraduate curriculum tightly defined
• Less use of the library than other students
• Technologically adept

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Benefits of e-only
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Benefits of e-journals

• Save the time of the user
• Access anywhere, anytime, multiple users
• Currency, earlier access
• Enhanced functionality
• Search capabilities
• Ability to link to other sources
• Ability to include multi-media elements

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Benefits of e-only

• Possible cost savings on subscriptions
• Only one format
• Save shelf space
• No physical items to check-in, mark, shelve,
  claim
• Save costs of binding and replacement

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Leap!

• Whats stopping us?

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Odins Ravens

• Munnin
• Memory

• Huginn
• Thought

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Challenges of e-only
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Challenges of e-only

• Publisher considerations?
• Archiving issues
• License agreements
• Pricing models
• Bundling
• Availability of usage statistics

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Challenges of e-only

• Content issues
• Content discrepancies
• Version of record?
• Differences between vendors
• Disappearing or masked content
• Contents of bundled packages

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Challenges

• Technological issues
• Interface quality, ease of use
• Staff expertise and time to provide systems
• Hardware and software, server capacity
• Pressures on campus computer network and printing
  provisions
• Interoperability with other online tools
  catalogs, link resolvers, meta search tools

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Challenges of e-only

• E-journal management
• Electronic collection more expensive to maintain
  administrative, CD, PR and especially reference
  related expenses
• Both print electronic systems in place
• Aggregator duplication embargoes

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Challenges

• Staff time to select, acquire, represent in
  catalog and manage e-subscriptions
• Staff training
• User training
• Reference

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OSU Libraries
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OSU Engineering Journal Collection
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OSU Libraries

• 2004 Focus
• IEEE Electronic Library (IEL)
• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE)

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Looking Ahead Going Beyond Journals

• Standards
• IEEE Standards included in IEL
• ANSI
• ASTM
• Other standards
• Electronic books
• Knovel
• CRC Handbooks
• Open Access Journals

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Criteria used to judge IEL

• Rupp-Serrano, et al. 2002. Canceling Print
  Serials in Favor of Electronic Criteria for
  Decision Making. Library Collections,
  Acquisitions Technical Services 26369-378.

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Criteria

• Licensing
• Restrictions
• Archives
• Provider
• Reliability
• Aggregator Duplication

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Criteria

• Publication structure
• Completeness
• Nature of the publication
• Technological considerations
• Reproduction capabilities
• Authentication
• Hardware, software, etc

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Criteria

• Local issues
• Availability in local consortia
• Importance to discipline, curricula, research
• Faculty input
• Institutional commitment
• Subject
• User preference/usage

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Criteria

• Local resources
• Cost savings
• Space savings
• Staffing

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Conclusions

• Despite challenges, OSU moving ahead to meet
  needs of Engineering faculty and students
• Focus is on publishers with stable content which
  match our needs
• Bundles Big Deals with weak titles or
  unneeded content not being considered right now
• Customer service key for libraries and publishers
  to work directly

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Bibliography

• http//www.oregonstate.edu/mellinma/bibliography.
  doc

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Discussion?