Using data to change the conversation with subject selectors and publishers.

1. Serial Assessment
Comes of Age
Diane Carroll
Washington State University
Libraries
February 2010

2. Purpose of a Serials Decision Database
• To provide objective information to be
reviewed subjectively.
• To organize the information in a way that the
selectors are not overwhelmed by data.
• To cumulate information needed to assess the
collection in one place where it can be
manipulated.
Metz and Cosgriff (2000). “Building a comprehensive serials decision
database at Virginia Tech.” College and Research Libraries 61(4): 324.

3. Compiling the data
• Title, ISSN
• Citation analysis
 Articles written by WSU authors
 Journals cited in those papers
• Usage data (downloads; print usage)
• Interlibrary loans requested
• Cost

4. Manipulating the data
• Cost/use
• Calculate the percentage of downloads coming
from aggregators
• Calculate the percentage of uses coming from
JSTOR
• Using multiple variables to assign a priority
 Evaluating the collection
 Individual selection decisions

5. Priority of title
High Use (1) Medium Use (2) Low Use (3)
Number of WSU authored
papers from 2006 to 2008
(ISI) >10 5 to 10 <5
Number of WSU cited papers
from 2006 to 2008 (ISI; >5) >40 10 to 40 <10
Print usage >250 40-250 <40
Full text/PDF downloads >250 40-250 <40
Interlibrary loan requests
over the last 12 months >15 5 to 15 <5

6. Priority 1-3
Consortia No
(no Aggregator access TOTAL:
Current archival (no except No permanent
subs rights) ownership) ILL subscription
1 1107 86 108 58 252
2 1942 418 274 493 1185
3 4401 1069 218 1861 3148
Total 7450 1573 600 2412 4585

7. Making the decisions
Cancellations Additions
• Post-cancellation rights • Priority is based on
to online version? recommendations, ILL
• No cancellation requests and citation
allowance from the analysis
license
• Percentage of
cancellations allowed?

8. WSU serials decision database
TITLES: The Library needs
to cancel 8% or $2900.
Circle the titles you would
cancel. (Tips: 4% of Wiley- Post-cancellation
Blackwell spend is $1200; Pullman Campus rights (Perpetual 2010
FY10 Collection 1% of ScienceDirect is Library location access or archival estimated
notes; $600) and format rights) price
American Bee Journal Owen-Prt $28
FY10 - This site
license is only for
html access and PDF Owen-Prt and
are still pay per view. online via Sigma Xi;
Also no archival Internet via EBSCOhost: No
rights. American Scientist EBSCOhost archival access $408
Wiley: Electronic;
Cancellations limited Internet via Wiley- EBSCOhost: No
to 4% of total spend Animal Genetics Blackwell archival access $1,186

9. Sample serials decision database
• You have been asked to cancel 8% of your journals
costs – roughly $2900.
• Using the sample serials decision database, decide
which titles you would cancel to reach this amount.

10. Conclusions
• Assigning priorities help the selector from being
overwhelmed by data
• Objective information aids in consensus building
for collection decisions
• The serial decision database is a tool; the
decisions are subjective.