Marriott Library Collection Development
Every year the librarians at Marriott examine part of our subscriptions
to make sure we are spending the materials budget on items which are good
ongoing investments. Prices continue to rise faster than our allocation and we
must cut some titles simply to balance the budget. Our patrons ask for new
subscriptions and upgrades to current titles and we must reallocate funds to
purchase these.
In 2004 our main focus was not on conventional periodicals. As part of our
project to gradually review most of the collection we looked at these
categories:
- All standing orders. These are publications, often book-like in
format, which are issued in series. We can still buy individual volumes which
are needed, even if we can cancel the series.
- All reference subscriptions.
These are ongoing sets like annual directories. Use of printed reference works
appears to be down substantially.
- All exchanges. The library trades
University of Utah publications with other agencies to receive their
publications. Although free, these involve expenses of staff time and postage
for items of sometimes parochial interest.
- Journals. A relatively short
list, posted as a contingency list in Spring 2003 in case the budget
deteriorated in summer 2003, was reposted.
If a University of Utah
researcher asked us not to cancel a specific journal on the posted list, we did
not. In almost all cases we also accepted requests to save standing orders and
reference subscriptions. Our only requirement was that all departments, except
those with tiny lists, should participate at least minimally in the standing
order cut. The exact yield of this cut is as yet unknown since the number of
volumes issued from year to year in standing orders fluctuates. We feel certain
that we have saved at least $300,000. To reach this number we also, for the
first time in many years, cut the book budget.
Journals
Standing orders
Reference series
Research and Collections | Collection Development Home | Marriott Library Home
Please send comments and questions to acq@library.utah.edu
Last updated on December 29, 2004 .
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© 2004 University of Utah and the J. Willard Marriott Library.