Help UST Libraries develop journal collections

The campus community is invited to review the information resource cancellations that are being considered by the UST Libraries.

The process of selecting information resources (electronic, books and journal subscriptions) for the scholarly needs of the UST community is based on collaboration between library staff and library users. 

We consider a  number of factors when deciding purchases and cancellations: available budget, costs of resources, use of materials and the allocation of resources to specific academic areas, and opportunities for alternative titles. We continually assess the subscriptions to both print and electronic content to ensure that UST Libraries provides access to the best and most useful materials.

The libraries are grateful for the continued support of the university as we develop collections for the community. There is no question that library resources still are being used, but increasingly those materials that are available electronically are the most popular.

We take our role as stewards of the university's resources very seriously. In making collection-development decisions for the coming year, we have:

  • Evaluated the use of all journals (regardless of format).
  • Consulted with faculty in each discipline regarding their need for and use of journals.
  • Determined the full-text availability of journals currently subscribed to in print.
  • Minimized duplication between print and electronic resources.
  • Minimized duplication among the UST libraries.
  • Identified new resources that are appropriate and valuable for the St. Thomas community.

For the record, UST Libraries provides access to 39,251 electronic journals and has 1,544 active print journal subscriptions; in addition, we provide access to 232 electronic databases, which have seen a 31 percent increase in use in the past year.

We invite the campus community to review and comment on the recommendations for cancellations. We propose canceling 26 titles for which there will be no exact counterpart available on campus. Please take a moment to examine the list to ensure that we have identified the least-used resources for the campus. (The word "embargo" on this list means a delay before there is access.)

Contact Dani Roach, (651) 962-5408, by Thursday, Sept. 17, with comments about titles on these lists or with suggestions for resources that the libraries should consider for purchase.