Library Users Asked to Review Proposed UST Libraries' Cancellations

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

We continually assess the subscriptions that we have to both print and electronic content to ensure that we are providing access to the best and most useful materials.

To determine what those are, a number of factors are considered: available budget, costs of resources, use of materials and the allocation of resources to specific academic areas.

The libraries are grateful for the continued support of the university as we develop robust collections for the community. Library resources are still being used, and 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 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 our community

For the record, the university's libraries provide access to 44,791 electronic journals and have 1,252 active print/microfilm journal subscriptions. In addition, we provide access to 254 electronic databases, including several new ones for this academic year.

We invite the campus community to review and comment on the recommendations we have for cancellations. We propose canceling 23 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.

Contact Dani Roach, (651) 962-5408, by Friday, Sept. 10, with comments about titles on these lists or with suggestions for resources that the libraries should consider for purchase.