Serials and academic journals are valuable materials used extensively for research by faculty, staff, and students in academic libraries. These libraries generally attempt to collect as many titles useful to their user population as possible. In recent years, most libraries have confronted several problems with serial collections. From 1986 to 2002, journal prices rose 215 percent and libraries spent 260 percent more on journals, despite only collecting 14 percent more journal titles (ARL, 2003). Annual subscriptions to journals can cost thousands of dollars for a single title, some topping $10,000 (Cornell). Costs have risen so much that some libraries have dedicated virtually all their collection budget to serials, at the expense of other valuable materials. Beside the cost of subscriptions, serials also strain library budgets because they generally require binding, storing, claiming, and, potentially, repairing (Vaughan, 2003). With a growing number
Serials Use Studies, 2 of serials titles available online, many libraries are subscribing to both print and electronic versions of a journal, which often means they have to pay for both versions. To add to the serials problems, most libraries face dwindling shelf space, while most academic journals require large amounts of space so they can “grow” as new issues are received.