Number 53 Oct. 4, 1996

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Edited by David Morse (University of Southern California) dmorse@hsc.usc.edu

Editorial Board members:

Email address for all correspondence and subscriptions: dmorse@hsc.usc.edu

WEB Edition Published at Duke University:
HTML coding by Eric Albright, maldacht@duke.edu
Masthead design by Dan Barkey, d-barkey@nwu.edu

Current Subscribers: 395

CONTENTS

53.1 Response - Page Charges, etc. - Linda Hulbert

53.2 Response - Page Charges, etc. - Maggie Freed

53.3 Response - Copyright Guidelines - Linda Hulbert

53.4 Response - Copyright Guidelines - Jeff Wehmeyer

53.5 Response - 1997 Renewals & Cancellations - Jerry Perry

53.6 Inquiry - Nursing Collection Development - Peg Allen

53.7 Inquiry - Serials Directories and Electronic Versions - Cindy Cline

53.8 Inquiry - AMA Directory Licensing Restrictions - Eric Albright

53.9 Inquiry - J.of Biological Chemistry Subscription Rates - Barbara Schader

53.10 Notice - New U.S. Government Documents - The Editor

53.11 Notice - Merriam-Webster Dictionary on the Web - The Editor

53.1 RESPONSE re: PAGE CHARGES, ETC. : From: Linda Hulbert, St. Louis Univ. <hulbertla@SLUVCA.SLU.EDU>

I am replying to Mark's question about vanity e-presses. Seems to me this has a paper precedent in page charges. I don't know what they are these days (and they don't list the price in the journal or on the website (http://highwire.stanford.edu/jbc/home/itoa.shtml), but I remember back in the 60's it was $240 per page for publication in JBC.

They still charge per page and more: "There will be a charge for publication of halftone illustrations, electron micrographs, color plates, some stereoscopic figures, and special illustrations."

It changes the publishing paradigm to having the university support publishing through its scholars rather than through the Library. The incentives as they stand now are all wrong. A biochemist asked me - should I submit to JBC, which charges ME? or to BBA which doesn't charge me?

I think if you've worked in the field for ten minutes you know how the researcher will answer that question!

53.2 RESPONSE - re: PAGE CHARGES, ETC. From: Maggie Freed, Univ. Southern California <mwfreed@hsc.usc.edu>

Mark Funk's note, about the e-journal that's free, but charges the author for publication, is just what Stephen Harnad (who publishes Psycoloquy, a free internet journal) was urging as the way of the future at the recent NASIG meeting. Many in the audience were unconvinced, but he made a distinction between trade publications (where the author wanted to sell his/her words) and research publications (where the author wanted as many others as possible to see his/her words and use them in their research).

I find it intriguing. His suggestion was that these publication fees be built into grant funding. And he felt that the cost was likely to be quite nominal.

53.3 RESPONSE - re: COPYRIGHT GUIDELINES AND JOURNAL PURCHASING DECISIONS From: Linda Hulbert, St. Louis University <hulbertla@SLUVCA.SLU.EDU>

Diane Zinnato asked about the 5 time rule for purchasing. We still use that rule for paying for copyright through the Clearinghouse and use the statistic as we decide if we should purchase a new title. It's a wonderful number to divide into the cost of the title. According to an ARL study (although I think our operation is cheaper - but doesn't everyone?) the article costs the borrower $11 in staff time, requesting etc and the cost to the lender is a whopping $19. Round trip cost $30! If the journal costs $300 it's not to hard to divide that number by the number of times it was borrowed and determine if it is cheaper to own or borrow. I haven't factored in the cost of shelving, reshelving, checking-in, binding etc. but life ain't perfect!

53.4 RESPONSE - re: COPYRIGHT GUIDLINES AND JOURNAL PURCHASING DECISIONS From: Jeff Wehmeyer, Wright State Univ. <jwehmeyer@library.wright.edu>

At the Fordham Health Sciences Library, Wright State University, we keep track of ILL requests for journal articles in a database. After 5 requests have been reached for a particular title, we either pay the Copyright Clearance Center, or use a document delivery service such as CARL. We consider subscribing to highly requested titles. In some cases, for relatively inexpensive titles (often Nursing journals), we've found it's cheaper to subscribe than pay the document delivery and/or copyright fees.

53.5 RESPONSE - 1997 JOURNAL RENEWALS AND CANCELLATIONS From: Jerry Perry, Rush University <perry@lib.rpslmc.edu>

I would like to share with BLABers news from our annual review of serials at the Library of Rush University in Chicago. BTW, I have submitted a poster abstract for the MLA Seattle meeting re: our five years (!!!) worth of cancellations, and hopefully it will be selected.

At Rush, we have just concluded our fifth annual review of subscriptions with an eye to canceling unused or cost-ineffective titles. This year, I looked at titles with 5 or fewer uses as recorded by our ILS system, which records internal, external and renewal circulations. This number is not an absolute but an indicator.

Since this was our fifth year of such a review, there were very few titles left with insubstantial use. Once I eliminated free publications and those too recently added to be considered, I had a "universe" of only 22 titles from a current subscription base of approx. 1,950.

I plugged these little-used critters into a LOTUS 1-2-3 spreadsheet, adding the following variables: cost ('96 dollars), whether the title has been considered for cancellation in the last three years, if Rush faculty/staff have published in the title in the last 5 years and how many articles, SCI/SSCI Impact Factor, availability at our neighbor the archival University of Illinois at Chicago Library of the Health Sciences, and inclusion in UnCover/Current Contents table of contents services. This spreadsheet at a glance says a lot about the relative value of an individual title.

Years ago I used a mathematical algorithm including costs of shelving space, shelvers, ILL and binding plus subscription cost and usage to identify a cost- effectiveness ratio for each title. I found that essentially all things fairly equal, the prime variables were use and cost. So I "stopped the insanity" and continual challenge to my non-existent math skills and now focus on variables that have "emotional" merit to our customers (ie. Impact Factor, availability next door, etc.).

I circulated my spreadsheet/brief list of candidates to an assortment of formally appointed faculty/staff liaisons, interested others, department heads and anyone else I thought would care. I gave them a month to get back to me with their suggestions, covering the spreadsheet list with a letter also asking for recommendations of NEW subscriptions. More about that later.

I mounted a PR campaign (our usual procedure) within the Library with an entrance-way poster about the project, I made lots of copies of my spreadsheet and gave them out at the Reference and Circulation Desks, and I hung notices with each title in it's location in our stacks and current issue display areas. I published a blurb in our newsletter.

I only heard back from 28 people re: the cancellations. Not surprising, given the small number of titles and the fact that all but one have been considered previously for canceling. These titles really are not worth saving, and I think most of our customers know it! There were objections to my canceling only 4 titles!

I will publish the final list of titles to be dropped in our Library's next newsletter, and I have sent it via e-mail to my CD peers at neighboring health sciences libraries in Chicago.

Now, about those NEW titles. Because we have judiciously canceled titles and conservatively added new subscriptions these past five years, I find myself in the enviable position of affording to add a significant number of titles this year. This has admittedly been facilitated by a benefaction two years' running from our Medical Center's management team (we are essentially a academic/hospital library hybrid) to support our serials purchases over and above the rate of inflation. This benefaction I feel stems directly from our judicious, very well-promoted and scrupulous cancellations procedures! The money is a vote of confidence. We will be able to afford to add about 40 titles this year, I think, which is very exciting. Among them will be a few electronic web-based subscriptions where access is limited by IP address, a method I am OK with.

The lesson I've learned after 5 years of cancellations is that you need to explain calmly, clearly and continuously why you are canceling titles, and you need to add new subscriptions as often as feasible to show people you are trying to respond to their changing needs. It helps a lot to toot your horn often in the confident hope that someone will hear.

53.6 INQUIRY -- NURSING COLLECTION POLICY

From: Peg Allen <pallen@tcccom.net>

Nursing Librarians Survey - collection development and liaison roles

As co-author of the Collection Development chapter of the forthcoming revised ed. of the NLN book on library services for nursing, I would like to draw on the experience of others in addition to my own.

Would those of you with collection development policies for nursing please send me a copy, along with a description of the nursing programs served? I'm looking for policies supporting varying types of nursing education programs and/or clinical practice.

Also, I'm interested in surveying nursing librarians/library liaisons regarding their roles in collection development and library instruction. If willing to respond to a short answer E-mail survey, please send me a note. Or, complete and return the survey reproduced below. Results will be shared with all respondents.

If you know a nursing librarian who does not belong to NAHRS, would you please share this request? You could also recruit them for NAHRS!

Please answer as many questions as you can; feel free to skip any where you don't know.

1. What "duties" are included in your liaison role?

2. Are you a member of any nursing/nursing school committees? If yes, please list and describe role/value.

3. How are nurses involved in collection development?

4. Do you have a separate budget for nursing resources?

5. How much do you spend annually on nursing books? (estimate is fine)

6. How much do you spend annually on nursing journals? (estimate is fine)Also, number of nursing subscriptions?

7. What tools do you use in collection development? (Check those that apply & add others):

__ Brandon-Hill list for nursing __ AJN Books of the year __ Doody's Reviews __ Choice reviews __ Book reviews in nursing journals __ Interlibrary loan records __ Others:

8. Who makes the final determination on what is purchased for nursing?

9. What databases are available for nursing: __ MEDLINE __ CINAHL __ RNdex __ HealthSTAR (old Health) __ ERIC __ PsycLIT (or ClinPsyc) __ HAPI __ Others:

10. If your role includes instruction for nursing, please describe type of instruction program. Is course integrated, separate course, workshops/continuing education, other? How many hours/credits/CEUs are in the offerings? Basic content?

11. Other comments you'd like to add on liaison role?

12. May I quote you by name and affiliation?

Finally, about you (please complete even if you don't want to be quoted):

Name & affiliation/location:

Nursing population: (Check all that apply):

__ Practicing nurses (staff, managers,etc.) __ Nursing faculty __ ADN students __ Diploma nursing students __ BSN students __ Master's degree students __ Doctoral nursing students __ Nurse researchers __ Others (specify):

Thanks for volunteering! Peg

Margaret (Peg) Allen, MLS-AHIP Library/Information Consultant Resource Librarian Consultant for Cinahl Information Systems Library Consultant for Northern Wisconsin AHEC, Inc. PO Box 2, 308 Kann, Stratford, WI 54484-0002 (715)687-4976 or (715)687-2287 Fax:(715)687-4976 pallen@tcccom.net

53.7 INQUIRY: SERIALS DIRECTORIES THAT INCLUDE ELECTRONIC VERSIONS From: Cindy Cline, Univ. of Kentucky <MCLCINDY@UKCC.uky.edu>

I am wondering if any of the serial vendors are adding information to their catalogs to indicate which titles are available electronically. It seems that since vendors have established relationships with the publishers that information about electronic access could be distributed through the vendors.

53.8 INQUIRY -- AMA DIRECTORY LICENSING RESTRICTIONS From: Eric D. Albright, Northwestern Univ. <maldacht@duke.edu>

[Editor's Note: This problem reared its head about three or four years ago, but it would be interesting to know if anyone is still fighting the battle or if we have capitulated ...]

Is anyone else concerned about the AMA's licensing agreement for use of the print _Directory of Physicians in the United States_? All of the provisions are actions we already take for our own convenience: Copyright notices on copiers, and "DOP shall be designated as reference texts only and Licensee will not circulate DOP, and that DOP shall not leave Licensee's facilities or be part of any interlibrary loan program."

I am uncomfortable with limiting our options, even if they are our preferred method of operation. We may want to make an exception and loan the book to the Dean's Office for a week and under this license we would be forbidden from doing so. How are other institutions handling this? I imagine we will sign the contract because it is heavily used text, but I thought I would seek others opinions. My apologies if this has been discussed before.

53.9 INQUIRY - 1997 SUBSCRIPTION RATES FOR JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY From: Barbara Schader, UCLA <bschader@library.ucla.edu>

[Editor's Note: This is extracted from a fuller discussion of the budgeting and collection management challenges posed by electronic journals; it should appear in full form in a future issue of the Newsletter on Serials Pricing Issues.]

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) announced their 1997 rates for the print and online versions of JBC. The comparison rates are: 1996 1997 % increase INSTITUTIONAL RATES Print Only $1150 $1400 17% Online Only $200 $1100 475% Print/Online $1350 $2500 85%

The increase in the print version, at 17% seems a bit high but then JBC is a prolific journal. The 475% increase for the electronic version appears astronomical but the 1996 pricing was basically an introductory offer. It will be important to watch pricing for 1998. However, regardless as to how one justifies the figures, this is still an 85% increase in one year!!! At UCLA, we have 2 print subscriptions (in two separate libraries) and one electronic subscription. In 1996, the print subscriptions had over 2500 circulation and inhouse uses. We do not feel we can cancel our print subscriptions, but we also want the electronic version as faculty love it! (I think in time, the use of the print copies will diminish, and more individuals will be optimally electronically connected, so we will be able to eventually cancel 1 or both print copies. However, for the near term, we will continue to subscribe to print and electronic versions since we still have a substantial number of faculty and students who do not have any easy access to high end microcomputers and printers and the internet.

If any of you have looked at the JBC website announcing the 1997 subscription prices (http://www-jbc.stanford.edu/jbc/home/sub/cost.shtml#1997), you see that ASBMB bases the print subscription increase entirely (on) increased cost of producing the Journal. The institutional online cost is touted as quite a bargain for a site license and for the added values of search capabilities, links to MEDLINE and other data sources. Finally ASBMB urges institutions to drop their print copies when possible in favor of the electronic version.

ASBMB also states they are committed to providing an archive product. No details are given on how this will be done.

I contacted ASBMB to see if they would offer any price break since UCLA will continue to subscribe to both print subscriptions plus the online subscription. The answer was NO.

I would be interested in hearing what other institutions plan on doing with their JBC subscription and what your thoughts are in general regarding archiving, pricing of electronic journals, and dual print and electronic subscriptions.

53.10 NOTICE: NEW U.S. GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS From: The Editor

The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Office of Applied Statistics has recently issued two more of the very useful statistical reports based on the Drug Abuse Warning Network. Advance Report no.17 covers 1995 Preliminary Estimates of Drug-Related Emergency Department Episodes; Advance Report no. 16 covers 1978-1994 Estimates of Drug-Related Emergency Department Episodes. Both are available from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (301-468-260O) or on the SAMHSA Web site: www.samhsa.gov.

Another meaty document that has recently arrived is: Disability Statistics Report: Disability in the United States; Prevalence and Causes, 1992. (Report 7 from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, issued August 1996). The authors are Mitchell P. LaPlante and Dawn Carlson.It's available for $5.00 from the National Rehabilitation Information Center (800-346-2742, web site: http://www.naric.com/naric/).

53.11 NOTICE : WWWEBSTER DICTIONARY From: The Editor

Longtime readers of BLAB will perhaps remember that My Stupid Big Brother is a major honcho at Merriam-Webster, so I have to help promote M-W or risk getting beaten up. Anyway, the full Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary is now available for free on the Web at http://www-lj.eb.com/mw. It's surprisingly good.