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Serials Review Projects: 2019 Projects Archive

Renewed Subscriptions

In 2019, the Library reviewed its subscriptions to several journal packages of varying size and cost. When usage data indicated that the titles in a journal package continued to be valuable to our campus researchers and that it was cost-effective to continue the existing subscription, it was renewed without changes.

Cambridge University Press

After detailed analysis, we concluded that retaining the complete Cambridge University Press journal package was not cost-effective at current rates. However, we were able to negotiate a new pricing structure that allowed us to retain the package at a more sustainable cost. Following that satisfactory negotiation, we committed to a three-year renewal contract (2020-2022).

Emerald Publishing

The OSU Library renewed our existing subscriptions to journals in the Emerald management and engineering packages for a three-year contract, 2020-2022.

Mary Ann Liebert

The OSU Library renewed our subscription package from the publisher Mary Ann Liebert without changes for 2020.

Royal Society of Chemistry

Based on the usage and cost-per-use data of the Royal Society of Chemistry package, as well as the subscription prices for individual titles, we found that continuing the current subscription would be the most cost-effective option that best served our users' research needs. The subscription package was renewed without changes for 2020. Because of the high price of this subscription package, it may be reviewed again before the 2021 renewal deadline.

Sage Publishing

The OSU Library renewed our contract for the Sage journal package without changes through 2021. This is an "all-access" deal that provides our users with access to the majority of Sage's journal catalog.

Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics

This package includes 17 titles published by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. It was renewed without changes for 2020.

Springer and Nature

The Springer journal package, which includes selected Nature titles, is among the largest to which OSU subscribes, including 1596 titles in 2019. Overall, usage of the titles in this package was very strong. Retaining the complete package represents a significant financial commitment, but was the most cost-effective means of providing campus researchers with ongoing access to titles whose need had been demonstrated.

We accepted a new four-year contract (2020-2023) with fixed annual price increases for these titles.

Modified Subscriptions

Institute of Physics

In 2019, the Library reviewed its subscription to the Institute of Physics journal package. While many titles in that package exhibited strong usage, others had been used only rarely during the past three years. Based on the usage and cost-per-use data, the subscription prices for individual titles, and feedback from the affected department, we elected to discontinue the package and instead retain subscriptions to selected titles whose value to researchers was apparent. At the same time, we purchased electronic back files to complete our holdings of certain titles.

The spreadsheet below lists retained and non-retained titles. Note that it includes only journals that are currently active. The library also retains many previously purchased volumes of online IOP titles that have ceased publication or merged with other journals.

University of California Press

The library had a subscription to a small bundle of journals through the University of California Press, which was reviewed in 2019. Based on the usage and cost-per-use data of the package, the subscription prices for individual titles, and extensive alternate availability through aggregator databases, we elected to discontinue the package and instead retain subscriptions to selected titles whose value to researchers was apparent.

The spreadsheet below lists retained and non-retained titles. Note that content from many of the journals whose subscriptions were not retained is still available through JSTOR and other library databases.

Individual Subscriptions

A large number of the library's serials subscriptions are not part of a package. Rather, we subscribe to them individually. In 2019, the library reviewed our active individual subscriptions, both to online journals and print periodicals.

Upon concluding our review, we elected to retain subscriptions to 616 titles. Subscriptions to 68 titles (19 print, 49 electronic) were not maintained.