Leveraging the Collections Budget: Best Practices in Assessing Information Resources Users Need Leslie Horner Button Associate Director for Collection Services UMass Amherst Libraries Slide 1

Introduction Prior to 2004, the UMass Amherst Libraries engaged in measuring user service needs but not information resource needs. Factors contributing toward creating a programmatic approach to information resource assessment: ILLiad software acquired in Collections budget had not kept pace with resource inflation 5 College Libraries jointly licensing of SFX in summer 2003 Turnover of 60% top library management in January 2004 Staff committed to analyzing data from all available resource measurement tools Slide 2

Setting the Stage Slide 3 January 2004, the Libraries: Subscribed to 4,718 print journals spending 41% ($2.2m) of a $5.3 budget on them Spent 28% of budget on electronic resources Collections budget had not kept pace with inflation Perceived very few print journals purchased were used by faculty or students Had not gathered any quantitative data on actual use of unbound journals Recognized growing user demand for desktop access 24/7

Assessment Takes Shape … Slide 4 By June 2004, three steps towards meaningful information resource assessment took shape through : Gathering in-house use for unbound print journals Exporting ILL article borrowing reports for in excess of copyright allowance from ILLiad Creation of Three-Year Plan All assessment data posted to staff intranet The Libraries now rely on a variety of software tools to gather data on information resources uses seek including: Circulation and use data from ILS ILLiad article and book borrowing requests SFX canned queries This poster session outlines how the Libraries have used these tools to inform selection decisions and possible next steps.

Three-Year Plan … Slide 5 Outlined three areas to improve service to users: Information resources User-Focused Service Environment Library as Place These strategic areas were formulated on the following user expectations : 24/7 access to resources, services and facilities Maximize effectiveness of current resources Connect users to information resources in a seamless manner

Information Resources Slide 6 Action items for Information Resources in plan highlighted the need to: Analyze print resource usage in light of user demand for online content Analyze ILL document delivery and borrowing to help inform selection decisions Expand access to collections we do not own Explore cooperative collection development opportunities Preserve the collection we own Work on the first two action items had started by the time the plan was approved.

ILL Metrics: Borrow or Own? Slide 7 Starting with 2002 and 2003 ILLiad article borrowing data, a process to analyze cost effectiveness of borrowing vs. ownership was instituted: ILL staff exported report of articles borrowed in excess of copyright at end of calendar year Spreadsheet contained title, total number of requests per title, cost of borrowing through ILL, cost of subscription and net cost were Multiplied number of requests times $30 (then average cost of $30 of ILL borrowing. ILL staff researched subscription price and added to it spreadsheet.

Rewards of Article Analysis Since 2004: Each subsequent years ILL borrowing data integrated into master analysis spreadsheet showing requests since 2002 Able to get royalty cost for articles borrowed from Copyright Clearance Center. Use that instead of $30 to calculate borrowing cost. ILL data now uploaded to Ulrichs Serials Analysis System to get publisher, price and format availability information (e.g., automate process) Analysis of article borrowing assumed new meaning in 2005 when it became obvious that it was more cost- effective to subscribe to 93 of the 203 heavily requested ILL titles Slide 8

Print Subscription Use Analysis Slide 9 In June 2004, a process for gathering in-house use statistics for the print journals was developed: Created dummy item records for each subscribed title Embedded unique barcode into item Trained students to scan in-house use prior to re- shelving issues Exported in-house use data monthly Posted that data to staff intranet

Quantitative Data on Print Slide 10 Analysis of in-house use from July June 2005 revealed : 141 of the 4,718 print subscriptions received 73% of the total in-house use 1,562 of the subscriptions received 26% of the total in-house use 1,733 were never re-shelved by staff This quantitative data: Supported the three-year goal plan to maximize the effectiveness of resources Started a systematic approach to gather print resource use in light of increased demand for online resources Provided data to share with faculty on whether the Libraries were providing access to the right stuff

With Print Use Data in Hand … Slide 11 Journal review projects took shape: Review phased in two stages – the 1st focusing on journals costing $1,000 or more and 2 nd on journals costing $200-$999 Sought input from key internal and external stakeholders Integrated use statistics for online journals where access was free by virtue of print subscriptions and removed journals with high print and/or online use Proposed to Faculty Senate Research Library Council to drop little used journals and redirect money toward electronic resources and heavily requested ILL journals

Print Review Outcome Slide 12 Overall Libraries proposed to drop 460 little used print subscriptions Faculty provided rationale for retaining 130 (28%) of 460 journals Libraries redirected approximately $300,000 to purchase 49 heavily requested electronic resources and 93 heavily requested ILL journals Similar review process used to review lists of print subscriptions Libraries proposed to convert to e-only in September 2007

Using SFX Queries to Assess User Information Needs Slide 13 In 2006 SFX canned queries were introduced to metrics used to assess user information needs, particularly: Journal Requested but No Full-Text Delivered Electronic resources staff review this data to fix errors in target activation/configuration Once errors corrected, integrate results into fiscal year spreadsheet to measure requests over time Integrate data into ILL analysis spreadsheet for overall view of user demand Use this data when analyzing cost-benefit of new e-journal packages Can inform online backfiles purchases

Other Uses for ILLiad Data Slide 14 ILLiad article request data has benefit beyond the cost of borrowing analysis. For example, consolidated request lists created at fiscal year: Allows library liaisons able to see faculty and students requests in their assigned departments Keeps faculty informed what their graduate students might need Focuses on whether the Libraries are providing access to resources to support teaching, learning, and research ILLiad book requests can inform Books to digitize through the BLC Open Content Alliance Adjustments in the BLC Cooperative Approval Plan Music

Conclusion Slide 15 There is a need for more data analysis to integrate other information resource assessment into the existing program: Explore additional SFX canned queries (e.g., full- text not accessed) Formalize process to measure value of electronic resources in meeting user information needs Implement collection analysis recommendations outlined in Develop coordinated strategy to demonstrate value libraries provide and the need for additional resources Users depend on our ability to supply information resources they need when they need it. Analyzing data is one way to find out what they need!

Slide 16 Questions? Contact: Leslie Horner Button