News

Library's Electronic Journal Collection Growing

14-Oct-2009

Academic libraries worldwide are moving aggressively to convert their journal subscriptions from print to electronic. In an effort to assess and improve services, the ISU library regularly surveys users via LibQUAL+. The survey results show a consistent desire that the library acquire more electronic journals. The Iowa State University Library has made great strides in converting its journal collection from print to electronic in the last decade. In fiscal year (FY) 2000 the number of electronic journals was not even tracked. At the end of FY04 the library subscribed to 10,685 paid electronic serials and 11,341 print titles; a 49% to 51% split between electronic and print. At the end of FY08 the number was 31,820 paid electronic subscriptions and 10,013 print; a ratio of 76% electronic to 24% paper. The just completed FY09 data shows 54,225 paid electronic subscriptions and 10,401 paper subscriptions; a ratio of 84% electronic to 16% paper. In just five years the ratio of electronic to paper subscriptions has changed from predominantly print to heavily electronic.

Not all serial titles received by the ISU Library require payment, however. There are a number of journals that are received at no charge, or are included in an aggregator package where the cost of individual titles cannot be separated out. Internally collected data show how fast the total e-journal holdings (paid and other) have been growing. At the end of FY07 the total number currently received titles (paid and other) was 40,510. By the end of FY09 this number had grown to 81,797; an increase of over 100%.

The transition of the ISU Library's journal subscriptions from a print format to an electronic format is an ongoing, but rapidly evolving, process.