Resources for Users Committee -- Minutes
August 25, 2000 -- 10:00 AM
Alderman Library, University of Virginia
Gene Damon, Presiding
Present: Karen Cary, Gene Damon, Jacque Dessino, Sharon Gasser, Pat Hausman, Sandra Kerbel, Pamela Morgan, Susanna Pathak, Kathy Perry, Jim Rettig, Larry Thompson, John Walsh.
Absent: Sylvia Rortvedt, Michael Walker,
1. Announcements
Welcome to Karen Cary, from VCU, who will be taking Susanna Pathak's place on the committee. (Many thanks to Susanna for all of her great work!)
2. Changes to agenda
No changes
3. Approval of Minutes of July 21, 2000 meeting
Jim Rettig noted that he was not present. Minutes approved as changed by consensus.
4. Budget (K. Perry)
A spreadsheet illustrating VIVA budgets for the first three biennia of its existence (1994-2000) along with estimates for the 2000-2002 biennium, highlighting the percentage of total funds spent directly on collections, was distributed.
A spreadsheet showing projected expenditures for total VIVA budget for this fiscal year was distributed.
Updated issue of Kathy's usual spreadsheet was distributed:
* Uncommitted balance of $582,000, even with the FirstSearch "Reserve" fund.
* RUC members should check on possible price increases in products coming up for renewal.
* All renewals for 1/1/01 or earlier are needed for October RUC meeting.
5. Feedback from Steering Committee Retreat
Overall the retreat was viewed as successful.
The major issues of discussion at the retreat included:
* Buy more electronic resources.
* Step back a bit from developing a cost-sharing model at this point. (e.g. there will be no recalculations of AP cost apportion logarithm at this time.)
* ILL statistics show significant increase in books (30%) but none in articles. In terms of gross numbers, however, articles account for 67% of our traffic. There is a need to analyze article requests by journal title.
The RUC discussed the ILL issue for some time:
* Similar to project undertaken by STM CCM in the past in that we are gathering information on expensive (and duplicative held) titles within the State.
* The Steering Committee's approach is different in that we hope to get actual ILL use data to correlate with the title information.
Other relevant ILL-related issues discussed:
* How are e-journals fitting into the ILL process?
* What's being "caught" (i.e., not sending forward ILL requests for VIVA-sponsored e-journals).
* New developments in unmediated ILL.
* What about subsidized document delivery/pay per article? Susanna talked about project underway at VCU for document delivery. It is possible that VIVA might want to explore this area.
It was decided that we would look at the journal holdings in the State and ILL load on those journals to see if we can improve access by our selection of e-journals.
Sharon agreed to take on this project (because of all the great work she did with the aforementioned STM CCM). She may recruit other volunteers.
6. Renewals
Dow Jones
Kathy passed out material from John Tombarge presenting different renewal options (simultaneous use levels, etc.)
ACTION: RUC voted unanimously to recommend renewal at current user levels (includes a 5% price increase).
CIAO
ACTION: RUC voted unanimously to recommend renewal of current service if quoted price is less than a 10% increase over last year.
Academic Press
ACTION: There is an 8% price increase over last year. While the committee felt that price increases of AP were continually at the highest acceptable limits, the RUC none-the-less voted to recommend renewal.
There was discussion as to what cost sharing formula RUC would recommend for this year: (last year, institutions paid 60%)
1st option: Institutions pay 55% meaning that each school's share would be about the same as last year.
2nd option: Institutions pay 50%, meaning each school's share would be approximately 10% less than paid last year.
If schools pay more (55%) it means that VIVA will have $36,308.00 more in its central collections budget.
The vote was not unanimous.
ACTION: RUC voted 7-2 to recommend the 55% cost share for institutions.
7. IDEAL REVIEW
The review committee distributed both a copy of the survey instrument as well as graphic and statistical analytical summation of the responses.
There was considerable discussion of what was a basically favorable (though not a ringing endorsement by any means) review. However, the consideration of value still needs to be worked into the evaluation equation. While the survey is valuable, the committee wants to also be able to look at use levels and use patterns.
Results of this product review will be particularly far-reaching and include a number of questions:
renewal v. non-renewal
cost sharing with institutions (current VIVA model for this product only)
cost sharing ratio between VIVA and its members
consideration of local cancellation decisions of last few years.
8. Vendor Assignments Updates
APS/AIP/IOP: In discussion for possibility of contract for e-journals without cancellation of print restrictions. (Pat)
Ethnic Newswatch: In progress. (Jackie)
IEEE: No report. (John)
Nature: Institutional pricing to become available in September. VIVA is interested in entire family of journals. (Sandy)
Cambridge University Press: Working with U.S. representative on contract which does not require maintaining print subscriptions. (Pam)
Oxford University Press: Working with U.K. representative. No progress as yet. (Pam)
Project Muse: There are 110 titles for CY 2000. There will be 150 titles for CY 2001.
Janes (journals and yearbooks): Larry will follow up.
9. OCLC Update (John Walsh)
Transition to the new service has taken place for VIVA. (Thanks to John Duke). The Resource Management Team will closely monitor progress/assess problems during first month of implementation. With statistics available around 10/1 we (John and Kathy) will make recommendation for immediate port level increases (if any).
Please send reports of all problems with turnaways to John.
10. Other Business
Nursing journals Survey: Gene will contact Steve Stratton about the status of this project.
"Library Philosophy and Practice" journal article on three VIVA pilot projects (Project Confidence, Nursing Journals Core Collection, and Business/Economics) will appear in the next issue.
Karen will join the small group who will prepare for discussions with Elsevier (replacing Susanna).
Open Links: John Duke is currently working on getting all VIVA sponsored e-journals set up with this OVID feature. Individual schools can then enable additional access to e-journals for which they have access. Look for additional information on this soon.
Training Sub-Committee: Pat and Jackie will do VLA training. Pat will take over maintenance of Password Page. A third person (to replace Jane) will be added later.
Journals at OVID: There seems to be a problem with simultaneous users for each journal (how many, that is). Kathy will check on this.
Next meeting scheduled for October 6, 2000
August 25, 2000 -- 10:00 AM
Alderman Library, University of Virginia
Gene Damon, Presiding
Present: Karen Cary, Gene Damon, Jacque Dessino, Sharon Gasser, Pat Hausman, Sandra Kerbel, Pamela Morgan, Susanna Pathak, Kathy Perry, Jim Rettig, Larry Thompson, John Walsh.
Absent: Sylvia Rortvedt, Michael Walker,
1. Announcements
Welcome to Karen Cary, from VCU, who will be taking Susanna Pathak's place on the committee. (Many thanks to Susanna for all of her great work!)
2. Changes to agenda
No changes
3. Approval of Minutes of July 21, 2000 meeting
Jim Rettig noted that he was not present. Minutes approved as changed by consensus.
4. Budget (K. Perry)
A spreadsheet illustrating VIVA budgets for the first three biennia of its existence (1994-2000) along with estimates for the 2000-2002 biennium, highlighting the percentage of total funds spent directly on collections, was distributed.
A spreadsheet showing projected expenditures for total VIVA budget for this fiscal year was distributed.
Updated issue of Kathy's usual spreadsheet was distributed:
* Uncommitted balance of $582,000, even with the FirstSearch "Reserve" fund.
* RUC members should check on possible price increases in products coming up for renewal.
* All renewals for 1/1/01 or earlier are needed for October RUC meeting.
5. Feedback from Steering Committee Retreat
Overall the retreat was viewed as successful.
The major issues of discussion at the retreat included:
* Buy more electronic resources.
* Step back a bit from developing a cost-sharing model at this point. (e.g. there will be no recalculations of AP cost apportion logarithm at this time.)
* ILL statistics show significant increase in books (30%) but none in articles. In terms of gross numbers, however, articles account for 67% of our traffic. There is a need to analyze article requests by journal title.
The RUC discussed the ILL issue for some time:
* Similar to project undertaken by STM CCM in the past in that we are gathering information on expensive (and duplicative held) titles within the State.
* The Steering Committee's approach is different in that we hope to get actual ILL use data to correlate with the title information.
Other relevant ILL-related issues discussed:
* How are e-journals fitting into the ILL process?
* What's being "caught" (i.e., not sending forward ILL requests for VIVA-sponsored e-journals).
* New developments in unmediated ILL.
* What about subsidized document delivery/pay per article? Susanna talked about project underway at VCU for document delivery. It is possible that VIVA might want to explore this area.
It was decided that we would look at the journal holdings in the State and ILL load on those journals to see if we can improve access by our selection of e-journals.
Sharon agreed to take on this project (because of all the great work she did with the aforementioned STM CCM). She may recruit other volunteers.
6. Renewals
Dow Jones
Kathy passed out material from John Tombarge presenting different renewal options (simultaneous use levels, etc.)
ACTION: RUC voted unanimously to recommend renewal at current user levels (includes a 5% price increase).
CIAO
ACTION: RUC voted unanimously to recommend renewal of current service if quoted price is less than a 10% increase over last year.
Academic Press
ACTION: There is an 8% price increase over last year. While the committee felt that price increases of AP were continually at the highest acceptable limits, the RUC none-the-less voted to recommend renewal.
There was discussion as to what cost sharing formula RUC would recommend for this year: (last year, institutions paid 60%)
1st option: Institutions pay 55% meaning that each school's share would be about the same as last year.
2nd option: Institutions pay 50%, meaning each school's share would be approximately 10% less than paid last year.
If schools pay more (55%) it means that VIVA will have $36,308.00 more in its central collections budget.
The vote was not unanimous.
ACTION: RUC voted 7-2 to recommend the 55% cost share for institutions.
7. IDEAL REVIEW
The review committee distributed both a copy of the survey instrument as well as graphic and statistical analytical summation of the responses.
There was considerable discussion of what was a basically favorable (though not a ringing endorsement by any means) review. However, the consideration of value still needs to be worked into the evaluation equation. While the survey is valuable, the committee wants to also be able to look at use levels and use patterns.
Results of this product review will be particularly far-reaching and include a number of questions:
renewal v. non-renewal
cost sharing with institutions (current VIVA model for this product only)
cost sharing ratio between VIVA and its members
consideration of local cancellation decisions of last few years.
8. Vendor Assignments Updates
APS/AIP/IOP: In discussion for possibility of contract for e-journals without cancellation of print restrictions. (Pat)
Ethnic Newswatch: In progress. (Jackie)
IEEE: No report. (John)
Nature: Institutional pricing to become available in September. VIVA is interested in entire family of journals. (Sandy)
Cambridge University Press: Working with U.S. representative on contract which does not require maintaining print subscriptions. (Pam)
Oxford University Press: Working with U.K. representative. No progress as yet. (Pam)
Project Muse: There are 110 titles for CY 2000. There will be 150 titles for CY 2001.
Janes (journals and yearbooks): Larry will follow up.
9. OCLC Update (John Walsh)
Transition to the new service has taken place for VIVA. (Thanks to John Duke). The Resource Management Team will closely monitor progress/assess problems during first month of implementation. With statistics available around 10/1 we (John and Kathy) will make recommendation for immediate port level increases (if any).
Please send reports of all problems with turnaways to John.
10. Other Business
Nursing journals Survey: Gene will contact Steve Stratton about the status of this project.
"Library Philosophy and Practice" journal article on three VIVA pilot projects (Project Confidence, Nursing Journals Core Collection, and Business/Economics) will appear in the next issue.
Karen will join the small group who will prepare for discussions with Elsevier (replacing Susanna).
Open Links: John Duke is currently working on getting all VIVA sponsored e-journals set up with this OVID feature. Individual schools can then enable additional access to e-journals for which they have access. Look for additional information on this soon.
Training Sub-Committee: Pat and Jackie will do VLA training. Pat will take over maintenance of Password Page. A third person (to replace Jane) will be added later.
Journals at OVID: There seems to be a problem with simultaneous users for each journal (how many, that is). Kathy will check on this.
Next meeting scheduled for October 6, 2000