New Preprint: "Deal or No Deal? : Evaluating Big Deals and Their Journals"

Title
Deal or No Deal? : Evaluating Big Deals and Their Journals (38 pages; PDF)
Authors
Deborah D. Blecic (U. of Illinois at Chicago)
Stephen E. Wiberley Jr. (U. of Illinois at Chicago)
Joan Fiscella (U. of Illinois at Chicago)
Sara Bahnmaier-Blaszczak (U. of Michigan)
Rebecca Lowery (U. of Illinois at Chicago)
Source
College and Research Libraries
The article was accepted for publication during December, 2011. The anticipated date for publication is January, 2013
Abstract

This paper presents methods to develop metrics that compare Big Deal journal packages and the journals within those packages. Deal-level metrics guide selection of a Big Deal for termination. Journal-level metrics guide selection of individual subscriptions from journals previously provided by a terminated deal. The paper argues that while the proposed metrics provide helpful quantitative data for comparative analysis, selection of individual subscriptions must also involve informed judgment about a library’s subject coverage needs and alternative sources of access. The paper also discusses how replacing a Big Deal with a reduced number of individual subscriptions may affect the collections.

Direct to Full Text (38 pages; PDF)

Filed under: Academic Libraries, Data Files, Journal Articles, Libraries, Publishing