Re: Ebsco Full-Text Databases Post

[Marg Walker <marg.walker@chmeds.ac.nz>]

The demand for electronic access within our user group is such that we
will be considering cancelling our paper subscriptions in favour of
electronic copies.  We would expect to pay a fair subscription for this,
but we can't afford two subscriptions for the same journal.

FACTORS IN OUR USER DEMAND FOR ELECTRONIC One factor in the demand for
electronic is the reverse of the situation stated by David Goodman, who
noted that the electronic copy often had less content than the paper
version and no graphic material.  On the contrary we find that medical
publishers are sometimes providing additional material in the electronic
copy. The graphic material is also now appearing as a pdf download.

Other factors in the move to electronic are the currency (paper journals
take ages to reach the antipodes), and the immediacy (medics don't like to
walk to the library).  We won't be rushing to move to electronic for every
journal however, because even though the demand is high our perception is
that our users obtain better access to information via the paper copy.

JOURNAL BUDGETS AND THE MOVE TO ELECTRONIC Our budget is shrinking in
buying power each year.  We have been forced to cancel over one third of
our subscriptions in the last few years since the New Zealand Dollar has
dropped in value.  I know we are only a small player but it sounds as
though libraries world wide have less journal buying power.

All of the journals we purchase are considered essential by our users so
usage is important in deciding what to retain.  Journals which are
available online and which also have good usage will be the last to go.  
We would definitely have cancelled the American Journal of Medical
Genetics last year if it hadn't gone electronic and offered us an
advantageous subscription deal.  The cost per issue is appalling, even
though usage is high and the user group tell us the journal is essential.

Electronic journals are an administrative nightmare from our point of view
and society publishers are very difficult to deal with (they rarely answer
any communication). Aggregated online services are the only way to go and
we will deal with them wherever possible.  Non-aggregated services which
don't try to ensure that specific journals will remain with the service
aren't of any interest to us.

DOCUMENT DELIVERY VS PURCHASE Once we cancel a journal it is very
difficult for our users to obtain access to the journal since the cost of
interloans is prohibitive and most do not have the budget allowance to
interloan.  It would be wonderful if publishers could eventually find a
model where individual articles could be delivered at a reasonable cost.  
Somehow I feel that there must be a way to exploit this market while
maintaining income for the publisher.  Come on entrepreneurial publishers
- there must be a wunderkind who can make the technology work for us with
single view articles or some such?

That being said it must be difficult being a publisher out there at
present.

Regards
Marg Walker

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Marg Walker
Chief Librarian
Canterbury Medical Library
Christchurch School of Medicine
Christchurch Hospital
Private Bag 4345
Christchurch, New Zealand
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