May 15, 2001 updated June 5, 2001, June 8, 2001
Collection Development Committee

Issues to be Considered when Canceling Journals in Paper Format if we Subscribe to a Digital Version.

1. The University Libraries recognize that digital environment will continue to grow in importance in the future, not only within academe but outside it as well. To prepare undergraduates and graduate students to negotiate and effectively utilize this digital environment, we will offer them extensive access to this digital environment.
   
   
2. The University Libraries recognize that the scholarly community uses, and in some cases relies solely on, scholarly literature (monographs and journals) in a digital format.
   
   
3. The University Libraries are committed to delivering digital content to the above groups' desktop computer.
   
   
4. Since we now receive a significant portion of this scholarly literature in print and digital formats and pay for both, the University Libraries will review dual subscriptions and cancel the print copy when possible. The funds freed by these cancellations will go towards acquiring further digital packages.

Key Cancellation Criteria - Considering the above points, paper serial titles may be cancelled when digital journals meet the following criteria.

1. Content - All of the journal's articles must be provided and issued no later than the paper version. Other important content, such as letters, association announcements, etc., should be included in the digital version or accessible via the Internet.
   
   
2. Archival availability - Journal content, beyond the most recent issue/year, must be easily accessible at the desktop and owned by the library. If the publisher goes out of business or sells the content, the content owned by the library must be delivered to the library.
   
   
3. Server reliability - The speed of loading/accessing the content must meet Notre Dame users' expectations.
   
   
4. Licensing restrictions - The license must allow the cancellation of the paper serial title. The licensing agreement must not be overly restrictive regarding local use, i.e. simultaneous users allowed, printing of content allowed, Inter-Library Loan privileges, proprietary software/hardware restrictions, etc.
   
   
5. Image Quality - Illustrative materials (tables, photographs, artistic renderings, etc.) must be included in a legible and desktop accessible format.
   
   
6. Printing capability - The content must print from personal workstations or networked printers utilized at Notre Dame.
   
   
7. User Data - Vendors should provide regular use data for the titles that Notre Dame subscribes to.

The following criteria may also be considered when canceling the paper copy. These alone would not be a sole reason for not canceling the paper copy.

User prefers paper to digital format.

The journal or publisher has "branded" the site to show users that the University Libraries are a subscriber.

The journal content is, or will be in the future, linked to core indexes, e.g., Econlit.

A member of the Notre Dame community may be an editor/publisher of the journal.

Access must include effective search capability. For example, the digital version is unwieldy, e.g., too many "clicks" to access content.

Advertising on the site is not intrusive.

The print journal cover is available if it is of scholarly use.

Illustrative, audio and video content is useable and accessible from the desktop.

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