Rules of thumb for deselecting, relocating, and retaining bound journals

Abstract

Purpose – Like many other academic libraries, Joyner Library at East Carolina University has experienced pressure in recent years to convert stacks space to other uses. The rise of electronic collections coupled with the changing perception of libraries from book warehouses to service points forces librarians to rethink their collection management strategies, concomitantly reducing print collections. The purpose of this article is to recommend specific strategies that will assist librarians engaged in a large-scale deselection project.

Design/methodology/approach – First, librarians, staff, and graduate assistants developed a workflow to examine print journals for which the library has online archival holdings in order to de-duplicate the collection. Librarians also determined which titles might be stored based on some online availability and length of print run. Third, librarians led a subject-based review to determine which titles should be retained in the general circulating collections.

Findings – Examination proved that most online journals archives, including publisher packages, are adequate replacements for print serials volumes. Many other journal titles can safely be sent to storage rather than retained in the general circulating collections.

Practical implications – Libraries must manage their print collections differently in light of space issues and the conversion of scholarship from print to electronic format.

Originality/value – This article establishes clear principles to guide libraries' decisions on deselecting, storing, and retaining print serials volumes.