Around Academic Libraries, New Cuts and Charges
Washington U. closes two libaries; others cut, save subscriptions
Lynn Blumenstein -- Library Journal, 9/17/2009
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- WU closes locations more reliant on digital resources
- UNC to rely on ILL, paid articles
- Toronto charges scholars for access
Academic libraries are feeling the pinch of budget cuts and adjusting services in a variety of ways. Last month UCLA announced the proposed closure of the arts library and chemistry libraries. Now Washington University (WU) in St. Louis announced that it closed its biology and math libraries.
Those two satellite libraries are in disciplines that rely on digital resources, and usage has decreased. Their collections are now housed in the main library on campus, according to Student Life.
Redundant journal subscriptions were eliminated, as were copy machines and other equipment. The two library assistants were moved to the main library. WU’s library budget was cut 12 percent this year. If the library loses funding next year, more satellite libraries may have to be closed, the newspaper reported.
Toronto charges for scholarly access
Meanwhile, the University of Toronto (UT) has announced that it will begin charging grad students and researchers from other universities CAD $200 ($95 for seniors) for annual access to its collections, according to the Globe and Mail. Beginning October 1, those who visit the campus to conduct research must pay the fee.
The publicly funded institution loaned out 80,000 items last year to visiting researchers, according to the newspaper, and the university wants visiting scholars to share the burden of that cost. "The costs of running a library this big and this good are staggering and we are staggering under it," University of Toronto provost Cheryl Misak told the newspaper. "We really have to find a fairer way of maintaining this precious resource."
"I would note that we are only increasing the fees which we have always charged for borrowing privileges for visiting scholars, Lari Langford, head, access and information services, Robarts Library, UT, told LJ. "We provide free access to the collections in all the libraries, but do charge for borrowing privileges. Now we are adding a fee for borrowing for Canadian graduate students and faculty, under our Canadian reciprocal borrowing agreement."
Budget cuts affect subscriptions at UNC
At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), some 800 journal titles will be cut across several disciplines.
The journals aren’t the most popular, but according to Christie Degener, director of resource management services with the health sciences library, "We are now down to issues people use," she told Chapel Hill News. "We've gotten beyond the fat." Librarians will rely on interlibrary loan or purchase an individual article, if necessary.
A debate among alums
Vassar College is cutting back library hours, closing at midnight instead of 1:30 a.m. On the alumni/ae blog, The Rose and the Gray, one alumnus lamented the cuts, suggesting that evening hours were more important than morning ones.
In response, an alumna, now an MLS student, suggested that it was a "middle-of-the-road" approach that could have been much worse.
Good news for U. of Georgia
It’s not all bad news for university libraries. At the University of Georgia, Athens, the provost’s office has awarded $677,000 to the libraries to prevent the cancellation of more journal subscriptions. Last year, some 600 titles were cancelled, owing to budget cuts, according to the Red and Black student newspaper .
The funds will save 1000 titles from cancellation. The university library’s 9000 subscriptions cost an estimated $6 million, according to the newspaper.
Contact the author: Lynn.LJarticles@gmail.com
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Around Academic Libraries, New Cuts and Charges
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