As many of you are no doubt aware, Rod Library and the University Northern Iowa are not alone in facing the budgetary constraints that make this project necessary. Recurring materials budgets are not keeping pace with inflation, and journal prices continue to rise. The often-termed “crisis in scholarly communications” is virtually universal among academic libraries. While cooperative ventures have enabled Rod Library, and the other Regent university libraries in Iowa, to enhance access to the journal literature in some disciplines, current periodical and serial commitments must be reduced.

Rod Library and the subject bibliographers have sought to encourage input from the University faculty in the review process. The goal of the project is to reduce current periodical and serial combined expenditures by at least 10 percent. It is anticipated that doing so should enable the Library to cover projected inflationary increases in periodical subscriptions in FY 2006 – 2007 with no increase in recurring materials funds and no dramatic changes in commitments to other types of resources. The Library hopes to be able to initiate a modest number of new subscriptions as well.

Titles targeted for cancellation have been listed in the Proposed Cancellations section of this Web site. We encourage you to review the list and submit any comments or questions you may have during May 2006 to Katherine F. Martin, Head, Collection Management and Special Services Department, Rod Library, via phone (273-7255) or e-mail (katherine.martin@uni.edu). Cancellations to be initiated in FY 2006 –2007 will be finalized in summer 2006.

If you have any questions about the project, please contact me, or the appropriate subject bibliographer (see list available at http://www.library.uni.edu/cmss/subject.shtml)

Katherine Martin
Head, Collection Management and Special Services Department
Rod Library

May 2006