Why is the library requiring cancellations now?
Until 2025, the library Acquisitions Budget had been using carryforward to offset inflation and postpone the need for subscription cancellations. However, the use of carryforward to postpone cancellations has always been a stopgap measure and the library has been planning for significant subscription reductions starting in 2025 or 2026. The library's collections carryforward is now gone and UNBC is confronting subscription cancellations starting this year. We have created this holistic review process to increase transparency as well as include time for thoughtful feedback to be gathered from faculty, staff and students.
How was the subscription review process created?
A Subscription Rationalization Working Group worked to develop the current process throughout 2024 and 2025, building on earlier work by the Collections & Acquisitions Librarian and Western Washington University Libraries' Subscription Review as well as Durrant, S. (2022). Using an Evaluation Grid to Holistically Assess Library Databases. Collection Management, 47(1), 20–36.
How have Interlibrary Loan (ILL) costs been factored into the subscription review?
ILL costs are not an explicit part of the subscription review process. However, UNBC's average cost per ILL transaction is approximately $4, making ILL a more affordable means of access than subscription for the majority of our low-use titles. Additionally, the Collections Librarian reviews ILL transactions on an annual basis to watch for journals that might be more affordable via subscription than via ILL.
How is the draft cancellation list created?
Throughout summer and fall, library personnel collect data on UNBC’s subscriptions. These data represent a blend of quantitative and qualitative criteria (detailed in the Subscription Evaluation Criteria section), each of which contributes a number of points towards a resource’s final score. Librarians use the lowest-scoring resources, as well as considering the broader landscape of our subscriptions portfolio, to generate the draft cancellation list, accumulating enough titles to reach our reduction target and offset any new subscription requests. Each subscription’s score will be included on the draft cancellation list. These scores are just the first stage in our decision-making process and will be supplemented by important qualitative feedback gathered throughout fall and winter.
Can you tell me more about the evaluation criteria?
The library looks at evaluation criteria in two stages. First, we apply a variety of qualitative and quantitative criteria to generate subscription scores and the resulting preliminary draft cancellation list. You can read more about these ‘stage one’ evaluation criteria (qualitative and quantitative) under Subscription Evaluation Criteria section.
In addition to the criteria used to generate the initial draft cancellation list, the library gathers qualitative input from faculty, staff, and students. These criteria—which center around what is important to you and your discipline—supplement the stage one data and provide critical context for final cancellation decisions. Everyone in the UNBC community is strongly encouraged to respond to our subscription review feedback survey, which is typically distributed in the fall semester.
Why does the library need to make changes to subscriptions?
Even without budget pressures compelling us to make reductions, making regular changes to our subscriptions—like cancelling existing subscriptions so we can add new ones—ensures that library collections remain aligned with current student, faculty, and staff needs. The university curriculum is changing all the time and we need to ensure that library collections are appropriately dynamic.
How does the library get usage statistics?
Usage statistics are provided to the Libraries by most (though not all) publishers and vendors. Many vendors provide usage reports that adhere to a standardized format (called COUNTER), detailing the number of full-text downloads (for journal articles), full-text section requests (e-books), searches and results clicks (databases), or multimedia content unit requests (streaming media). These standard metrics allow for relatively straightforward comparisons among subscriptions of the same format type. Other vendors provide non-standard usage reports, which are incorporated as best as possible into existing library workflows and analysis. Usage of print journals is tallied each time a print volume is replaced on the shelf.
How is the 3-year Cost Per Use (CPU) calculated?
Three-year CPU is equal to cost (each title’s most recent calendar year unit price as established by the publisher) multiplied by three, then divided by use (total number of uses over the past three calendar years). For journals, one use is equivalent to a single full-text article download (in either PDF or HTML format).
How will I be able to teach or do research if the library cancels subscriptions?
The library will strive to maximize access to research materials through aggregator databases, resource sharing networks, and Open Access. Our Interlibrary loan service can deliver articles in as little as a few hours, and we may be able to source some content from open repositories at other institutions. UNBC's subject librarians are also available to explore specific research needs and identify strategies for obtaining materials as efficiently as possible. Lastly, for new or emerging research areas, we continue to welcome new subscription requests. While adding new subscriptions in this budget environment will be challenging, it is not impossible, and we will do our best to meet UNBC’s evolving teaching, learning, and research needs.
Are there alternatives for access to journal articles other than ILLs?
The library subscribes to several full-text databases, such as Academic Search Complete, Business Source Complete, and ProQuest Newsstand. UNBC also owns perpetual access rights to most JSTOR journal content and major journal publishing content (including Sage, Wiley, etc.). Collectively, these article databases offer access to the full text of many journals, magazines, and newspapers.
In some cases, full-text article databases are not an exact substitute for a full journal subscription. Coverage may not include every article, letters to the editor, book review, or graphic (illustrations, charts, or maps). Additionally, many of the journals included in these types of databases have “embargo periods.” This means that the publisher of an embargoed title does not allow the database to release the full-text content for a predetermined length of time. Typically, databases are useful for accessing content older than 1 or 2 years.
Will I have a chance to provide feedback before a resource is cancelled?
Students, faculty, and staff will be invited to review potential cancellations in Winter semester and submit any retention requests via individual survey. Individuals will not be limited to a fixed number of requests.
If I use a resource regularly in my classes, will the library keep the subscription?
If a resource is used regularly as part of instruction, the usage should reflect that curricular need. To make sure your students’ use is counted, always provide access to course readings via course reserves or a permanent link embedded in Moodle—not by sharing the PDF. Library staff can help you build permanent URLs or add library resources to Moodle.
Will the library be budgeting less for books?
In the long term - no. The library will continue to identify effective means of providing books (and other owned resources with one-time costs) to its users. In addition, many disciplines still rely heavily on print material. However, in 2025, the Library has had to implement a 50% book budget cut while we work on identifying subscriptions to cancel. We intend that the book budget reduction will be a short-term solution while we reassess all subscriptions as a number of programs rely heavily on books
Can I suggest a new subscription?
Yes! Anyone may request a new subscription via their subject librarian or through a New Subscription Request Form. Requests received during Winter semester will be considered under the current year’s subscription review; titles requested in the Spring, Summer, or Fall semesters will be considered the next academic year. If selected for purchase, new subscriptions will begin the following year (e.g. a title submitted in Fall 2025 will be considered during the 2026-27 subscription review and, if selected, will start January 2027).
