SERIALS FAQ

1. Can the MU Libraries save money by canceling print copies of journals and subscribing to electronic copies?
2. Can I donate a personal subscription of a journal to the libraries?
3. Whom can I contact in the libraries for more information or to express my concerns?
4. Why are serials such a problem?  
5. What can I do to help?

• We cancel print copies to subscribe to electronic ones when it is economically feasible to do so.

• The MU Libraries appreciates the generosity of the offer. However, most journal publishers set different prices for personal and institutional subscriptions. Receiving a personal subscription in the libraries would violate your subscription agreement.

• You may contact your subject librarian at any time with questions. If you don’t know who your librarian is, please check this list. You may also contact Ann Riley, Interim Director of the MU Libraries, for overall concerns.

• The price of journals continues to rise faster than inflation. According to data collected by the Association of Research Libraries, from 1986-2006, serial unit cost increased 180%. For the same period, the CPI increased 84%.  For 1986-2007, the MU Libraries materials budget increased 134%. However, to have kept pace with inflation for serials and monographs during those years, the materials budget would have had to increase 287% (assuming 7% inflation for all materials), or $8,203,936 as opposed to our actual budget of $4,961,939.
• But the problem is more than just a issue of serial prices. Journal publishers are buying out other publishers and creating new titles. Faculty are required to sign over copyright permission to the publisher. Libraries are asked to buy journals in electronic formats -which isn’t necessarily cheaper- and to maintain subsciptions to paper copies. Libraries often have to sign large package deals, e.g. all Elsevier titles, to get the “best” price. For more information, please visit our webpage on “Scholarly Communication“.

• Work with your subject librarian to identify titles to cancel. Try to select not only those titles whose cancellation will do the least harm, but also keep in mind those titles which may available via document delivery.
• Know the institutional price of those journals in which you publish.
• Support efforts by professional associations and other groups to identify sustainable and affordable ways to distribute scholarly information. 
• Insist on quality, not quantity, as the benchmark of scholarly excellence.
• Consider the publisher’s behavior, e.g. pricing, copyright policy, before either submitting for publication or agreeing to serve on an editorial board.
• Be sure to read your publisher’s copyright release before you sign it; you may find that you cannot offer online or print access to your own articles without prior permission.