COLLECTION MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE

Collection management strategies in a digital environment:

The Collection Management Initiative (CMI) is a UC-wide research project funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. From October 2001 through September 2002, selected print journals in UC libraries for which electronic access is available through the California Digital Library, were temporarily removed from the shelf. During the study, researchers relied primarily on the electronic version of these journals. If a faculty member, graduate or undergraduate student needed to consult the print version, the volume could be temporarily brought back for use or a photocopy could be provided. Usage data was gathered, and researcher experiences and preferences will be assessed. The UC Davis Libraries are serving as experimental sites for 46 of the 298 titles in the study or 15% of the total. We also are serving as a control library for 9 titles.

The project has been designed to: 1) document the change in patterns of use for digital and print versions of selected journal titles when print is relocated to storage; 2) determine the costs in selecting and storing paper copies of journals for which online access is available; 3) determine the resulting impacts on library budgets, facilities, and services, 4) identify opportunities for further collaboration among the University of California libraries.

After evaluating the study results, the University will use what has been learned to develop strategies, policies and programs for the future management of library collections consisting of both digital and print formats. More information on the project can be found at: http://www.ucop.edu/cmi .