Please note that this list may grow as we receive questions throughout this process.
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Q: Why is the Library making cancellations to electronic resources?
A: All Cal State LA divisions and colleges including the Library were developing plans to balance their budgets with a 12.4% reduction. After personnel salaries, the second largest expenditure in the Library is the cost of resources, particularly electronic resources like journal collections, databases, and individual journal subscriptions. Most of these resources are subscription-based, meaning they are subject to annual price increases, sometimes as high as 10%. The budget reduction, coupled with the subscription cost increases, has compelled the Library to make cancellation decisions. However, the Library strives to maintain as much essential access and coverage as possible within our limited budget to support teaching, learning, instruction, and research needs of the campus community..
Q: How can I access journal articles that the Library has cancelled?
A: Journal articles from canceled journals can be requested through Interlibrary Loan (ILL), Our ILL service is free of charge to students, faculty, and other members of the campus community. The ILL service typically offers quick turnaround times, generally within two to 48 hours.
Some journal articles can also be found as open-access or otherwise free-to-access content. Most open-access content can be found in OneSearch, and more can be found by searching sites such as Google Scholar and others on the open web. If you use the Cal State LA link for Google Scholar, you will be able to link back to OneSearch in order to request materials through CSU+ and ILL if needed.
Q: Could the Library save money by not purchasing physical books and materials in order to preserve electronic resources?
A: While it may seem like reducing spending on physical books and materials could help preserve electronic collections, this is not a feasible solution. Currently, approximately 95% of the library's materials budget is allocated to electronic resources. This includes databases, journal subscriptions, and other online tools critical to teaching and learning.
The remaining budget for physical collections is relatively small in comparison, so even significant cuts to it would not generate enough savings to offset the cost of maintaining electronic resources, which often experience annual price increases. Additionally, physical collections still play an important role in supporting student learning, particularly when online materials may not be available.
Q: What other cost-saving measures is the Library taking to manage the budget reduction?
A: The University Library has identified budget reduction strategies that minimize the impact on students and faculty. In addition to reducing the Library's acquisitions, licensing, and subscription budget, additional strategies include leaving vacant positions unfilled, reducing operational costs, and shifting the pay of student employees to federal work-study funding.
Q: Are all electronic resource subscriptions being considered for cancellation?
A: No. The cancellations are based on several factors, including content overlap, usage, cost efficiency, curriculum needs, and input from faculty and other campus stakeholders. Please visit the Cancellation Criteria and Process section of this website for more information. The Library continues to explore other collaborative funding sources, including cost-sharing with campus partners and alternative access methods. We will continue to engage with faculty, students, and other stakeholders throughout the cancellation process and welcome your feedback.
Q: Will all disciplines and majors/programs be expected to reduce the same number or cost of electronic resources?
A: No, not all disciplines or majors/programs will be expected to reduce the same number or cost of electronic resources. The cost of electronic resources can vary significantly, even among resources that are primarily used by the same discipline. Some resources may be considerably more expensive than others, depending on the subject area, publisher, or vendor. As a result, it’s not possible to implement a uniform reduction across all disciplines and majors/programs.
Unfortunately, this means that some disciplines/majors/programs may be more impacted than others, particularly if they rely heavily on high-cost resources. While the Library will strive to minimize disruptions and preserve access to key resources, some disciplines/majors/programs may face the cancellation of important databases or journals due to their high cost and relatively low use.
Our goal is to make these decisions strategically by considering a range of factors, including usage data, relevance to academic programs, overlap with other resources, and alignment with institutional priorities. While we recognize that these reductions will be challenging, we are committed to working closely with faculty and the campus community to ensure the most critical resources are retained to support teaching and learning.
Q: When will cancellations take effect?
A: Not all Library resources have the same subscription period, so the renewal date will be different for each resource. The dates of access of the canceled and planned to be canceled electronic resource cancellations are indicated on the cancellation list.
Q: How do I provide input on planned cancellations?
A: The Library would like to hear all questions, input, and suggestions. To discuss specific resources relevant to your discipline, please contact the liaison librarian for your department, who can be found on our Library Subject Specialists page. For general questions about the cancellation process and resources, please contact Holly Yu, Head of Collections, Discovery, and Content Management, or complete the online feedback form. For questions about the campus budget, please visit the Cal State LA Financial Transparency website.
The Library hosted a town hall meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024. A second town hall meeting has been planned for the fall of 2025 to provide updates on the Library collection budget and to answer any questions. Once the date of the second town hall is determined, a campus-wide invitation will be sent out.
No one is happy about having to make cuts to Library resources, and all librarians and Library staff are communicating with the campus community as best we can. Please remember to be kind as we all work through this difficult process during these challenging times.