Since 2011, the proportion of the materials budget spent on databases has steadily increased. As a result, in 2015-16 the OU Libraries reviewed subscriptions to databases, with the aim of reducing our annual database spend. Librarians reviewed usage counts in relation to the cost of each database, analyzed the overlap in coverage among databases, and considered the unique features of the databases. The reviews did not include sources whose primary function is to provide full text access to journal articles.

The following databases were canceled as a result of the 2015-16 database subscriptions review:

• Access Science
• Applied Science & Technology Retrospective
• Cabell's International - Business
• Europa World Plus
• Inspec
• Key Business Ratios
• NANOnetBASE
• OxResearch
• PHYSICSnetBASE
• ProQuest Atmospheric Science Collection
• ProQuest CSA Illustrata
• RIPM - Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals
• Social Science Electronic Data Library (SSEDL)
• Statistical Insight