Since 2008, the University Libraries has actively moved serials subscriptions to electronic format in order to provide 24/7 access to the OU community and to slow the growth of our physical collections.  In FY17, approximately 80% of our serial subscriptions were available only in electronic format.  The University Libraries establishes electronic subscriptions for journals providing perpetual access guarantees to the content for which we have paid.

Because most serials no longer have current print equivalents in our campus facilities, and/or have stable electronic equivalents available, many are excellent candidates for storage or deselection.  In 2015 and 2017, librarians completed serials review projects with a commitment to retain materials that support core research and teaching activities.  Materials identified for deselection fall into one or more of the following categories:

• have stable physical or digital access options available to the University of Oklahoma community (see below)
• have small or scattered holdings
• are abstracting journals
• do not cover current areas of research and teaching
• have rarely been requested from storage for interlibrary loan or Sooner Xpress requests
• are duplicate holdings within our system

Stable physical access options:

• Item is held by the Western Storage Trust (WEST)
  • WEST preserves and provides access to the scholarly print record.  Its membership consists of over 100 academic and research institutions.  Materials held in WEST facilities are available via interlibrary loan.
• Item is held by JSTOR print archives 
  • JSTOR print archives are preserved at the Center for Research Libraries, of which the University Libraries is a member institution.  The California Digital Library and Harvard also act as paper repositories for JSTOR. 

Stable digital access options:

• Item is available full text online via HathiTrust
  • HathiTrust is a partnership of over 100 major research institutions and libraries working to ensure that the cultural record is preserved and accessible for future scholars.  Most online full text serials available at HathiTrust are government publications or pre-1923 imprints and no longer subject to copyright.
• Item is available via perpetual access agreement 
  • The University Libraries has a commitment to acquiring perpetual access rights to subscribed journals.  Perpetual access rights provide continuing access to the purchased content of a journal title, even if the subscription is cancelled in the future.  The University Libraries has also purchased archives of many journals; these, too, have perpetual access rights.

Our storage facilities:

The University Libraries currently maintains library materials in two small storage sites on campus and three larger sites off-campus, all within the Norman city limits.  Our newest facility, the Library Service Center, is climate-controlled, housing collections and serving as the primary workplace for library personnel from our Acquisitions, Cataloging & Metadata, and Knowledge Services units.  Our off-site facilities primarily hold duplicate and low-use materials.

Excel files of final 2015 and 2017 serial decisions are available for download below.