Being Earnest with Collections — Known Unknowns: A Humanities Collection Gap-Analysis Project by Alice L. Daugherty (Coordinator of Acquisitions & Electronic Resources, The University of Alabama) Column Editor: Michael A. Arthur (Associate Professor, Head, Resource Acquisition & Discovery, The University of Alabama Libraries, Box 870266, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487; Phone: 205-348-1493; Fax: 205-348-6358)

Column Editor’s Note: In this month’s chasing large eBook packages are effective have permission to go over-budget and were edition of Being Earnest with Collections, I processes for building collections; however, advised to keep selection totals below allo- have asked my new colleague Alice Daugh- LSU Libraries’ administration wanted to do cation limits. Usually for annual purchases erty to talk about an important project she more to focus on print materials and ensure liaisons can extend a little over-budget and participated in while still at Louisiana State research recommended and curricular sup- funds are moved to cover overages, but mov- University. We are pleased that Alice joined porting titles necessary to the collections were ing funds was not an option for this project. us at The University of Alabama on June 1, actually in the collection. LSU Libraries has For logistical purposes, liaisons created 2017. I was intrigued about the project to ex- endured years of university- and state-im- project-specific, shared, discipline folders plore ways to address gaps in the humanities posed spending freezes (FY10, FY11, FY12, in Gobi to store title selections, and Gobi collection that developed because of fluctu- FY14, and FY15). Librarians know if they do created a new fund code for the project so ations in the materials budget. Her article not encumber their title allocations quickly, LSU Libraries could monitor expenditures highlights the initial planning, challenges they may lose their monographic allocations and run title reports. and best practices that developed during the at the beginning or midpoint of the fiscal year Staffing levels at LSU Libraries is at a project. Librarians planning to explore ways (or both). Even in fiscal year 2016, theLSU minimum, and during the gap-analysis only to close collection gaps will find her article Libraries implemented a localized spending one person had the authority to procure and enlightening and may find the information freeze for books and standing orders to stay pay for all print and electronic resources. within budget. helpful in setting policies, priorities and Ordering extra materials identified from the procedures. — MA The budget situation is an ongoing chal- gap-analysis added extra work to one person lenge for LSU Libraries’ administration and who was already overextended with multiple liaisons, and unfortunately important and duties. When administration requested the Brief Explanation critical titles slip through the cracks and go gap-analysis project, they appointed a librar- The Louisiana State University Libraries unpurchased. The LSU Libraries’ adminis- ian from the collection development depart- (LSU Libraries) consists of the main library, tration was concerned that the annual recur- ment as project lead to design and manage Middleton, and special collections housed in ring budgetary restrictions had created holes oversight of the project for the liaisons, but Hill Memorial Library. Subject liaisons work in collections. To address this problem, LSU no one had thought through the consequences in both locations with the responsibility of Libraries launched a monographic gap-analy- of adding extra work to the one staff member building monographic collections for curric- sis of humanities’ collections, which initiated already handling all the procurement and ular and research activities of the university from the library Dean’s office. access issues for the entire collections. community. Similar to many academic li- To ease the lone acquisitions staff mem- braries, each budgetary cycle LSU Libraries Project Overview ber’s duties, librarians were asked to place allocates money to disciplines or program Librarians in the collection development orders through Gobi when possible and to areas, and the corresponding liaison librari- department worked with Gobi Library Solu- avoid selecting Gobi title records noted as ans use their expertise to select monographic tions (formerly YBP) to examine five years of “out of stock” or “out of print” or “not yet purchases. In addition to liaison-selected monographic acquisitions from nine of LSU’s published.” In addition, liaisons had to ensure monographs, there are a minimal number thirteen flagship peer-institutions. Based on Gobi title records were listed as “In Stock” of monographs ingested into the collection call-number ranges, Gobi provided extensive with a last received date of July 2016 or later. through approval plans, which focus on chil- lists of titles LSU had not purchased, but If those criteria were met then those orders dren’s awards books, faculty publications, which members within the select peer group were placed through Gobi. A majority of and items focused on Louisiana. In summer had. Gobi required permissions from each the purchases went through Gobi, but if the 2014, a new dean onboarded and ushered in peer-institution before sharing data, and LSU liaisons wanted out-of-stock or out-of-print a new collections philosophy; LSU Libraries was unable to make contact with four of the materials or foreign language items, the orders ceased its demand-driven acquisition plan and institutions. In addition, Gobi anonymized went through other vendors, such as Amazon, turned its monographic purchasing focus on all of the information, and LSU librarians Abe Books, and AMALIVRE. Using other large eBook packages. Accordingly, eBook did not know which institutions purchased vendors creates more work for staff. In Gobi packages must meet the following set criteria: which titles. The Gobi lists were helpful to the title records are already selected and can (1) eBooks must be DRM-free, (2) eBooks most liaisons, but some selectors felt there be sent in large batch amounts for purchase. must allow for an unlimited amount of simul- was too much information and used the lists With other vendors, staff have to search for taneous users, and (3) eBooks must provide minimally, if at all. each title and ensure the result is the correct perpetual access. Many of the initial large There were six liaisons and nine dis- manifestation before purchase. eBook packages purchased centered content ciplines involved in the project. The Staff checked each order title against the around STEM disciplines. In the following gap-analysis project had $50,000 set aside ILS staff client for duplications, because titles paragraphs, the author hopes to provide a brief for purchasing older, critical titles necessary could have been duplicated within one of the overview of a recently completed humanities’ to the collections. For comparative purposes, large eBook packages, from a different vendor collection gap-analysis project at LSU Li- humanities firm order funds for the same ar- purchase, or from a gift collection. The title braries. The reasons for initiating the project, eas were allocated $81,000 in the same fiscal was only ordered if it was not already in the the workflow, challenges, and best practices year. The head of collection development collections. For this reason, even though 828 will be discussed. provided humanities’ liaisons allocations for titles were selected, only 810 were purchased. Acquiring monographs through the liaison each discipline, which ranged from $1,000 A few titles were already in the collection or selection model, approval plans, and pur- to $9,000. For this project, liaisons did not continued on page 51

50 Against the Grain / September 2017 on supporting the overall research and cur- In addition, liaisons were able to use Being Earnest with Collections ricular needs of the campus and strategizing in-house interlibrary loan title lists as deci- from page 50 to develop a long-lasting comprehensive sion-making tools. LSU Libraries’ custom- collection reflecting the long-term value of ized interlibrary loan request form includes a were not available. A breakdown of alloca- university investments. The gap-analysis drop down menu for faculty to indicate wheth- tions and number of titles selected follows. was an additional pathway to continue the er the requested title should be purchased — is it essential to the collection? Monthly ILL reports of title requests marked by faculty as “essential to the collection” are provided to li- aisons for purchasing decisions. Also, liaisons were encouraged to seek faculty input and to set up meetings within the colleges or with individual faculty. As with many academic libraries, faculty suggestions have a higher priority and they can offer justification for specialized or esoteric resources. Most of the liaisons did receive title requests and input from the faculty. Project Challenges Some may wonder why LSU Libraries The project began in April 2016. This meaningful and systematic development of used Gobi to produce such extensive spread- allowed the project lead to use the summer the humanities’ collections. sheets of peer purchases that ultimately proved months to work with Gobi and obtain the Liaisons framed their choices with the fol- cumbersome to liaisons trying to grasp the peer-purchase lists. A librarian in collection de- lowing two questions: (1) If LSU Libraries large amounts of data provided to them. Col- velopment used the summer and fall to analyze doesn’t have this title in the collection, is the lection development librarians did look into the humanities’ circulation and report five-year collection sub-standard? and (2) What is different title analysis tools such as OCLC’s trends to liaisons. Even though Gobi lists and the most effective way to improve the collec- WorldShare Analytics Evaluation, Green- circulation analyses were conducted for all of tion with a small pool of money? Liaisons Glass, or Bowker’s Book Analysis System, but humanities, the initial focus of the project was appreciated the chance to address collection at LSU Libraries, justification for operations only one discipline, art & design. After art & weaknesses and wanted to make the best use typically boils down to cost — there was not design proved to be successful, the other areas of their unexpected opportunity. Some liaisons enough money. of humanities were folded into the project. focused on call number ranges or areas where Most of the liaisons work in public services, Project allocations and instructions were sent to little systematic title selection had occurred and the gap-analysis started too late in the fall liaisons in the fall. During the fall and spring, on a regular basis. Other liaisons made title and coincided with periods of heavy student and liaisons evaluated all of their information and selections based on their knowledge of their faculty needs. Most of the liaisons did not receive made selections. The deadline for the liai- departments’ curriculum and research needs, their allocations or instructions until November sons to put titles in the project’s Gobi folders interdisciplinary interests, and book reviews or December. The six liaisons and the one staff was March 1, 2017. Acquisitions complet- or spotlight lists. member overseeing acquisitions considered the ed all orders project highly time-consuming and labor-in- by mid-April tensive because workflow was condensed into with a shipping January and February with a March 1, 2017 timeframe of deadline to submit title selections. May 2017. From concept Some liaisons began reviewing their Gobi to completion, lists in November 2016, but lists contained the gap-analy- between 5,000 and 6,000 titles; liaisons needed sis took thirteen more time for review and selection. Liaisons months. were unable to work on the gap-analysis proj- ect every day and the difficulty of ordering Is it Essential to the Collection? Weeks before the launch of the gap-analysis, gap-analysis titles was compounded because Selecting titles for the humanities all liaisons completed curriculum maps, which expenditure of annual firm order funds had to gap-analysis project shifted the mindset of guided decision making and allowed liaisons to continue during the same period, giving some selectors and provided a slightly different identify departmental or programmatic priorities. liaisons a sizable amount of money to spend purpose in decision-making. Instead of The curriculum maps included valuable informa- between regular collections and the gap project. usage data or evidence-based data, liaisons tion for decisions such as degree programs of- For example, for fiscal year 2017, the liaison used their expertise and the expertise of other fered and course summaries. When creating the for French and foreign languages had close librarians at peer-institutions for purchasing curriculum maps, liaisons also profiled individual to $25,000 to spend which was an increase of decisions. At LSU Libraries, the liaisons faculty members taking note of specific research $11,000 over prior yearly amounts. curate and maintain collections with a focus interests, publications, and teaching loads. continued on page 52

Against the Grain / September 2017 51 Being Earnest with Collections from page 51

Liaisons were concerned that there had not been any publicity from the LSU Libraries to the campus community about the efforts to enhance collections, but in reality, the Dean of Libraries had continually promoted the project and emphasized the LSU Libraries’ mission to those stakeholders with specific interests in maintaining a robust print collection. Concluding Thoughts The gap-analysis for the humanities was the first time LSU Libraries had allocated special funds for liaisons to focus on previ- ously published materials. LSU Libraries was able to add 810 print monographs to the collection for fiscal year 2017, encumber- ing $40,246 before spending halted. LSU Libraries’ administration considers this an important on-going effort to build collection strength, and the dean wants to continue this process. Plans are underway to set aside more funding next fiscal year, and focus on other disciplines in the humanities that were not a focus in the first year, and include social sciences. This project was a learning experience for everyone involved. A collection devel- opment librarian debriefed all the liaisons at the close of the project to gather input for future adaptations. As the process evolves, the timeline should shift so liaisons receive their allocations earlier in the fiscal year and the deadline for selections should move from March to January. The Gobi lists were help- ful, but needed better parameters to refine the quality and quantity of titles. One suggestion was to limit titles to the Gobi profile indi- cators of “research essential” and “research recommended.” Another suggestion was to provide title information only if five or more of the peer-institutions had purchased the title. To ease acquisitions, liaisons should be responsible for checking title records against the catalog or the project manager should con- sider having student workers manage this task. In addition to adjusting some of the project processes, liaisons would like to see a greater emphasis from LSU Libraries’ administra- tion for campus-wide marketing, as well as guidance towards effective communication strategies for promoting the newly owned ma- terials. The gap-analysis project offers oppor- tunities to strengthen ongoing relationships between liaisons and faculty by highlighting the LSU Libraries’ continued commitment to deliver quality resources. The overall purpose of the project al- lowed liaisons to focus on remediating past omissions to balance the collection instead of focusing on collecting recently published materials. So far, the results of the human- ities gap-analysis project reflect a strategic strengthening of the collection. The LSU Libraries hopes to develop future iterations of the project, incorporating suggested effi- ciencies, and progressing forward to contin- ued success.

52 Against the Grain / September 2017