Reply #22: the issue of the cost of academic journals has been around for a while

[RainDog]

the largest research u's have HUGE dbs of academic journals. they have had and DID have to make choices. yes, budgets are always being cut, it seems.

but the cost of journal access has been a big issue. smaller schools cannot afford to have as many journals b/c of the cost. public libraries can afford to have some journals, but nothing near the scale of any u. library.

when I've been talking about this, I have been thinking about diff. types of libraries and their offerings... the digital issue of one for academic libraries, mostly.

public libraries have had to spend money on blockbusters that patrons all want at the same time, then, once the rush is over, the libraries are left with large amts of (the same) books they don't want or need to stock on shelves.

the demand for the newest title in book form has cut into budgets for other books. this happens all the time, believe me. Public libraries exist to serve the public. so they're going to offer the new best seller in volume and if a smaller title doesn't get picked up... it just doesn't.