I. The LSU Libraries subscribes to journals and periodicals through subscription and membership packages. These packages are offered by institutes, organizations, associations, and corporations.

II. To view a list of subscription and membership packages, logon to NOTIS and type "ltmd fi jt subscription package."

   A. NOTIS includes records from three processing units: Middleton (LTMD), Government Publications (LTGP), and the School of Veterinary Medicine. A search in LTMD ("Library Technical Middleton") retrieves records for the Middleton Library, Hill Memorial Library, Design Resource Center, Chemistry, and the Cartographic Information Center.

   B. The subscription and membership list retrieved in NOTIS/LTMD includes current and non-current packages.

III. Subscription and membership package terms vary per issuing body.

   A. For associations, societies, etc., LSU Libraries pay membership fees. The fees entitle the Libraries to receive packages of journals. Examples include the Modern Humanities Research Association (NOTIS record AFT4584) and the American Chemical Society (NOTIS record AFS1648).

   B. When membership fees are paid, the fees do not cover added journal titles. Subscriptions must be entered when titles split or a new title is created. An example is the American Mathematical Society (NOTIS record AFQ3087).

   C. Subscription journal and Reference packages for published grouped titles may be entered with an issuing body. No membership fee is required. An example of a Reference package is Moody's/Mergent Investors Service (NOTIS record AFQ9129).

IV. For various reasons, changes in subscription and/or membership packages are occurring more frequently. The LSU Libraries is notified by our serials vendor when these changes occur. Changes also occur when the rights to publish documents formerly published by governmental bodies (e.g. U.S. Government, United Nations, World Trade Organization) are sold and/or assigned to commercial publishers.

   A. Societies decide to no longer publish a journal and sell the rights for publication to a commercial publisher. For example, the American Chemical Society sold the publishing rights for the journal Chemical Health & Safety (NOTIS record AGE6329) and the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (NOTIS record AGL0241) to Elsevier and John Wiley & Sons, respectively. Continuing these titles after such transfers require new subscriptions.

   B. Reference titles sold in a bundle may be detached from the package and sold separately. An example is the Standard Directory of Advertisers, Geographical Edition (NOTIS record AAH2741). This title once came bundled with the Libraries' subscription to the Standard Directory of Advertisers, Classified Edition (NOTIS record ABQ4344).

   C. Membership packages may be required to access electronic journal or periodical titles. Each title may be a new publication or a print title that will be discontinued and transferred to electronic access only. Access may require payment for a new membership package. Access may be included, for a fee or an added charge, in a current membership package. An example is the American Management Association's Management Review (NOTIS record AAK8140). The AMA's new Web version replaced the print copy and is included, for no additional charge, in the AMA membership package.

   D. U.S. Government publications formerly distributed through the depository library system and the publishing rights sold to a commercial publisher may fall in this category. An example is the Handbook of Labor Statistics (NOTIS recorcd AGB8422). Formerly published by the Dept. of Labor, this title is now published by Bernan Press (NOTIS record AHS4075). This commercial title is not distributed to depository libraries but must be purchased separately or as a subscription.

V. Some subscriptions inadvertently may lapse and will be subject to review as described in Section VI. Titles lapse for one of the following reasons:

   A. The subscription was not paid for the current and previous years because:

     1. There was a change in suppliers;

     2. The vendor failed to bill the title;

     3. The extreme irregularity of the journal.

   B. Issues have not been sent due to vendor or publisher's error.

   C. Publishers have decreased the number of issues or failed to produce added issues.

VI. Serial Services will notify the appropriate selector, Coordinator, and the Associate Dean of Libraries for Collection Services whenever a change occurs. The Government Documents Coordinator and/or the Head of Reference will provide notice for important U.S. Government and United Nations publications. Because these changes require additional funding, they will be handled as follows.

   A. In general, journal and reference titles that are offered for purchase separately from subscription and membership packages will be regarded as new subscriptions. This includes titles offered as add-ons to a present package. Reference titles may be purchased with Reference funds.

   B. Lapsed serial titles that are identified will be regarded as potential new subscriptions.

   C. The selector needs to consult with his/her Coordinator and discuss the feasibility of the title and

   D. When formulating a decision, the parties need to consider any the following variables:

     1. Subscriptions, memberships, and journals are normally paid with recurring funds only. A strong case must be made for added funding. Otherwise, funding must be obtained from other sources such as canceling currently subscribed journals or reference titles.

     2. Review the current and previous year's UnCover statistics. Are articles being requested from this title? This data is available on the share drive at s:\Departments.

     3. Review the "Copyright List" for articles requested and ordered through non-UnCover document delivery services. This data is available on the share drive at s:\Departments.

     4. Is the journal title necessary to meet the current and emerging research needs of the appropriate faculty? Does LSU support a program in this subject area?

     5. If the journal title is a lapsed title and reinstatement can be justified, what volume begins the reinstatement? Does the LSU Libraries need to purchase any backfiles? If so, this may impact book funding. Backfiles are usually purchased from book allocations.

     6. Is the journal title available in full-text through any of the current databases offered by LSU? Is it necessary to maintain a subscription in order to have electronic access?

     7. Is the journal indexed/abstracted in any databases currently subscribed by LSU?

     8. Is the journal indexed in the Web of Science? What is the journal's Impact Factor? Where does the journal rank against journals in its field?

     9. Review the 1996 Serials Redesign results. Did any of the faculty identify the journal as a title needed on campus for their research? Did the faculty identify the journal as one that could be accessed through document delivery? Though these results are dated, they represent senior faculty opinion but consultation with the current/new faculty is necessary.

   E. If the selector and the Coordinator decide to pursue a subscription, the selector needs to submit a written proposal justifying the addition to the Associate Dean of Libraries for Collection Services.