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Staff & Administration • Library Documents

Task Group on Library Collections Space

Final Report

June 11, 1992

Appendix B

Solutions Considered by the Task Group

6. Microform Conversion of Periodicals

App.B,Sec.6_CONTENTS

6.1 Current Titles (all libraries)

Assumptions

  1. Consider current titles only (approx. 6,000 titles)
  2. Average number of years per title is 20
  3. Average number of bound periodicals per title is 2 vols./year
  4. Replace all volumes available in microfilm by microfilm
  5. Discard or sell paper copy volumes replaced by microfilm
  6. 1 single face section will hold 100 periodical volumes or 125 books
  7. Spacesaver cabinets will be used to house microfilm.

Know

  1. Based on sample, approximately half of the current titles are available in microform (approx. 3,000 titles)
  2. Based on sample average price per reel is $30
  3. Spacesaver units cost $3,000 each
  4. Spacesaver units hold 1,360 reels of microfilm

Evaluation Criteria

  1. Gain in Shelf Space

    • Gain will equal the space freed up by removing 120,000 volumes of bound periodicals (3,000 titles x 20 years/title x 2 vols./year) less the space required to house 60,000 reels of microfilm or 44 cabinets. The periodical volumes occupy 12,000 sq. ft. (0.1 vols./sq. ft.) while the microfilm will occupy 352 square feet. This represents a gain of shelf space for 120,000 volumes of periodicals or 150,000 books with a corresponding loss of 352 square feet for microfilm.

  2. Start-up Financial Costs

    • Cost of spacesaver cabinets 44 x $3,000 = 132,000.
    • Cost of microfilm 3,000 titles x 20 vol./title x $30/vol. = $1,800,000. Total cost of converting 3,000 titles to microfilm is approximately $1,932,000 excluding any additional cost for microfilm readers and reader/printers.

  3. Continuing Financial Costs

    • Continuing costs are 3 x $3,000 or $9,000 annually for spacesaver cabinets and 3,000 titles x 1 vol./title x $30/vol. = $90,000 for microfilm. Total annual cost would be $99,000 excluding microfilm readers and reader printers.

  4. Effects on Staff Morale

    • There would be little effect on staff morale. Binding costs would be reduced for the 3,000 titles being acquired in microfilm by approximately one third of our binding budget or approximately $30,000. User assistance in the use of readers and reader/printers and print charging procedures would require greater staff participation than at present.

  5. Effects on the Accessibility of the Collection

    • The collection would be no less accessible. Backfiles would likely be used in the library as few users have access to personal or departmental microform readers or reader/printers.

  6. Potential Resistance

    • Microform is considerably less convenient to use than hard copy. Based on previous experience faculty members and graduate students would resist strenuously a massive conversion to microform although the microform collection is more likely to be on shelf. User resistance would be lessened somewhat if print charges were equivalent to photocopy charges.

App.B,Sec.6_CONTENTS

6.2 Ceased Titles and Cancelled Subscriptions (all libraries)

Assumptions

  1. Ceased and cancelled titles only (approx. 16,200 titles)
  2. Average number of bound periodicals per title is 2 vols./yr
  3. Replace all volumes available in microfilm by microfilm
  4. Discard or sell hard copy volumes replaced by microfilm
  5. 1 single face section will hold 100 periodical volumes or 125 books
  6. Spacesaver cabinets will be used to house microfilm

Know

  1. Based on sample, approximately 25% of the titles are available in microfilm (approx. 4,050 titles)
  2. Based on sample, average price per reel is $34
  3. Based on sample, average number of years per title is 5
  4. Spacesaver units cost $3,000 each
  5. Spacesaver units hold 1,360 reels of microfilm

EVALUATION OF CRITERIA

  1. Gain in Shelf Space
    Gain will equal space freed up by removing volumes of bound periodicals less the space required to house 20,250 reels of microfilm or 15 cabinets. The conversion frees up shelf space for volumes of periodicals or 40,500 books. Spacesaver cabinets will occupy 120 square feet.

  2. Start-up financial costs

    • Cost of Spacesaver cabinets 15 x $3,000 = 45,000
    • Cost of microfilm, 4,050 titles x 5 vol./title x $34/vol. or $688,500. Total cost is $733,500 excluding costs for microfilm readers and reader/printers.

  3. Continuing financial costs

    • Nil.

  4. Effects on Staff morale

    • There would be little effect on morale. There would be NO subsequent decrease in the binding budget as titles are not continuing.
    • As above, user assistance in use of readers etc. and print charging procedures would require greater staff participation than at present.

  5. Effects on the Accessibility of the Collection

    • As in 6(a) (i) above.

  6. Potential Resistance

    • User assistance would be somewhat less than in 6(a)(i) above since most recorded collection use is for current continuing titles. Otherwise resistance would be similar to that noted above.

David Emery
Associate Librarian, Collections

WWW version: June 5, 1995

Secretary to the University Librarian
Last Updated: February 27, 2007