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Periodicals Reduction and Relocation: Home

Summery

The Good Library is removing most of its back print periodicals. The remainder of the print periodicals will be removed from the 3rd floor and placed elsewhere in the library and / or possibly other locations on campus.

Periodicals Reduction and Relocation Details

Why is the Good Library reducing and relocating these periodicals?

  • The Communications Department recently procured funds to renovate what has been an archives space for first the Mennonite Church USA Archives and more recently the Mennonite Historical Library. The materials housed in Newcomer needed a new home, and the 3rd floor of the Good Library was selected as a suitable space.
  • The back print periodicals has needed weeding for some time. We no longer have a print subscription for most (~95%) of the periodicals in this space.

 

What is our timeline?

  • September: Liaison librarians meet with departments
  • September 30-October 4th: remove journals we are "keeping" to alternative location(s)
  • October 7th - October 22nd [reminder: we are closed on Oct 12, 13,14, 15, 19 for midterm break]: faculty get a chance to claim back issues for personal use. [see procedure below]
  • October 23rd - Nov 1st: the remainder of the periodicals are removed from the system. 
  • Nov 1st - Jan 1st: Mennonite Historical Library moves materials into the space.
  • January 2020: Construction starts in the Newcomer space

 

What is being de-accesioned (weeded) automatically?

These are periodicals which we feel are either redundant and/or no longer (or only marginally) meet GC's curricular needs.

  • Periodicals for which we already have online access.
  • Periodicals whose subscriptions were canceled before 2015.
  • Note: Automatically weeded periodicals account for roughly 75-80% of the periodicals on the 3rd floor.  

 

What about the remaining periodicals?

The remaining (~20-25%) consist of these types of periodicals:

  • Peace / Mennonite related journals: The MHL will review these materials for inclusion into the MHL collection. Note: a large number of these periodicals are already duplicated in the MHL.
  • Recently canceled journals: We recognize that many recently canceled print journals might still serve a curricular purpose for your programs. Liaison librarians will be contacting you regarding these journals. They will be asking you the following questions:
    • Does this journal still fill a curricular need?
    • How many years of this periodical do you think you will need?
    • For periodicals that have already been canceled: Would you consider housing the back issues in your department.
  • Active subscriptions: Believe it our not, we still have a handful of active print subscriptions!! These are usually for periodicals that are either not available online (yes this still happens), the electronic version is too expensive, or the print version serves a curricular need (usually trade journals). Again, we will be reaching out on a case by case basis.

 

How do I claim a periodical that is going to be weeded?

From October 23rd to Nov 1st, come to the library third floor anytime the library is open. Browse the journals. There will be a clipboard in the room. You will be asked to put in your name, your preferred contact info, the periodical(s) you want, and the date range you want.  Sometime, from October 23 to Nov 1st, you will be contacted by the library to arrange pick-up or delivery.

Alternatively, you can browse this list [Note: this is a list of just our print journals] or search our A-Z. Then, email library@goshen.edu with the periodical(s) and the date range you want.

 

Where will the library shelve the periodicals that it is planning on keeping?

Right now, we do not know as it all depends on how many periodicals we feel we have to keep. We do have temporary spaces in the library basement for these materials. We will provide an update when we have a clearer idea of just how many periodicals we are going to keep.

 

What is going to happen to the weeded journals?

Unfortunately, old print periodicals are not a hot commodity. Better World Books (the vendor who takes our weeded books) will not take our old periodicals. Right now (unless something better suddenly comes along) the plan is to provide an opportunity for faculty and staff to take the periodicals and then recycle the rest.  Please see "claiming" above.

Note: IF a periodical is rare (last copy in the Midwest) then we will strive to find the periodical a home where is will get more use, such as a research library.

 

Just what is the impact to the school -- what is GC losing?

The Good Library believes that impact to the library holdings is relatively light. The library has access to roughly 40,000 journals. Of these, only around 2,000 are in the print collection. Currently we have 19 "gifted" subscriptions (mainly in exchange for the Mennonite Quarterly Review), and another another 24 "paid" subscriptions, which mainly include newspapers and newspaper add-ons (ex. NY Times Review of Books), Trade related publications (teacher education periodicals), and a few periodicals whose online subscription is prohibitively expensive or do not have digital equivalents. 

Still, we have lost a quiet study space for students and the ability to browse older back issues. 

 

 I have concerns. Whom can I talk to? 

We welcome your input here! In some cases we may be able to house a journal. In other cases, we could ask the department to keep older journals in their department area if they think they would be of value to their students. While we do have limited options and a tight timeframe, we want to do everything we can to minimize the impact to you and our students. You can email anyone in the library. Getting things right for you is our top priority!