Western Libraries Invites Submissions for New Subscriptions

Western Libraries is pleased to announce we will not have to make any subscription cancellations this year. Instead, we will continue a more deliberate, strategic review of subscriptions to ensure that the university’s subscriptions portfolio remains dynamic and relevant. 

As part of this year’s subscription review process, we invite all students, faculty, and staff to submit requests for new subscriptions. Requests submitted before December 15, 2023 will be added to a list for consideration this year and compared against existing subscriptions for potential swapping.

We encourage individuals to request titles even if you have already requested them in the past. While the Libraries has a long list of historic subscription requests, your input now can help us understand which subscriptions are currently most relevant.  

The 2023-24 subscription review will follow the same general process and timeline as previous reviews. First, we will accept new subscription requests throughout the fall quarter. We’ll compare these requests against our existing subscriptions using a holistic scoring methodology, then share candidate additions and cancellations (if any) with the university community for broad feedback in winter quarter.

In late winter and early spring, we’ll examine the feedback and explore the possibility of voluntary subscription swapping. Any swaps will be announced by the end of spring quarter. Net subscription spending will remain the same, but content may shift into closer alignment with current curricular needs. 

Questions? Contact one of our Subject Teams. We always welcome the opportunity to discuss library subscriptions and the changing landscape of scholarly publishing.