Berkeley Lab's Library, which has provided LBNL researchers with critical resources for more than 50 years, is assessing how best to continue delivering information in light of increasing costs, greater emphasis on electronic media and changing expectations of users. To help with this effort, the Lab's Computing and Communications Services Advisory Committee (CSAC) has created a committee to work with the Library to evaluate how best to meet employees' information needs.

According to Librarian Carol Backhus, the Library's vision is to respond to the diverse needs of Lab staff, providing essential information resources from both within and beyond the walls of the library. The staff also constantly re-evaluates Library resources and services to provide the most effective and cost-efficient research support possible.

"In the last three years, we have really been challenged to keep up with the tremendous changes in how information services are delivered," Backhus said. "There are a lot of resources and we're not sure how to obtain them given our funding situation. We need to assess the future and figure out our direction accordingly."

In a presentation to CSAC members at the December meeting, Backhus highlighted some of the pressures and changes the Library is facing:

• The cost of journals is increasing dramatically. The Lab spent $250,000 on subscriptions in 1983 and $900,000 this year - but receives 200 fewer publications today.
  
  
• Between 1998 and 2002, overall subscription rates have risen 33 percent. Physics publications have gone up 88 percent during that time, and journals in Biology, Chemistry and Engineering have all risen by more than 50 percent since 1998.
  
  
• Many journals require libraries to pay for a subscription to the printed version in able to qualify for an on-line subscription. About 90 percent of all journal subscriptions are available online and about 6,000 articles are downloaded at the Lab each month.
  
  
• The library currently has 462 print subscriptions and 1,200 on-line subscriptions. However the number of bound publications on the shelves has dropped from 900 a month in 2000 to 325 a month today.
  
  
• The Library has about 28,000 books in its collection - but hasn't made any substantial additions to this collection for the past five years.
  

Like other Lab organizations, the Library is facing a space crunch. To help save space, many books and many of the 50,000 reports in the collection are now being stored in a warehouse. "We have four physical collections in libraries at the Lab and their size is decreasing as they get a little smaller every year," Backhus said.

Another heavily used resource provided by the Library is changing. As of Jan. 1, 2003, article-level databases such as Physics Abstracts and Current Contents will no longer be available through the University of California's MELVYL system. These databases will still be available, but users must point their browsers to the commercial version rather than the UC version. The interfaces will be different, but Backhus said her staff is working on helping MELVYL users at the Lab adapt to the new system. The new URLs are available from the Library's Web page (http://www-library.lbl.gov/teid/tmLib/databases/LibArticleIndexes.htm).

Although there are a number of issues to be addressed, Backhus believes the Library will continue to provide important resources. Other DOE sites, she said, have responded to similar pressures by canceling all journal subscriptions, closing the library entirely, co-locating with campus libraries, and selling services to he public.

Some of the options being looked at include "pay on demand" for some services, and the possibility of partnering with other libraries outside the Lab. The idea of having UC Library manage LBNL Library services was examined closely several years ago and found not to be cost-effective.

"Although the Lab has moved away from the old model of visiting the Library to read periodicals or check out books and now prefer to get their information on their computer when and where they want it, the Library will continue to play an important role in providing that information," Backhus said. "We're committed to finding the best way to provide that service in a way that benefits the entire Lab."