Zero-based print journal collection development in a community teaching hospital library: planning for the future.
OBJECTIVE
The paper describes and evaluates the success of a zero-based collection development approach to print serials in a community teaching hospital.


METHODS
The authors first assessed the environmental factors that would determine future needs of the medical library and its customers. Liaisons to various departments and constituencies were substantially involved in the data-gathering phase. Using newly defined collection parameters, a list of journals to consider was compiled and each journal was categorized justifying its inclusion. Any title not having a strong fit in at least one category was eliminated from further consideration.


RESULTS
Overall, 21 subscriptions were cancelled and 34 were added. Despite a 15% increase in total subscription costs, mostly due to normal annual journal price increases, the average cost per journal went down from $344 to $327. Journal usage went up over 30%, interlibrary loan lending went down 25%, and borrowing went up 20%.


CONCLUSIONS
As resources available to libraries decline, it becomes critical that collections and services are continually and systematically reviewed with a view to keeping them aligned with the mission of the organization, needs of the customers, and emerging trends. Zero-based collection development can be a valuable tool in bringing a print journal collection into closer alignment with the needs of library customers.
Thompson
Lora L
LL
Easton Hospital, Easton, Pennsylvania 18042, USA. lora_thompson@chs.net
Toedter
Lori J
LJ
D'Agostino
Frank J
FJ
D002017:Budgets; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007992:Libraries, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016243:Library Collection Development / Q000191:economics; D020380:Needs Assessment; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010414:Pennsylvania; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000191:economics; D011643:Publishing