The Big Deal Is Dead! Long Live The Big Deal!

Abstract

In many countries, the proclamation "The king is dead, long live the king" heralds the demise of the old monarch and the accession of a new one. This tradition ensures that the throne never remains empty while facilitating a smooth transition of power. When the "Big Deal" journal subscription model debuted in 1996, few suspected the extent to which academic libraries would come to rely upon it, or that it would become the primary channel by which academic libraries procure academic journal content. As budget cuts take their toll on libraries, the demise of the Big Deal model seems inevitable as the true value of all-inclusive packages becomes less evident. But is it? Collection analysis reveals that many titles included within these Big Deal packages remain unused or underutilized, significantly decreasing the overall value of serial subscription packages. SPARC's Big Deal Cancellation Tracker shows an increasing number of libraries and consortia forgoing this model in favor of regaining local control over their collections and budgets. Binghamton University Libraries is no exception. Recent curriculum changes and financial developments have prompted us to adopt an ongoing evaluation of our users' information needs and proactively negotiate and cancel deals in order to better serve our constituents. This session described our fact finding, workflow modifications, and data analysis processes as well as the outcomes of our adventures in pursuing and planning for the cancellation of Big Deal agreements based on local collection development priorities and serials budget realities.