HSLS Update

HSLS Transition to Electronic Journals Continues

As you browse the Current Periodicals shelves in HSLS libraries, you may notice signs telling you that some journals are now available only in electronic journals. Beginning in 2003, HSLS will no longer receive the print versions of approximately 300 journals published by Elsevier Science and its subsidiaries, because they are available to our users in electronic form. A few heavily used titles will be retained in print format as well. A title list of the electronic version-only journals for each of the HSLS libraries is available through our Web site at<www.hsls.pitt.edu/ resources/falksdprint.html>. Printed copies of this list are also available at the Circulation and Reference Desks in HSLS libraries. electronic journals, transition to are accessible through the HSLS Web site <www.hsls.pitt.edu/resources/ ejournals>.

This continues the transition of HSLS from a print-based collection to a predominantly digital collection. Today, HSLS has more subscriptions in electronic format than in print, and we will continue to add titles in electronic format as they become available. Titles in some subject areas will be represented in print version only, and some in both print and electronic versions. In order to maximize HSLS resources, however, electronic versions of journal subscriptions will generally be preferred for acquisition.

While print journals remain valuable in certain cases, overall use of the print journals, transition to electronic has decreased substantially since 1997, due to the fact that many users prefer working in the electronic environment. Studies show that when users have access to electronic journals, use of print journals, including those not available electronically, declines. That has proven to be true in HSLS. At the same time, the amount of electronic information that is available, and the demand for that information, has grown considerably.

During this transition, if you encounter problems such as inaccessible articles or missing contents within an issue, please contact us immediately. For assistance in using electronic resources, contact Falk Reference at 412-648-8796, WPIC Reference at 412-624-1919 or UPMC Shadyside Reference at 412-623-2441. For questions regarding the electronic collections, please contact Yumin Jiang, Serials and Electronic Resources Librarian, at yj1@pitt.edu or 412-648-8868.

--Deb Silverman