WEST Cycles 12 & 13 Archiving Commitments Are Complete!
The WEST project team is pleased to announce that all archiving commitments for Cycles 12 & 13 have been submitted! This analysis included several important and impactful updates to WEST’s collections model and archiving priorities:
- Expanded participation to all members, and invited all members to serve as Archive Holders for the analysis to enhance transparency into the WEST collections
- Added new Abstracting & Indexing title lists to increase coverage and facilitate more accurate identification of print-only titles
- Incorporated HathiTrust Digital Library serials data as a comparator title list for identifying low-risk Bronze titles, similar to Portico, CLOCKSS, and JSTOR
- Focused on identifying scarcely held and unique materials to fill gaps in the national shared print safety net
- Members committed to retain 234 titles that met the criteria of the Rosemont Last Known Copy Initiative, which sought out titles determined to be the only copy held in the US, as recorded in OCLC WorldCat
- Identified high risk titles not held in any part of the Archive Builders (a known blind spot in the WEST collections model), and proposed these for retention by Archive Holders
Of the 47 members receiving archiving proposals, 39 (83%) committed to retain some or all of the journals proposed to them, including 8 members that previously participated as Non-Archive Holders. By committing to retain these titles in the long-term, members are filling gaps in the regional and national shared print safety net, and are ensuring that these materials remain available for current and future scholars.
Additionally, Arizona State University will be revisiting 711 of their legacy Silver- and Gold-archived journal families to extend backfiles and fill gaps. WEST estimates that there are approximately 10,340 volumes that have been published for these journal families that are not included in the WEST archives. ASU will provide detailed updates on their progress, including successes and lessons learned, to support WEST’s research into the value of retrospective gap filling projects.
The next step is for Archive Holders to begin updating their records for disclosure and for Archive Builders to start preparing for the physical validation activities they undertake while archiving Silver and Gold titles. These journals will be archived using the updated ‘end of backfile’ definition, ensuring the ongoing currency of the WEST archives.
As a reminder, the Builders will be issuing ‘calls for holdings’ to WEST members to help fill in gaps and complete their Silver and Gold backfiles; all WEST members are highly encouraged to participate in this activity and contribute volumes where possible. To ensure Builders are contacting the correct person at your institution, all Campus Admin users in AGUA are highly encouraged to review your institution’s contacts in AGUA and make any necessary updates. If you have any questions about your user roles or updating your institution’s contacts, please email Anna Striker (anna.striker@ucop.edu).
Many thanks to all WEST members for their hard work and dedication expanding the shared print trust network!