As we did for our 2025 journal packages, we expect that we will need to review journal packages coming up for renewal in FY 26 to ensure that we stay within our allocated budget. The reviews will look at utilization statistics for each title as well as comments from library users. Please use the “Feedback” button to send us a note about your use of titles for the following packages that are up for renewal:
The Sage, Oxford, and Wiley negotiations wrapped up as noted in the February 2025 update below and contracts have been signed and implemented. As noted, while all the Sage titles were retained, 125 Oxford titles were not renewed, and 1,078 Wiley titles were not renewed. The three publishers continued access to their entire journal packages until the contracts were signed but will now discontinue access to the titles that were not renewed. If you encounter a non-renewed title that you need to access, please reach out to your primary U of L library so that they can assist you in locating an article through inter-library loan or through another source of that title such as JSTOR.
Sage – the whole package of approximately 1,056 titles is being renewed at reduced cost. We have received the proposed three-year contract from Sage and it is under review at this time.
Oxford – we are currently processing the invoice for this renewal. It preserves approximately 250 non-health science titles. Additionally, Kornhauser anticipates renewing five health science titles which will mean a reduction of approximately 125 health science titles from the former package.
Wiley – we are still working with them on how many titles to renew from the 1,340 titles in their package. Currently, Ekstrom is negotiating to retain 256 titles and Kornhauser anticipates renewing Cochrane, Essential Evidence Plus as well as six journal subscriptions from them. This would mean a loss of approximately 1,078 of their journals.
During this time that we are working with the publishers to maintain as many of these journals as possible, our access to the journals is being continued.
The University Libraries received additional funding after the start of the FY 25 budget year. This funding will not be enough to fully restore the three journal packages set to be cut but will allow the Libraries to retain certain titles based on usage data and input received through the feedback form. Please take a moment to complete the feedback form with journal titles on the non-renewal list that are important to you and your discipline. If you have already responded to the feedback form with suggestions, you do not need to respond again. We will make every effort to renew titles deemed most valuable and those that are heavily used.
We’ve had a few questions come in about the proposed cuts that we want to address:
As of May 1, 2024, University Libraries’ FY25 budget faces a shortfall of over $750,000, which hinders our ability to offer the current array of journals, databases, and other resources. Each library (not including the Law Library which is managed separately) will see budget cuts compared to the previous fiscal year. Some of the reduction may be offset by increased endowment spending, but most will come from non-renewal of existing resources. Currently, University Libraries are identifying resources for non-renewal. Updates will be available on this webpage.
If you have feedback, please provide it via the feedback form.