We in Leyburn Library are evaluating the collection of newspapers we currently receive in printed form.
As you would expect in the year 2008, one of the reasons we are doing this is the online availability of nearly all of these titles. But there are several other factors involved, particularly delivery lag-time -- the average number of days it takes for any one issue to arrive here after publication.
Other concerns include subscription costs and the fact that we are getting ready to reallocate physical space on the Main Floor of our building.
As far as we can tell, our current printed newspapers are read or browsed much less frequently than in Ye Olden Days (the 1990's and earlier), for reasons that probably are obvious to all. Certainly, with Web access to most papers, the thrill of reading days-old articles in paper form is not what it used to be.
So, we think: What reasonably should we cancel?
Here is a list of the newspapers we currently receive in paper form. Please take particular notice of the number of days delivery lags behind publication.
Just to give you an idea how we are thinking about this (delivery lag-time, cost, etc.), I would say the Toronto Globe and Mail probably ought to be dropped.
Any other suggestions? We would like your counsel on this matter, especially if there are particular newspapers which you use -- in paper form -- as teaching tools. Given the importance of the Journalism and Mass Communications program here at W&L, we certainly take your advice on this situation very seriously.
If you do not have the time to respond at length to this message, fear not -- we are not going to "wipe out" printed newspapers in Leyburn Library. However, we almost certainly will reduce the number of titles in this collection.
(One related consideration: An ever-growing collection of U.S. and foreign newspapers are available in print-layout format in the Press Display product, to which we subscribe.)
Thanks for any advice.