: "Law Library Subscriptions: Paper or Electronic?

Lucy Rieger
New Jersey Law Journal
04-12-2005


Complications. Choices. Decisions. More work. Technology in the library has an undesired side effect that has impacted every law library, large and small. Technology has added significantly to the workload of librarians, attorneys, administrators and academics making library subscription decisions.

What was a simple renewal has become an agonizing process. The fate of a publication is usually decided at renewal time. It starts with a single sheet of paper -- an invoice for the upcoming term. First you confirm that you had the item in the collection last year. Then you review the cost -- is it still reasonable and affordable? Next you verify the users are still with the firm and need the product. You renew or cancel the invoice and are done. That was then. . . ."