undertook a review of two of the largest of their "Big Deal" subscription packages. Jones and Marshall describe how they reviewed usage statistics collected over the previous four years and evaluated cost-per-download. The Administration's decision to cancel the two packages and subscribe individually to approximately two hundred of the cancelled titles is detailed, as well as the impact on the faculty, students, and library services. Additionally, they caution other libraries in similar situations to take other metrics and user needs into account and to include others outside the library in the decision-making process.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on a three-year case study of the extent with which altmetrics compare to traditional metrics in certain subject areas for selected departments at the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine (COM).
Design/methodology/approachA three-year analysis of peer-reviewed papers and invited editorials from 2009 to 2013 written by tenure-track faculty from 20 COM departments was done to explore what subject areas received the highest altmetric scores. Research output was searched in PubMed; articles were quantified by subject area, times cited in Scopus, and its altmetric score over each of three successive years.
FindingsThe topics of the highest scored altmetric papers (n = 40) sample focused on stroke, obesity, and diabetes for all three years. Analysis of high initial altmetric scores over the course of the three years shifted from a possible predictor of future impact in the second year to no indicator of long-term interest in the scientific community as the public interest waned over time.
Research limitations/implicationsThe authors used Scopus Times Cited and Altmetrics.com to gather data.
Originality/valueInitially assessed a total of 3,678 unique publications and worked with the 40 highest altmetric scores in subsequent years. Data showed that subjects of interest to the public receive the highest altmetric scores and the topic areas did not change over the course of the study. These initially high altmetric scores do not indicate long-term interest by the scientific community.
Topics in serials acquisitions dominate the column, including reports on altmetrics, cost per use, and demand-driven acquisitions; scholarly communications and the use of subscriptions agents; but also ERMS, access, and knowledgebases.
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