Finding alternatives when a major database is gone

Abstract

Question: What to do when a major database ceases publication?

Setting: An urban, academic health sciences library with four campuses serves a university health sciences system, a college of medicine, and five other health sciences colleges.

Methods: Usage statistics of each e-book title in the resource were carefully analyzed. Purchase decisions were made based on the assessment of usage.

Results: Sustainable resources were acquired from other vendors, with perpetual access for library users.

Conclusion: This systematic process of finding alternative resources is an example of librarians’ persistence in acquiring perpetual electronic resources when a major resource is cancelled.