New Agreement Will Enhance UA System Library Resources and Reduce Costs

Photo by University Relations

David W. Mullins Library

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas Libraries are expected to enhance online resources and lower costs by 13% due to a new system-wide agreement.

The agreement negotiated between academic publisher Elsevier and the UA System has already increased online access to nearly all of Elsevier’s 2,650 published journals.

The four-year contract will benefit the libraries at the U of A, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

“The University Libraries are committed to supporting the research and teaching mission of our campus as well as strengthening our partnerships across the University of Arkansas System,” said Angie Ohler, associate dean for content and digital initiatives at the U of A Libraries. “This contract increases access to important academic publications that are needed by our system faculty and students. I want to thank my colleagues at the other libraries across the system and the university administration for their patience and support as we worked through the details for the new contract.”

Ohler served as the primary negotiator on behalf of the UA System Libraries. Others who helped with the agreement include Dan Boice (Monticello), Nancy Clark (UAMS), J.B. Hill (Little Rock), Maureen James-Barnes (Little Rock), Deb Kulczak (Fayetteville), Anne Liebst (Fort Smith), Lisa Smith (UAMS) and Mandi Smith (Fayetteville).

“The UAMS Library is very excited to participate in this agreement and to provide increased access to scholarly materials for our clinicians, researchers, faculty and students,” said Lisa Smith, library director at UAMS. “The resources available via the Science Direct package are invaluable patient care and research tools!”

About the University Libraries: Located in the heart of campus, the David W. Mullins Library is the university's main research library. Branch libraries include the Chemistry and Biochemistry Library, the Fine Arts Library, the Physics Library, and the Robert A. and Vivian Young Law Library. The Libraries provide access to more than 3.1 million volumes and more than 180,000 journals, and offer research assistance, study spaces, computer labs with printing and scanning, interlibrary loan and delivery services, and cultural exhibits and events. The Libraries' Special Collections division acquires, preserves, and provides access to materials on Arkansas and the region, its customs and people, and its cultural, physical, and political climate. Visit the Libraries' website at libraries.uark.edu to learn more about services and collections.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the top 3% of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.