Skip to Main Content
It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results.

State Agency Subscriptions Review

Information pertaining to ORS 357.115, related to state agencies providing information about subscriptions to the State Library for review and approval.

2019-2021 Biennium Report

The State Library will provide information from the 2019-2021 biennium summary report for ORS 357.115 to the Oregon State Legislature as part of the agency presentation for HB 5017. A Public Hearing date for the budget presentation will be confirmed soon.

Data Gathering Summary — Communications with State Agencies

The total number of state agencies, commissions, and boards is 125, based on the Oregon Accounting Manual and responses from agencies that reported changes, such as hiatus status, dissolvement, or mergers with other agencies. (The last update of state agencies in the Oregon Accounting Manual was August 15, 2019.)

Agency Communications

Agency Communications
YEAR AGENCIES CONTACTED AGENCY RESPONSES
  # of Agencies % of Total Agencies # of Agencies % of Total Agencies
2016 115 89.84% 107 83.59%
2018 127 99.22% 94 73.44%
2019-2020 126 99.21% 94 74.02%
2020-2021 126 99.21% 80 62.99%
2021 124 99.20% 93 74.40%
Positions Contacted at State Agencies
Liaison Positions* # of Agencies % of Agencies
management 60 47.62%
administrative support 28 22.22%
business and finance 17 13.49%
procurement 10 7.94%
communications 6 4.76%
research 4 3.17%
no contact 1 0.79%
*2019-2021 report requests

Library staff typically request subscription information from state agencies during the last quarter of the calendar year, with follow-up in the first quarter of the following year. For the 2019-2021 biennium, that process was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We received information from most agencies for the 2019-2020 period (n=94), but follow-up requests to remaining agencies were truncated. The 2020-2021 period (n=80) was delayed and then further impacted by agencies' varying ability to remotely access historical purchase data. When we contacted agencies at the end of 2021, most agencies were able to respond (n=93).

Most state agency liaisons hold positions at the management level (47.62%), with the next highest being administrative support (22.22%). These percentages align with previous reporting years, and they also reflect the number of smaller agencies, commissions, and boards. Also, while some liaisons held information technology positions previously (n=2), our most recent communications with those agencies changed to other types.

Subscription Reporting

Subscription Reporting
YEAR AGENCIES REPORTED SUBSCRIPTIONS AGENCIES REPORTED NO SUBSCRIPTIONS
  # of Agencies % of Responses # of Agencies % of Responses
2016 54 50.47% 53 49.53%
2018 58 61.70% 36 38.30%
2019-2020 50 53.19% 44 46.18%
2020-2021 36 45.00% 44 55.00%
2021 46 49.46% 47 50.54%

Agencies are sending us more reports of individual subscriptions, which is reflected in the list of highlights and the data tables at the end of the report. At the same time, we're starting to see more agencies report no subscriptions. In some cases, agency liaisons tell us that they're using library access, instead. We've also received some comments that agencies cancelled subscriptions due to budget constraints from the 2019-2021 budget reductions.

State Agency Subscriptions for 2019-2021 Biennium — Highlights

Number of Subscriptions

  • The total number of subscriptions reported by state agencies for July 2019 through June 2021 was 1036.
  • Most subscriptions (48.55%) were for newspapers, with the next highest percentages being databases (14.48%), books (12.16%), and journals (8.20%).

Duplicate Subscriptions

  • Duplicate subscriptions were determined at two levels: (a) between state agencies and (b) between state agencies and the State Library.
    • There were 507 duplicate subscriptions between state agencies. Most duplicate subscriptions (84.02%) were for newspapers.
    • There were 390 duplicate subscriptions between state agencies and the State Library. Most duplicate subscriptions (88.21%) were for newspapers.
  • Non-newspaper duplicate subscriptions were fairly minimal.
    • Between state agencies, 15.98% of duplicate subscriptions were for non-newspaper content. These included databases (n=23), magazines (n=20), newsletters (n=17), books (n=11), journals (n=4), news sites (n=2), stock image sites (n=2), and training platforms (n=2).
    • Between state agencies and the State Library, 11.79% of duplicate subscriptions were for non-newspaper content. These included magazines (n=29), books (n=15), and journals (n=3).
  • While some duplicate subscriptions may be reduced, other duplicate subscriptions will continue because of the specific reference and research information needs of state agencies.
    • Newspaper duplicate subscriptions cannot be reduced due to the limitations of library licensing options. Newspaper databases are often unable to meet the format and version requirements of state agencies, and most newspaper publishers do not provide multi-user, enterprise-level, or site license options to libraries.
    • Non-newspaper duplicate subscriptions between state agencies and the State Library may be reduced depending on agencies' information needs.
      • Over 57% of non-newspaper duplicate subscriptions were in a different format than the State Library's subscriptions. State agencies subscribed to print formats versus the State Library's electronic access in databases.
      • During the subscriptions review process, library staff share information with state agency liaisons regarding which subscriptions are also available from the State Library. In some cases, state agencies cancel their agency subscriptions in favor of using the database versions provided by the State Library.
      • For the 2019-2021 report, we found duplicate subscriptions of books that are in the State Library's O'Reilly database. We asked embedded librarians to reach out to the affiliated agencies to share information about eBooks available from that database.

Subscription Statistics for 2019-2021 Biennium — Data Tables

State Agency Subscriptions by Format
Subscription Format # of Subscriptions % of Subscriptions
print 412 39.77%
electronic 522 50.39%
both print & electronic 102 9.85%
TOTAL 1036 100.00%
State Agency Subscriptions by Type
Subscription Type # of Subscriptions % of Subscriptions
newspaper 503 48.55%
database 150 14.48%
book 126 12.16%
journal 85 8.20%
magazine 59 5.69%
newsletter 47 4.54%
report 17 1.64%
training 17 1.64%
data 10 0.97%
news site 7 0.68%
software 5 0.48%
stock images 5 0.48%
service 4 0.39%
platform 1 0.10%
TOTAL 1036 100.00%
Duplicate Subscriptions between State Agencies
Subscription Type # of Subscriptions % of Subscriptions % of Duplicates
newspaper 426 41.12% 84.02%
database 23 2.22% 4.54%
magazine 20 1.93% 3.94%
newsletter 17 1.64% 3.35%
book 11 1.06% 2.17%
journal 4 0.39% 0.79%
news site 2 0.19% 0.39%
stock images 2 0.19% 0.39%
training 2 0.19% 0.39%
TOTAL 507 48.94%  
Duplicate Subscriptions between State Agencies and the State Library
Subscription Type # of Subscriptions % of Subscriptions % of Duplicates
newspaper 343 33.11% 87.95%
magazine 29 2.80% 7.44%
book 15 1.45% 3.85%
journal 3 0.29% 0.77%
TOTAL 390 37.64%  
State Agency Subscriptions with No Duplication (not including the State Library of Oregon's subscriptions)
Subscription Type # of Subscriptions % of Subscriptions % of No Duplicates
database 127 12.26% 29.67%
book 100 9.65% 23.36%
newspaper 61 5.89% 14.25%
newsletter 30 2.90% 7.01%
journal 28 2.70% 6.54%
magazine 22 2.12% 5.14%
report 17 1.64% 3.97%
training 15 1.45% 3.50%
data 10 0.97% 2.34%
news site 5 0.48% 1.17%
software 5 0.48% 1.17%
service 4 0.39% 0.93%
stock images 3 0.29% 0.70%
platform 1 0.10% 0.23%
TOTAL 428 41.31%  

A division of the State Library of Oregon | 250 Winter Street NE Salem, Oregon 97301 | Monday-Friday 8am-5pm | 503-378-8800 | LibraryHelp.SLO@slo.oregon.gov