Head of Collection Management & E-resources Librarian
The Rising Cost of Subscription Resources
Each year, Arthur Lakes Library negotiates with publishers and vendors to provide access to the databases and journals that advance Colorado School of Mines world-changing research and transformative instruction. Unfortunately, the cost of these resources rises by 4-8% annually, far outpacing the rate of inflation and the realistic constraints of university budgets. When we negotiate with publishers, we seek contracts that are affordable, sustainable, and transparent, but sometimes publishers insist on significant increases that far exceed available funding. Mines is not alone in challenging these unsustainable increases- academic libraries of all sizes across the nation face the same reality.
Supporting Programs & Resources @ Mines
It is a goal of the Arthur Lakes Library to provide the necessary resources to students, faculty, and staff to support education and research. While not all resources may be available due to cost and/or licensing we'll try to get the resources our community needs.
- Suggest a PurchaseWhether a one time purchase, an annual subscription, or course readings please submit the form for any items you would like the library to purchase.
- Wish List of MaterialsWhen resources are requested and cannot be filled immediately they will be added to this wishlist for further evaluation.
**Access is restricted the Mines community.
How does the library’s materials budget compare to that of other institutions?
Answer: Below is a comparison of peer institutions for 2022 enrollment and library materials budget. Data from IPEDS.
| Institution Name | Fall 2022 Total Enrollment |
Total Materials Budget for FY22 |
Per Student | Carnegie Classification as of 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology | 2,403 | $3,395,880 | $1,413 | R1 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 11,836 | $11,096,909 | $938 | R1 |
| New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | 1,505 | $1,398,000 | $929 | M3 |
| Michigan Technological University | 6,619 | $3,257,474 | $492 | R2 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | 35,758 | $14,440,150 | $404 | R1 |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 6,730 | $2,694,745 | $400 | R2 |
| Colorado School of Mines | 6,868 |
$2,420,845 |
$352 | R1 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 7,753 | $2,387,015 | $308 | R1 |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | 5,979 | $1,249,471 | $209 | R2 |
| South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | 2,034 | $414,580 | $204 | M2 |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | 9,673 | $1,762,720 | $182 | R1 |
Do you have any other general data on historical materials inflation?
Answer: Yes. Library materials inflation is a broadly recognized challenge in academia. Below is a chart showing the inflation of individual journal subscriptions year-to-year. See full chart.
