One of the main goals of JSTOR, a repository of academic journals, is to “Help libraries connect patrons to vital content while increasing shelf-space savings and lowering costs.” (JSTOR, 2013, emphasis added). This goal of realizing cost savings through the deaccessioning of print collections costs was also discussed in the Libraries of the Future (LOFT): Executive Summary. In addition to deaccessioning print journals, cost savings may also be found by the non-binding of current journals which will eventually become duplicated in JSTOR.

The Serials Strategic Planning group recommended discontinuing binding of journal titles duplicated in JSTOR. Following this recommendation, serials took note of titles duplicated in JSTOR Packages available to SDSU and ceased binding activities where applicable. As of this writing (which is after about one year of this non-binding of JSTOR journals), it was determined that it would be good to review this decision and make plans for the withdrawal of journals once they become available online through this particular resource.

Two points of concern were: First, if the library ceases to bind journals will more issues be lost causing more replacement work for serials? Second, some journals were not approved for withdrawal, so should serials continue to bind journals which subject bibliographers wished to keep in print on the shelf?

To make sure the needs of library faculty were being met, the serials unit determined that exceptions to the “non-binding of titles duplicated in JSTOR” would be made. First, titles where bibliographers decided to keep older bound print volumes would still be bound (e.g. Burlington Magazine and California History). Second, titles where the JSTOR “Moving Wall” (the length of time it takes for journal content to show up in a JSTOR Archives package) was five years or greater would also continue to be bound. For all other titles, serials cataloging would change the retention policy for print journals currently received in print but duplicated in JSTOR to the length of the moving wall plus one year. Moving wall information was taken from this webpage: https://support.jstor.org/hc/en-us/articles/115004879547-JSTOR-s-Moving-Wall-Archive-vs-Current-Definitions#moving-wall