Hello Collection Development/JSTOR Colleagues,

I thought I would take this opportunity to send a brief update regarding the UC/JSTOR Paper Repository project.

Less than one month into the operation, we are 3% finished with our page validation process. Student employees are moving at a faster rate than anticipated, i.e. 2-3x more than the 615/hr quota (suggested by JSTOR). Now that our new LA III Kris Brix has started, workflows are being fine-tuned, and we are hoping to be staffed with a full student crew by early June.

Currently, Kris and I are double-checking all student work. Their error rate is very low, but it could be better, and I have no doubt that as students get used to serials irregularities and the demands of the project we will be in excellent shape.

Unfortunately, we are finding a high rejection rate among the 1st choice selections. Of 593 physical volumes that underwent our strict validation process thus far, only 318 (54%) were accepted for the Repository. 89 (15%) were rejected because of quality concerns (missing pages, water damage, stains, glue or bindery damage). 154 (26%) were rejected because they were reprints. 32 (5%) require some sort of in-house repair treatment beyond the current skills of our students before they can be accepted.

For these reasons, I must ask campuses the following:

1. From your first choice selections, please let us know which volumes from which titles are .obviously reprints. Recent conversations with JSTOR have resulted in a less than enthusiastic response to including reprints in this project. For this reason, it may be best to identify these before sending them down (where they will most definitely be instantly rejected).
2. Please mentally prepare to be asked to consider sending volumes or titles you were not expecting to send. As mentioned, a 46% rejection rate--much higher than anticipated--means that 2nd-3rd choice campuses will probably be called upon often for their help. I will send 2nd choice lists as soon as I can compile them.

That's it for now. Please forward to the appropriate audience. Good weekend!

Jeff Sundquist
UC Shared Print Librarian & JSTOR Archive Manager