Serials management in academic libraries

by Jean Walter Farrington

In the decade ahead, libraries will have to do more with less. Fewer journal titles owned by each institution, less detailed cataloging, and fewer staff will become realities as libraries are forced to cope with budget restrictions. Serials management, in particular, will require a greater degree of adaptability and flexibility. This professional reference overviews the most significant emerging issues concerning serials management in academic libraries and provides practical advice to aid librarians in responding to a changing environment. Among the issues discussed are the debate of access versus ownership, the electronic dissemination of text and document delivery, standards for electronic data transfer, and approaches to cataloging. The volume offers practical solutions to the problems facing librarians, and it stresses the increasing role of automation in effective serials management.