Serials in Libraries: Issues and Practices

by Steve Black

This introduction to serials in libraries presents current issues and practices for library school students, beginning serials librarians, and experienced librarians new to serials management. Managing serials has become increasingly difficult as the cost of subscriptions rises faster than the rate of inflation and budgets remain the same or are cut. This covers collection development of print and online serials, principles of bibliographic control, and ways to facilitate and measure library patrons' use of serials. Chapters addressing economics, scholarly publishing, and teaching patrons about serials complement chapters on the day-to-day management of serials in libraries.

As early as the 17th century, serials publication was inextricably linked to the most current developments in nearly all fields of human endeavor. Even today, serials constitute the single most important vehicle for global scholarly communication. However, the past 20 years have shown an increasing tension among the vested interests of authors, publishers, vendors, and, of course, librarians. Serials management, a complex business at the best of times, now faces a bar raised to unprecedented heights.
Author Steve Black covers such traditional aspects of serials management as acquisition, evaluation, and authority control. He uses these and other functions to highlight changes in scholarly communication and, by extension, how these changes necessitate improvements in practice. Peer review, the prevailing winds of rank and tenure, and the increasingly powerful role of consortia are but a few of the challenges discussed. A final section on teaching patrons to use journals reminds the reader that nonscholars too must be a part of the dialogue.
Serials management today includes decision related to online vs. print. While the emphasis is on academic libraries, the place of serials in public and special libraries is covered. The author prepares the serials librarian for a role in library instruction of patrons in libraries.

Genres: Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2006

Reviews

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm hesitant to review this book because no one on my friends list would be interested in reading it, not even the librarians. Serials librarianship is a lonesome calling. However, I'm keeping track of every book I read this year, so here's what I think of this one: very thorough and informative. Good introduction to the collection and uses of serials in libraries and the history behind current practices.

[Daniel Cornwall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found it useful for my new work. Seems to have aged well. Every chapter has suggestions for further reading and references. The author writes clearly and in my view, even handedly.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very helpful book for assessing the lay of the land in serials librarianship, which is a rapidly changing field. The book gave me some ideas about strategies for handling current space and usage issues, as well as several ideas for long-term studies. Serials librarianship is about much more than checking in items (and, in fact, I do next to none of that)and this books highlights some of the main areas of focus -- it's about scholarly publishing, information literacy, and wise financial and material management for both the long- and short-term. I liked the numerous suggestions for further reading and the fact that this book drew some of its analysis from economics and business models in addition to the library literature.