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Overview
This informative volume gives you an up-close look at the increasingly important role that electronic serials play in the overall library collection, today and in the future. It addresses many of the themes, problems, and questions raised by this fast-evolving medium, including e-journal publishing issues, troubleshooting, and accreditation issues, as well as e-reserves, e-books, and more. In E-Serials Collection Management: Transitions, Trends, and Technicalities, library professionals from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia discuss these issues, the problems they have faced, and the solutions they have developed for them.To view an excerpt online, find the book in our QuickSearch catalog at www.HaworthPress.com.
Synopsis
Fowler (electronic resources, Iowa State University) compiles perspectives on the role that electronic serials play in the overall library collection now and in the future. Library professionals from the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia address problems and questions raised by this evolving medium, looking at e-journal publishing issues, troubleshooting, and accreditation issues, as well as e-reserves and e-books. They discuss the interrelationship between pricing, licensing, and technological aspects, and look at the benefits and pitfalls of using vendors/publishers, third-party providers, and subscription agents for electronic journal services. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Doody Review Services
Reviewer:David Brennan, BA, MLS(Pittsburgh Theological Seminary)
Description:This book covers a number of issues related to the management of electronic serials collections, primarily from an academic library perspective.
Purpose:The purpose is to provide an overview of "many of the themes, problems, and questions raised by this newly ubiquitous medium [electronic serials]." These objectives are worthy, particularly for smaller academic libraries that are now focusing their attention on providing access to electronic resources. This book meets those objectives.
Audience:The book is written for the practitioner, but it is equally useful for the student, and may indeed be a good choice for a course textbook. The chapters on "Using a subscription agent for electronic journals" (Ch. 2) and "Consortia and electronic journals" (Ch. 5) would be particularly suited for students, while less useful for those already in the field. The authors bring a wide range of appropriate experience to their respective chapters.
Features:The book covers the basics of managing electronic serials collections, from purchasing/access options to collection development and working with usage data. The collection development chapter makes good use of graphics to illustrate survey results. A weakness of the book is the chapter on electronic reserves, which deals with copyright issues in reserve collections. Drawing on a case from an Australian library, the copyright regulations cited differ from those in the U.S. as well as Canada and the U.K. A more general approach to copyright and licensing would have been more effective for different audiences, and indeed is a major component of the management of all electronic collections.
Assessment:This is a good introduction to the management issues involved in dealing with electronic serials collections and will be a useful resource to students and staff in libraries seeking ways to better manage their resources.
Editorials
Reviewer: David Brennan, BA, MLS(Pittsburgh Theological Seminary)
Description: This book covers a number of issues related to the management of electronic serials collections, primarily from an academic library perspective.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide an overview of "many of the themes, problems, and questions raised by this newly ubiquitous medium [electronic serials]." These objectives are worthy, particularly for smaller academic libraries that are now focusing their attention on providing access to electronic resources. This book meets those objectives.
Audience: The book is written for the practitioner, but it is equally useful for the student, and may indeed be a good choice for a course textbook. The chapters on "Using a subscription agent for electronic journals" (Ch. 2) and "Consortia and electronic journals" (Ch. 5) would be particularly suited for students, while less useful for those already in the field. The authors bring a wide range of appropriate experience to their respective chapters.
Features: The book covers the basics of managing electronic serials collections, from purchasing/access options to collection development and working with usage data. The collection development chapter makes good use of graphics to illustrate survey results. A weakness of the book is the chapter on electronic reserves, which deals with copyright issues in reserve collections. Drawing on a case from an Australian library, the copyright regulations cited differ from those in the U.S. as well as Canada and the U.K. A more general approach to copyright and licensing would have been more effective for different audiences, and indeed is a major component of the management of all electronic collections.
Assessment: This is a good introduction to the management issues involved in dealing with electronic serials collections and will be a useful resource to students and staff in libraries seeking ways to better manage their resources.
Library Journal
For a brief shining moment, perhaps we all imagined that electronic serials would be the solution to the difficulties of dealing with paper journals: numbering errors, missing issues, claiming, checking in, binding, reshelving, etc. Sadly, in fact, only a few of the old problems seem to have disappeared with the advent of electronic serials, and many new challenges have already begun to plague us: licensing, access, missing content, and more. Electronic serials play an increasingly vital role in library collections, so these challenges will have to be met. Mostly case studies, the chapters in this volume present the experience of librarians who have met and mastered the electronic serials beast. E-reserves and e-books rate a section each. Librarians already dealing with the virtual world of information will recognize many of the difficulties highlighted in these studies. Finding a new solution or two along the way makes the whole thing worth reading. Recommended for academic libraries.-Margaret Sylvia, St. Mary's Univ. Lib., San Antonio Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.3 Stars from Doody