Electronic Journal Management Systems: Experiences from the Field

Discover how to manage your library’s electronic journals—with tips from those who’ve already met the challenge!

The explosive growth of electronic journals presents unique challenges for libraries. Electronic Journal Management Systems: Experiences from the Field comprehensively examines these complex topics, including explanations of the automated systems libraries have developed or adopted, licensing issues, and the provision of access to electronic journals. Respected library professionals discuss their own experiences in the implementation and use of electronic journal management systems, helping readers to easily apply effective strategies in their own library.

Electronic Journal Management Systems: Experiences from the Field reveals the available technologies, difficulties encountered, and successes of different librarians who met the challenge to implement management systems, giving readers an inside glimpse of what they themselves may encounter when planning their own system. The growth of electronic journals in libraries is addressed, along with helpful descriptions of management systems and link resolvers, including systems like SFX, Serial Solutions, TDNet, and EBSCO LinkSource. The book includes screen shots, tables, and diagrams to clearly illustrate concepts and information.

Electronic Journal Management Systems: Experiences from the Field discusses a wide range of implementation and use issues, including:

• using Microsoft Excel to manage serial subscriptions
• better integration of management of electronic resources through library vendors
• one-stop serials management and access
• the selection process of a journal management system
• the preparation for implementation and subsequent transition process
• the Web site as a listing and finding tool
• the benefits of switching to an SFX environment
• creating a customized database for multiple systems
• the Innovative Interfaces, Inc. partnership with libraries to develop a module to manage electronic resources based on the work of the Digital Library Federation’s Electronic Resources Management Initiative
• the evaluation and implementation process of a beta test library with an integrated library system vendor to develop a management system
• developing a universal management scheme for electronic resources

Management of electronic journals in libraries is a complex and fast- changing process, and Ives (Texas A&M U. Libraries) has assembled a collection of articles on the topic from librarians working throughout the United States. Contributors describe experiences with TDNet, the transition to e-journals, customized electronic journal management, transition from in-house to in-house/vendor approach, using Innovative's electronic resource management, and the experience of beta testing and implementation. Co-published simultaneously as The Serials Librarian, v.47, no.4 2005. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Carmel J. Yurochko, BA, MLIS(Duquesne University)
Description:A collection of 12 papers simultaneously copublished as The Serials Librarian, volume 47, Number 4, 2005, this book offers experiences from the field on topics ranging from electronic journals to electronic resource management systems. It ranges from homegrown systems to vendor ready systems.
Purpose:Management of electronic journals and electronic resources is not an easy matter; it is in fact a complex challenge. Collected papers in this book clearly show the shift taking place in libraries regarding the acquisition, access, and management of electronic journals and electronic resources. It further makes publicly known what those in the field intuitively know -- workflows and processing of electronic resources are not the same as those of print materials and changes need to be made.
Audience:All librarians in the academic arena should read this book to catch them up on the changes occurring in libraries today. Most importantly, the acquisition, serials, and electronic resources librarians should be required to read this book to give credence to their experiences. Additionally, this is a must read for university librarians and technical services librarians in order for them to understand the changes needed in workflows, processing, etc.
Features:Described in this book are the wide ranges of challenges brought on by the proliferation of electronic journals and electronic resources in libraries and the variety of techniques developed to handle them. The papers run the gamut from in-house developed spreadsheets, to homegrown management systems, to vendor management systems. Also included is a very enlightening discourse delineating the workflows retooling needed to deal with the shift to predominantly electronic resources. The bibliographies at the end of each paper as well as the index are very useful.
Assessment:Finally -- a book that gets to the heart of the matter. Not just a theoretical work, this is experience from the field and of value to all. The title is a misnomer; the book is more far-reaching and inclusive than the title leads one to believe. If the charge of this book is to detail the paradigm shift occurring in libraries, than it has successfully fulfilled its mission. A highly recommended read for all librarians.