Serials Management Transitions in Turbulent Times

Abstract

This installment of "The Balance Point" presents descriptions of existing ideas and activities related to serials management during the current economic situation and with new digital priorities in medium to very large academic library systems. Contributors discuss current organization and activities related to traditional serials tasks, such as acquisitions, check-in, claiming and binding of print periodicals, and outline relationships to new activities precipitated by shifts to large-scale electronic resource acquisitions. Featured authors discuss reasons behind changes and provide commentary on progress, next steps and the benefits or drawbacks. Serials Review 2010; 36:161-166.

Flexibility in the Face of Change

“…10 Spagnolo, Pennington, and Carter note other causes of the shift. 11 The report that most libraries have reduced the number of their print subscriptions in favor of online subscriptions either as a reaction to changing patron need and desire or to reduce staffing resources required to process print. By reducing or eliminating check-in, claiming, binding, ceasing to place security strips in issues that will be bound, binding incomplete issues, ceasing comprehensive title-level invoice checking in favor of spot checking high risk and use titles, libraries save staff time and, in some cases, can redirect these savings to managing online resources.…”

“…12 The shift to electronic formats has been incorporated into collection policies with reasonable exceptions that include faculty needs and desires for print and instances where the library has a heavy responsibility for archiving or preserving specific content. 13 The shift is spurred by increasing reliability of stable archives (e.g., Portico and JSTOR) and sometimes involves Big Deal contracts for online journal content and the implementation of serials and access management tools such as link resolvers, discovery tools, and ERMs.…”

“…23 The libraries (University of California-Davis, University of Missouri-Kansas City, and University of Alberta) described by Spagnolo, Pennington, and Carter have reorganized technical services (including serials) by centralizing processing in cases of multiple libraries, organizing units on the basis of function instead of format, and cross-training staff to handle multiple responsibilities. 24 Centralized processing in this case took the form of a single acquisitions department that accomplished purchasing for all branch libraries. Cross-training "has provided us [the University of California at Davis within the University of California System] with an ability to maneuver in response to fluctuating needs and different cycles between monographs and serials."…”