The Serials Management Handbook: A Practical Guide to Print and Electronic Serials Management

Citation

Sweeney, L. (2001), "The Serials Management Handbook: A Practical Guide to Print and Electronic Serials Management", New Library World, Vol. 102 No. 4/5, pp. 180-185. https://doi.org/10.1108/nlw.2001.102.4_5.180.1

In the introduction to this book, the editors explain that the UK Serial Group (UKSG) and the Library Association felt that a new publication was long overdue in light of the rapidly changing nature of the serials industry and the repercussions of that change on the information profession. The last work published about serials management in the UK, being Graham and Buettel’s Serials Management: A Practical Guide, in 1990 and it also being seven years since the publication of Woodward and Pilling’s The International Serials Industry (1993). The editors, both of whom are prominent members of the UKSG, have brought together an impressive group of information professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds which cover the whole spectrum of the serials industry: publishers, subscription agents, serials librarians (from both academic and industrial sectors), and representatives of professional organisations such as the LA, SCONUL, JISC and UKSG.

The book is aimed at anyone dealing with the management of serials, but particularly in the academic sector in the UK, this being the main emphasis of the book and the area from which most examples are drawn.

The stated aim is “… to deliver an accessible and useful insight into the serials world as it is today”. This book is a discussion of the current state of play in the serials industry and indeed this aim is achieved. However, for a serials librarian looking for management advice, it does not live up to the sub‐title of “… A Practical Guide to Print and Electronic Serials Management”. It is definitely not a day‐to‐day handbook, in the sense of being a book of facts for working reference.

A useful introduction outlines the salient points of each chapter and then provides a comprehensive list of sources of information on serials. Indeed, the lists of references at the end of each chapter are invaluable sources of information and points of contact. A very large proportion of these are Web sites.

The first chapter, by the historian of scholarly communication, Professor Jack Meadows, sets the serial in its historical context, outlines its purpose and examines the development of electronic communication.

Sally Morris sets out the defence for the publisher and examines why and how journals are published. She describes the needs of readers and authors and how publishers go about meeting those needs. The concept of serials management takes on a new slant when she describes the way publishers manage the journals they produce by constantly assessing cost, content and design. She defends the role of the publisher in adding value to the author’s work through quality control, presentation, and ensuring retrieval by inclusion in abstract and indexing services. The chapter ends with an examination of some of the issues raised by electronic journals such as pricing, archiving and licensing.

Hazel Woodward and Mick Archer examine how serials management has changed with the growth in IT and the new delivery models that are now available. They look at some of the questions that this change poses for serials librarians, both in the academic sector and in industry, and how librarians can plan their collection management policies to meet these changes. The emphasis being on the most cost‐effective way to deliver information to the user.

From my own point of view, as a serials librarian, by far the most useful chapter in the book was Jill Taylor‐Roe’s “Budgeting, ordering and paying for serials”. This is a masterly tutorial on the finances of serials management. She gives sound advice on allocating your budget and the use of formulae to do so. There is also a very useful section on creating your own statistics. Statistics being increasingly important in the current climate of cancellation as a means of supporting your decisions. She examines the factors that influence price increases including currency exchange rates. Jill Taylor‐Roe then, as if she had not given us enough already, goes on to advise us on the specifications for a serials management system. This chapter is full of solid advice.

Tony Kidd and Albert Prior look at the acquisition of serials and, in particular, at the role of the subscription agent and at consortia purchasing. This chapter is written both from the point of view of the agent and of the librarian. Once again the growth of electronic journals is examined in light of how the new models affect both the agent and the librarian.

Matthew Searle’s chapter on processing “… is concerned with the nuts and bolts of serials management”. The chapter is primarily about the management of a serials collection using an automated library management system. There is some duplication here as once again we are advised as to the necessary specification for serials management systems, a subject which had already been covered very well by Jill Taylor‐Roe.

Liz Stevenson deals with the issue of stock management. This chapter looks at the day‐to‐day management of serials and such practicalities as shelving, arrangement, withdrawals, disposal, routing, preservation, binding and archiving.

Roger Brown’s chapter on “Exploitation and usage analysis” has some useful ideas about raising awareness and promoting your journals. He also emphasises the importance of usage analysis and the need for serials managers to be accountable for the large sums of money they are spending. He outlines some of the methods that can be employed to measure use.

Martin White concludes with a chapter that summarises the opportunities and threats facing all of the players in the field of serials management. The general conclusion being that these are changing times and that all we can do is be adaptable and proactive in dealing with change.

This is more of a book to refer to rather than to read from cover to cover. The quality and content of the chapters vary enormously. The book is well laid out and a useful index allows the reader to find subjects that he is looking for easily.

While there is nothing particularly new or original to be learned from this book, it gives, nevertheless, an interesting insight into the serials business industry from the point of view of all the participants. I would certainly recommend adding it to your collection and it will be of interest to LiS students and professionals alike.