What are Serials?

A serial is any publication issued in successive parts, usually (though not always) at regular intervals, and intended to be continued indefinitely. Serials include: periodicals, newspapers, magazines, annuals, yearbooks, journals, memoirs, proceedings, transactions, and numbered monographic series. For cataloging reason, we divide serials in two categories: annuals and periodicals. Annuals and periodicals are different in creating holdings records - including call numbers and cutter numbers - and item records.

Annuals: Annuals include a book or a magazine, comic book or comic strip which is published yearly. Conference proceedings, annual reports, directories are treated as annuals. Periodicals: Periodicals are serials that are issued more than once a year, i.e., quarterly, monthly, etc.

Given the current budgetary realities and the continuing high rate of inflation in serial subscription costs, it is necessary to mandate a policy of canceling one or more current subscriptions equivalent in cost to each new title ordered. Regular evaluation of all current subscriptions within academic departments and by library staff is also necessary to identify unneeded subscriptions for cancellation. Savings from cancellations recommended by departments may be taken into account when new subscription requests are made at a later date.

Procedures for selecting discipline specific titles

New subscriptions in a subject area are proposed by faculty or the subject librarian. The person initiating the request discusses the need for the subscription with members of the relevant department or program, and assures that the request is supported by departmental or program consensus. Criteria for selection of library subscriptions include:

subject specificity relevance to curriculum and teaching mission potential use by members of the department and their students cost and format

availability from other libraries, document delivery services

The subject librarian will review the request and determine costs (online vs print subscriptions) and availability (in databases). This information will be sent to the department. The department will then consult with the assigned subject librarian to identify one or more current titles of equal cost that they recommended be canceled in order to pay for the new subscription. Each Spring, the professional librarians review all subscription requests from all departments. If funds have been identified for a new journal request, the technical services staff will place the subscriptions with the appropriate vendor. Any new subscription will begin with the next calendar year.