Technical Note The management of periodical subscriptions in the science section of the University Library, Durham

Abstract

The Science Library (S.L.) serves 12 departments of the University, the subject interests fall in areas of the physical, life and social sciences. Some 170 staff, 300 research students and 2,000 undergraduates expect the library to provide access to periodicals of interest to them. The intention is to hold in the S.L. those titles which will satisfy the largest possible proportion of the demand. The sum of money allocated to the S.L. for periodicals in 1974–75 is £25,600 and this will buy some 900 serials of all types. Rather more than 200 additional tides will be acquired by gift or exchange. A major problem facing the S.L. is well known to the majority of librarians and can be expressed in this way. The number and cost of subscriptions that might be placed increases, the number of readers and their demands increase, but the money allocated does not increase at an optimum rate. We cannot satisfy the highest possible proportion of the demands made unless some form of management is practised.

Citation

Woodward, W.B. (1975), "Technical Note The management of periodical subscriptions in the science section of the University Library, Durham", Aslib Proceedings, Vol. 27 No. 9, pp. 385-388. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb050525