Electronic Journal Management Systems: Experiences from the Field

Citation

Satija, M.P. (2007), "Electronic Journal Management Systems: Experiences from the Field", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 25 No. 4, pp. 622-622. https://doi.org/10.1108/07378830710840572

Electronic resources now consume more than 60 per cent of the information materials budget of any state‐of‐the‐art library. And of all electronic resources journals are the most common, fastest growing and most rapidly evolving. Consequently, serials control is complex and daunting and has outgrown the capacity of integrated library management software; as the editor of this volume states, “Integrated library management systems do not support the unique complexities of electronic resources management”. No single tool or strategy is adequate for managing e‐serials.

The 12 chapters of this book enshrine the varied experiences of managing e‐resources, with a focus on e‐journals in 11 libraries across the USA. The descriptions are informative, as most of the libraries started ab initio, weighing all the options before them in the choice of management tools. The authors themselves worked on and went through all the processes in their libraries in switching over to e‐resources. There is description and review of locally developed systems, and there are details of commercially designed systems such as TDNet, EBSCO A to Z, LinkSource and SFX. Libraries covered are mostly universities, varying from general multi‐campus libraries to a single special library. Some articles give an overview of the workflow as libraries shift from print to an electronic environment.

The issues dealt with range from planning and human resources requirements to technology implementation. There is an informed comparison of the features of various e‐journal management and linking systems. Not only the advantages, but also the shortcomings experienced are listed for guidance of those who may try them. The last chapter provides a model for a universal management scheme for electronic resources, drawing ideas and methods from other disciplines. Any library planning shift to e‐journals will find these experiences, given in simple and clear language, highly useful.

However, an additional chapter on the evolution, nature and problems of e‐journals would have been useful for students, as would a glossary of terms, concepts and systems. Otherwise, this is a welcome addition to the field.