Detailed annotations (100-150 words) on some 500 items focus on articles, books, and book chapters published from 1980 through 1991 and important classic items published prior to 1980. With both scholarly/theoretical and practical how-to perspectives, the book covers material concerning research, university, college, community college, and special libraries. Major chapters discuss an overview of the collection evaluation process, methods and methodology, use studies, availability studies, the RLG Conspectus, serials evaluation (including serials review case studies), citation analysis (including structure of disciplines), journal ranking, standards, and application of automation to the collection evaluation process. The book will be useful to academic library practitioners, students, teachers, and researchers in library and information science education.

Focusing on the management of serials in libraries and the role of serials in scholarly communications, this book combines descriptive and prescriptive approaches to illuminate major serials management issues. Unlike other works on the subject, this text emphasizes collection management issues-serials evaluation/selection criteria, cancellation, weeding, document delivery, budgeting, decision models, use studies, journal ranking, and the application of citation analysis (including use of the Journal Citation Reports and Bradfordian distribution). The author also discusses the implications of the Internet and World Wide Web for serials management. Other topics include types of serials, serials history, serials automation, electronic journals, technical services processing, and copyright issues. Appendixes list and annotate relevant World Wide Web sites, pertinent bibliographies, and sources of statistical data about serials. Significant research is often cited. There are extensive footnotes, and bibl