serials management
phrasePronunciation: /ˈsɪəriəlz ˈmænɪdʒmənt/
The specialized library function of acquiring, organizing, and maintaining continuing publications such as journals, magazines, and other periodical materials.
Full Definition
Serials management encompasses the complex workflows involved in handling continuing publications that are issued in successive parts over time. This includes subscription management, claiming missing issues, cataloging serial titles, managing format changes, and maintaining holdings records. The practice requires understanding of publication patterns, vendor relationships, and licensing agreements. Modern serials management increasingly involves electronic resources, requiring expertise in access management, usage statistics, and digital preservation strategies.
Plain English
The way libraries handle magazines, journals, and other publications that come out regularly over time.
In Editorial Context
The library processes for managing ongoing subscriptions and access to scholarly journals and periodicals that support research and academic publishing workflows.
Etymology & History
Developed as academic libraries faced increasing complexity in managing growing numbers of scholarly periodicals and subscription services.
Originally focused on print subscriptions and binding, now predominantly concerned with electronic access and licensing.
Usage
"The serials management team worked closely with publishers to resolve access issues affecting the university's electronic journal collections."
Usage note: Increasingly complex due to hybrid print/electronic formats and changing business models in scholarly publishing.
Context: academic libraries, technical services, collection development, scholarly publishing
Region: international
Also known as
Contrasted with
Don't confuse with
While related to acquisitions, serials management specifically addresses the ongoing nature and unique workflows of continuing publications.