Serials

reference work with periodicals Requires indexes and abstracts as first line of service (full-text?) Requires location in-house in a library of a periodical Requires searches via union lists to connect user with serial resources

Origins Journal des Scavants (1665) -- first scholarly scientific publication Gentleman’s Magazine (1731) -- England journal = diary of a record of work carried out in a particular field; ---> daily record of events or newspaper magazine = storehouse; collection of miscellaneous papers and compositions

Origins journals also became linked with learned societies (publication of proceedings, lectures of societies) also, journalism keeps its link with writing for popular consumption

Genre Characteristics Scope, frequency of publication, intellectual level varies Shared: uniform title, meant to be continued indefinitely, published at regular intervals

Purpose readable, accessible presentation style insures readability (length of articles controlled and matched to the topic and audience: feature, editorial, column) topical, varied content form of writing (fiction, essay, poetry, reviews …), presentation (synopses, commentary, pictorial), subject matter

Purposes rounded content article covers a topic in a succinct manner, sometimes one article would suffice current, seasonal content holidays, celebrations, recreation, travel are annually renewable topics for popular reading portable use is easy

Purposes importance of serials newsmagazines cover current material in a way that books cannot: contribute to education and recreation in general scholarly journals preferred medium of communication in science and technology (currency in sci-tech = journal articles exclusively; not cutting edge in humanities) shortcomings in journal collection very visible to users

Finding and Acquiring Articles in Periodicals Access to particular articles in magazines & journals through general indexes to periodicals Cumulated in bound or electronic editions for annual or greater coverage Considerations: duplication among indexes & coverage in relation to library collection

Finding and Acquiring Articles in Periodicals Helping the patron to find information in periodicals: indexes and abstracts (identify articles), identify in-house holdings to period