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The Serials Librarian: From thePrinted Page to the Digital AgePublication details, including instructions forauthors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wser20

Comparing and ContrastingSerials in Public and AcademicLibrariesStephen Headley a & Jeanne M. Langendorfer ba Magazines and Newspapers Department , PublicLibrary of Cincinnati and Hamilton Countyb Bowling Green State University , USAPublished online: 24 Sep 2008.

To cite this article: Stephen Headley & Jeanne M. Langendorfer (2005) Comparingand Contrasting Serials in Public and Academic Libraries, The Serials Librarian: Fromthe Printed Page to the Digital Age, 48:3-4, 289-293, DOI: 10.1300/J123v48n03_10

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Comparing and Contrasting Serialsin Public and Academic Libraries:

How the Other Half Lives

Stephen Headley

Presenter

Jeanne M. Langendorfer

Recorder

SUMMARY. Stephen Headley compared serials work in public and ac-ademic libraries. He described the issues faced by those working withserials in both types of libraries. He discussed publisher and vendorproblems, electronic access to periodicals, budget concerns, collec-tion development for main and branch libraries, competition facedby public libraries, arrangement and storage of materials and clien-tele. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document DeliveryService: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: <docdelivery@haworthpress.com>Website: <http://www.HaworthPress.com>]

Stephen Headley introduced himself as a relatively new member ofNASIG. His experience at the 2003 NASIG conference (the first he at-tended) inspired him to propose a presentation for the 2004 conference.

© 2005 by the North American Serials Interest Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

[Haworth co-indexing entry note]: “Comparing and Contrasting Serials in Public and Academic Libraries:How the Other Half Lives.” Langendorfer, Jeanne M. Co-published simultaneously in The Serials Librarian(The Haworth Information Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc.) Vol. 48, No. 3/4, 2005, pp. 289-293;and: Growth, Creativity, and Collaboration: Great Visions on a Great Lake (ed: Patricia Sheldahl French, andMargaret Mering) The Haworth Information Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc., 2005, pp. 289-293.Single or multiple copies of this article are available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service [1-800-HAWORTH, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST). E-mail address: getinfo@haworthpress.com].

http://www.haworthpress.com/web/SERDigital Object Identifier: 10.1300/J123v48n03_10 289

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He described his presentation as an informational session about serialsissues in public libraries. His remarks addressed handling serials in alarger public library as compared to a large academic library and aredrawn from his experience and from discussions with other librarians.The purpose of Headley’s presentation was to give participants from theacademic and commercial settings “an idea of the issues involved withserials in the public library setting” and a better understanding of thesimilarities and differences with academic libraries.

Librarians from public libraries represent a very small part ofNASIG. The 2003 conference, while offering a broad perspective of se-rials and serials issues, did not offer a specific program that directly ad-dressed public libraries. Headley also illustrated an overall lack ofattention to public libraries and their serials issues by sharing the resultsof searches of Library Literature. When he searched “public libraries”and “serials publications,” fifty-eight hits matched his search terms.Over 1,000 hits resulted in his search for “college and universitylibraries” and “serials publications.”

SIMILARITIES

Both public and academic libraries have problems with publishersand vendors that include claiming, frequency changes and title changes.Examples of problematic title changes for public libraries include Or-ganic Gardening changing to OG, and then changing back again to Or-ganic Gardening. An example of such a title change in an academiclibrary might be the American Journal of Alternative Agriculturebecoming Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. Headley’s idea ofthe worst serial title change was when Healthline changed to Sick Bayfor three issues, and then thankfully changed back to Healthline.

Public libraries rely heavily on aggregators for electronic access toperiodicals. When public libraries cancel print and microform titles infavor of access through an aggregator or stop archiving and bindingthose titles to save money, they can later be faced with the decision ofwhether to restart subscriptions if the title disappears from the database.Academic libraries face similar circumstances when they lose elec-tronic access to titles they have access to only in aggregators. Budgetconcerns affect public libraries as well as academic libraries. Periodi-cals are often targeted for cuts because they are the largest part of thecollections budget. Headley discussed cuts to the periodicals budget at

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his library during the past couple of years. His library’s budget for or-dering new materials was cut in half in 2004.

DIFFERENCES

Differences exist in collection development responsibilities in publiclibraries and academic libraries. In public libraries, one person is oftenresponsible for managing the periodicals collection of a main libraryand all branches. Managers of branches, or other subject specialists,sometimes offer suggestions for making purchasing or cancellation de-cisions. Academic libraries usually have a more interactive and inclu-sive team approach for making collection decisions. The team mayconsist of faculty, staff and librarians. Public libraries rarely subscribeto electronic journals. Someone in the reference or systems depart-ments, or who has a combination of subject knowledge and technicalexpertise, may manage other electronic resources or databases.

Headley enjoys ordering new titles. He reads reviews and refers toMagazines for Libraries; he also reviews titles available in grocerystores, drug stores and bookstores. Headley ordered Tracks, a new mu-sic magazine, after he discovered it at Blockbuster. Academic librariansare less likely to include serendipity in their collection development de-cisions. They more often expect or seek faculty input and may have toconsider accreditation requirements in their decisions.

Public libraries often serve as an archive for popular culture for theircommunity. They often are the repository of their community’s histori-cal publications, including local newspapers and magazines. Occasion-ally, historical societies also serve this function. An academic librarygenerally does not fill this role in its community, or at least not to theextent of public libraries.

Collection development in branch libraries is different from that inacademic libraries. Branches serve different communities, which canhave considerable variation in ethnic background, language, socioeco-nomic levels, and urban or rural settings. Some collection developmentneeds arise very quickly, such as rapid growth of an immigrant popula-tion. Managers of branches must be knowledgeable of their community,taking into account any changes in their particular branch’s needs. Theycommunicate the changes in their library’s needs to the main librarystaff.

Public libraries need to make their value known to users and fundingagencies. They must address the competition among libraries, book-

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stores, television, and the Internet. One of the biggest challenges is the“leisure time” battle. In other words, libraries must try to attract poten-tial users by providing plenty of programs and materials for leisure in-terests. Use of the library is not just recreational. Business people usethe library for their work. Parents bring their children to the library foreducational purposes. The physical space of the library must be invitingand provide large spaces for browsing. Materials should be arranged bysubject categories, similar to a bookstore. Headley tries to inject a littlehumor into the titles on display. He shelves American Atheist in the reli-gion section; End of Life Choices, a publication of the AmericanHemlock Society, is included in the health and fitness section.

Academic libraries may not have the same competition of buying onetitle versus another, but they certainly have competition with theInternet. Academic libraries have a more captive audience–one thatmust use the materials available to meet academic assignments. Compe-tition is not the only issue of concern for academic and public libraries.They must also balance many needs and interests against a limited bud-get. How many women’s or men’s magazines does a library need? Howdoes one prioritize user requests and the quality of the collection?

Public libraries strive to make their materials easy to find in a com-fortable setting. Most often, periodicals are shelved alphabetically onopen shelving, which allows the user to easily find them on the shelf.Occasionally, titles are held in on-site/closed stacks, especially ar-chived holdings. Public libraries rarely use off-site storage. Academiclibraries take a more mixed approach in arranging their periodicals.Some arrange periodicals alphabetically. Others organize them in callnumber order. Due to space considerations, academic libraries are morelikely to use off-site storage for both periodicals and monographs,irrespective of individual user preferences.

Public libraries get online content from aggregator’s databases. Thepatrons generally want articles on a particular subject and may request atype of source, such as a newspaper or magazine. They are not con-cerned about a particular article in a certain journal. Public libraries donot have a high demand to provide access to online versions of journals,as do academic libraries. The users of a public library are very diverse inage, ethnicity, socioeconomic level and education. An academic librarymay serve a population with ethnic diversity and a variety of socioeco-nomic levels; however, their users are much more similar in theireducation levels.

Headley concluded by saying that he hoped that participants had abetter idea of the issues faced by public libraries regarding serials. In the

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future, he would like the NASIG conference to offer more sessions ofinterest to public libraries staff.

A lively discussion followed the formal presentation. Public libraryserialists find their needs are also not entirely met at ALA or Public Li-brary Association conferences. Academic and public serial librariansshare similar experiences in belonging to consortia. Everyone feels theyare “flying by the seat of their pants” and barely holding on.

Headley described his job responsibilities at the Public Library ofCincinnati and Hamilton County. As head of the Magazines and News-papers Department (a public services unit) he and his staff handle thetechnical operations of periodicals. They maintain records for over4,000 subscriptions, check-in, claiming and binding of periodicals. Hisunit is not responsible for serials that are not periodicals and other stand-ing orders. None of the periodicals circulate in his department. Branchlibraries circulate their periodicals. The Magazines and NewspapersDepartment was formed in 1997, when a second building was added tothe main library of the Public Library of Cincinnati and HamiltonCounty. Previously, magazines and newspapers were housed in varioussubject departments.

As is more typical of larger public libraries, Cincinnati does maintainan extensive periodicals collection. The main library is the archive fortitles for the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Branchlibraries do not archive their own periodicals. The Public Library ofCincinnati and Hamilton County serves as a research library for many inthe community.

In answer to the question, “Do you purchase based on potential useonly?” Headley said that while use is important, other criteria are con-sidered. He tries to offer a varied and well-balanced collection, espe-cially in religion and politics, and includes some scholarly titles alongwith the popular titles.

CONTRIBUTORS’ NOTES

Stephen Headley is Manager of the Magazines and Newspapers Department at thePublic Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Jeanne M. Langendorfer is Coordi-nator of Serials at Bowling Green State University.

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