Abstract:
This study was necessitated by the precarious
s i t u a t i o n the l i b r a r i e s face because of the l i m i t e d budgets,
p e r i o d i c a l ' s price hikes, p r o l i f e r a t i o n of p e r i o d i c al
l i t e r a t u r e , s c a t t e r i n g of relevant a r t i c l e s in a vast number
of p e r i o d i c a l s , and imbalance of p e r i o d i c a l monograph budget
r a t i o s . A thorough review of the p e r i o d i c a l s c o l l e c t i o n was
undertaken with the aim of determining the scope, q u a l i t y,
a c c e s s i b i l i t y , usefulness and weaknesses of the c o l l e c t i o n,
so that development could proceed i n a d i r e c t i o n p a r a l l e l to
the needs, and future goals, keeping within the l i m i t ed
budget.
Each p e r i o d i c a l t i t l e was assessed through data
gathered under four variables, user opinion, c i r c u l a t i o n,
in-house use, and c i t a t i o n s , and f i n a l l y a decision was
arrived at, as to the core journals that should be continued
to subscribe, journals of marginal use, where other avenues
of a c c e s s i b i l i t y could be sought, and the journals, the
subscription could be cancelled.
