AN EVALUATION OF THE PERIODICALS COLLECTION IN THE UNIVERSITY OF SRI JAYAWARDENEPURA LIBRARY

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.