The International Serials Industry

This book brings together, for the first time in book form, a detailed examination and overview of the scholarly information chain and the international serials industry. Contributors are of international repute and are drawn from all sectors of the industry; they include authors, publishers, subscription agents, librarians and end-users. Issues are addressed from a variety of differing perspectives and they include: quality versus quantity in scholarly communication; the economics of journal publishing; the impact of electronic publishing; the future of subscription agents; developments in library collection management; and national and international cooperation. At a time when the industry is facing a potential revolution initiated by rapid developments in electronic publishing, the tremendous growth in the volume of scholarly information, escalating journal prices and impending library budget crises, this book not only provides a unique understanding of the problems but also identifies possible solutions and ways forward for the industry.