Re: Difference between database and electronic serial Patricia Thompson 01 Oct 2008 14:35 UTC
This is a confusing issue and you are not alone. We have two e-resource budget lines: "Periodicals Online" and "Standing Orders Online." You can see how this was just adapted from the two same lines for print. Many of the former "standing orders" were indexes or reference works, and as those went online and became "databases" it was easy to move them over to the other budget line. The way I usually judge is whether the resource is "integrating" or whether it has distinctly separate issues. Many of the journal platforms allow searching over multiple issues, or multiple titles, so technically it's a database. But if you can view distinct issues as a whole, I think it's still a journal. I have put purchases such as JSTOR or MUSE into the "periodicals online" line, because they are essentially groups of journals. An example of a journal that turned into a database is Contemporary Psychology, which was a monthly periodical that contained reviews of psychology books. It became the database PsycCritiques. This particular title changed its name, and went onto the FirstSearch platform, so it was fairly obvious. I know there have been other, perhaps better examples, but I can't think of any at the moment. What about the full-text aggregator databases, such as LexisNexis Academic, or similar products? I know that these are basically groups of journals also. But the difference to me is that titles come and go, years of coverage of a specific title changes frequently, sometimes only selected articles from a journal are included, etc. So I count these as "databases" (or "online standing orders" in our budget terminology) instead of periodicals. I think it makes sense to group databases with serials because anything with an annual subscription fee and an ongoing commitment is basically a serial, as opposed to a monograph, which is paid for one time. As to how you divide up beyond that, it's arbitrary. This is the sort of thing that makes it difficult to compare data across libraries, in such things as the ACRL Library Survey or the Oberlin Group statistics. Everyone is calling things by a different name and putting them into different categories. Pat Thompson At 08:50 AM 10/1/2008, you wrote: >Hello Serials people!!! > >I have a question! >We all know that eventually most of our print collection will convert into >electronic format. >Here at our library we have a budget line for "database" and another for >"serials" (any format, including electronic). >Due to budget constraints, some of my colleagues have decided to "pay" for >some of their databases from the serials budget. I am a bit confused by all >of this and I would like to know if anyone out there knows the difference >between a database and electronic journal??? > >Sorry if I sound confusing > >Angelica Freitas >Serials Administrator >Sarah Lawrence College Library >One Meadway >Bronxville, NY >10708 >TEL: 914-395-2477 >FAX: 914-395-2473 >EMAIL: afreitas@slc.edu Patricia R. Thompson Assistant University Librarian for Resource Management Services Jessie Ball duPont Library The University of the South Sewanee, TN 37383 Phone: 931-598-1657 Email: pthompso@sewanee.edu