This volume reviews current options for handling serials problems and clarifies fundamental issues in one of the greatest challenges confronting today's library and information science professionals. Focusing on the management of serials in libraries and the role of serials in scholarly communications, this book combines descriptive and prescriptive approaches to illuminate major serials management issues. The text emphasizes collection management issues--serials evaluation/selection criteria, cancellation, weeding, document delivery, budgeting, serials collection evaluation methods, decision models, use studies, journal ranking, and the application of citation analysis (including use of the "Journal Citation Reports" and Bradford distribution). Also discussed are implications of the Internet and World Wide Web for serials management. Other topics include types of serials, serials history, serials automation, electronic journals, technical services processing, and copyright issues. Questions of access versus ownership are also thoroughly discussed. Appendixes list and annotate relevant World Wide Web sites, pertinent bibliographies, and sources of statistical data about serials. Significant research is often cited. Extensive footnotes, and bibliographies follow each chapter. (AEF)