PERIODICALS SELECTION:
In Section 8.2, you have seen that acquisition work includes three distinct phases of activities. Periodicals selection is the fist phase. The selection of periodicals for subscription, exchange or as gift is an important function of the library. This process is more difficult than book selection. While in the latter case, selection pertains to only one volume, selection of periodicals covers all the successive volumes to be published. Due to this standing commitment, great ewe should be exercised in periodicals selection. This involves two aspects, namely, planning and procedure.
Planning:
Planning is a task or activity that is required on a continuous basis for the management of all activities in an organisation, including libraries and information systems. It is "....deciding in advance what to do, how to do it, when to do it and who is to do it ....it is an intellectually demanding process and requires the conscious determination of courses of action and the basing of decisions on purpose, knowledge, and considered estimates". The selection of periodicals by the library depends on the following factors:
Scope of the library
Needs/demands of the users
Needs of the collection - including availability / accessibility in organisation, close to the library
Personnel, their knowledge and skill
Financial resources available