Provision of periodicals in the libraries of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Amongst the many problems encountered by librarians in Sri Lanka one of the most acute is that of the provision of foreign periodical titles. In addition to those problems, which arise due to the peculiar nature of this type of publication and for which solutions have to a certain extent been found, libraries encounter many others in the acquisition of periodicals. These problems exist for two reasons : first, the circumstances in which the libraries in the country function, and second, the fact that the vast majority of the periodicals that they require are of foreign origin. Many of the problems met with in the case of periodicals acquired through subscription also arise in the purchasing of books and other materials of foreign origin, but, whereas it is possible in the case of books to utilize certain alternatives (although these in their turn do have various limitations), the situation with regard to periodicals seems to be desperate and in need of urgent attention. There are other problems involved in the acquisition of periodicals obtained through means other than subscription, and these, varying with the different methods employed in their acquisition, require different approaches for solutions. The present study based mainly on the experience gained in the functioning of the Periodicals Division of the Library of the Peradeniya Campus of the University of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), (formerly the Library of the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya), seeks to present some of the problems the libraries in Sri Lanka face in the acquisition and provision of periodicals, especially those published abroad. The observations made below are particularly relevant in the context of academic libraries, but apply in the case of other types of libraries too. The Peradeniya Campus Library, on which the study is based, consists of a main library (serving the needs of the whole of the university community as a reference library and housing mainly the collections for the disciplines of the social sciences and the humanities), three faculty libraries (medical, engineering and agriculture) and five departmental