Influence of Electronic Publishing on Collection Development in Research Libraries

Abstract

The advent of Internet and electronic publishing has immensely enhanced the effectiveness of library services including efficient organization and retrieval of information resources. The impacts of new technologies are felt by libraries in every aspect. This paper focuses on electronic publishing, its influence on collection development in research libraries. The paper discusses collection development policies, taking into consideration of its importance in selection of information materials for acquisition. Constraints to the use of electronic publishing were discussed, among which are, erratic power supply, technological obsolescence, financial constraints, poor maintenance culture, non-availability of the facility to download open access publications and absence of a national repository of electronic publications and legislative provisions. The advantages of electronic publishing were also highlighted. The paper concludes that the process of the conventional collection development is not very much different from that of the electronic publications, that the normal process of collection development policy, recommendation of information resources, selection, acquisition, conservation and preservation is followed and that to ensure longer life of electronic publication, a continuous development and up grading of information storage and access techniques and technology is crucial