Search

Just a few months into a major construction project at the Monmouth University Library, mold was discovered in the basement periodicals room. After environmental testing, the decision was made to completely close the periodicals collection to patrons and staff. University and library staff quickly took action to handle the unexpected mid-semester closure of the periodicals area and the loss of access to all print periodicals. Faculty and patrons were informed of the situation and presented with alternatives for gaining access to full-text articles. A review of serials holdings was conducted, and decisions were made about withdrawing inactive titles, canceling subscriptions, and subscribing to new electronic resources that provide broader access to full-text journals. Faculty participation in the entire process averted numerous potential problems. During the crisis, database usage, instructional sessions, and interlibrary loan requests were affected. But the crisis was successfully managed and resulted in a completely new approach to serials collection management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]