Mitch/Barb/Angelica:

I think both of you are partially right on this topic...

A Journal is a publication that is purchased individually or sometimes in a
package of publications. Individual Journal Subscriptions are pick and chose
what you want. JAMA, Library Journal ...

A Database is a conglomeration of materials that can range from citations to
full text articles or other forms of digital content. Databases are all or
nothing. (Some variation may be offered through different access levels)
ASP, CINHAL, Business Source Complete ...

An Interface is a product that is provided by some publishers to search the
content of one or more of the journals that you have purchased from them.
Science Direct, Informaworld...

Like Mitch said it really comes down to your administration and the way your
budget is set up when you account for them in the budget. At the last
institution I worked we had a print serials budget, an electronic serials
budget, a database budget, and an operational budget for things like OCLC.
All of the different funds were part of the larger budget.

Ryan Weir
Serials and Electronic Resources Librarian
University Libraries
Murray State University
Office: (270) 809-5607
Fax: (270) 809-5609
email: ryan.weir@murraystate.edu

MSU Libraries: Information. Where you are, we are.

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Dietsch.Barbara@EPA.GOV
Sent: Friday, October 03, 2008 2:28 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Difference between database and electronic serial

Mitch,

I would differ with you on part of your definition for databases.  Most
institutions would probably want to list the Elsevier electronic
journals in with their journals budget, but you do have the capability
to search across journals with ScienceDirect.

Obviously since ScienceDirect is essentially free for searching, it
wouldn't be put in a database budget.  informaworld is another platform
that you can search across all journals, but can only access the titles
in which you have paid.

Maybe I interpreted your definition differently than you meant it to be.

Barb

barb dietsch | serials coordinator
epa library | unc contract staff
109 alexander drive | mail code c267-01
research triangle park, nc 27711
phone: 919.541.0726
fax: 919.541.1405
dietsch.barbara@epa.gov

><(((º>.··..··..··..··.<º)))><

             Mitch Turitz
             <turitz@SFSU.EDU
             >                                                       To
             Sent by:                 SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
             "SERIALST:                                              cc
             Serials in
             Libraries                                          Subject
             Discussion               Re: [SERIALST] Difference between
             Forum"                   database and electronic serial
             <SERIALST@list.u
             vm.edu>

             10/03/2008 01:58
             PM

              Please respond
                    to
                "SERIALST:
                Serials in
                Libraries
                Discussion
                  Forum"
             <SERIALST@list.u
                 vm.edu>

Angelica:

IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) AN electronic journal is one title,
reproduced in electronic format, essentially duplicating the original
with everything including ads, cover, back, the order of the articles,
etc.  A DATABASE is a collection of ARTICLES and/or complete
periodicals of which you can search all articles/journals for a
particular subject, keyword, author, etc. across multiple journals,
newspapers, etc. simultaneously.  An electronic journal can only be
searched across its volumes and issues, or the complete run, but not
in conjunction with a simultaneously search across other electronic
journals, normally.  So you use the database to search many sources
for your subject matter, and you use a single electronic journal to
search only one source for the information you want.

Thus, IMHO, you can charge a single electronic journal to your serials
budget, but a database to your "electronics" budget. However that is
an individual decision and also depends on how your administration
wants to look at your annual statistics, e.g., "give me the sum of all
the money you spent on electronic resources" would mean to add the
electronic serials into the electronic resources budget.  So ask your
boss how the administration wants your budget submitted at the end of
the fiscal year.

Just my $0.02

-- Mitch Turitz

On Oct 1, 2008, at 8:00 PM, SERIALST automatic digest system wrote:

>
> Date:    Wed, 1 Oct 2008 09:50:54 -0400
> From:    Angelica Freitas <afreitas@SLC.EDU>
> Subject: Difference between database and electronic serial
>
> Hello Serials people!!!
>
> I have a question!

> <snip>

> I am a bit confused by all of this and I would like to know if
> anyone out there knows the difference
> between a database and electronic journal???
>
> Sorry if I sound confusing
>
> Angelica Freitas
> Serials Administrator
> Sarah Lawrence College Library
> One Meadway
> Bronxville, NY
> 10708
> TEL: 914-395-2477
> FAX: 914-395-2473
> EMAIL: afreitas@slc.edu

Mitch Turitz
turitz@sfsu.edu
=