Towards Management Information Systems for EJ Strategic Management

Saudi Academic Libraries (SALs) have been moving towards using electronic resources since 1992. This study aims to investigate the extent to which they have adopted the changes in electronic journals (bibliographic and full-text databases) and its effects on printed journal collection between the years 1995 and 2000. It also investigates the effect of electronic journal (EJ) on periodicals collection management procedures and the criteria considered important in the EJ decision-making process. Furthermore, the study attempted to compare the evaluation criteria that SAL professionals prefer to use or consider important in the EJ decision-making process, and the international guidelines for EJ collection management particularly in the UK and USA. This comparison may help the SAL managers know to what extent their policies differ from the international guidelines as well as helping devise methods to close these differences in the future.