Computer Handling of Periodical Subscriptions and Holdings at Shell Research Limited, Sittingbourne

The library at the Sittingbourne Laboratories of Shell Research Limited receives some 700 journals and serial publications per year, the great majority of which are obtained by direct subscription. This expenditure accounts for the largest single item in the cost of our library service and has increased markedly over the past few years as a result of the appearance of new journals and the increase in cost of existing ones. The appearance of new journals may increase the cost by perhaps 3–4% each year, but the increasing cost of existing ones tends to add as much as 15–20% per annum to the cost of maintaining a given journal collection.