Any publication issued in successive parts and intended to continue indefinately is considered a serial. Serials include almanacs, abstracts, annuals, bibliographies, periodicals (magazines and journals), and newspapers.

Magazines are for general reading and contain articles on various subjects. Journals are the publications of associations or societies and contain accounts of activities, recent developments, and research in specialized fields.

Their advantage lies in timeliness and brevity. They may be the only source for topics of recent concern or for research in rapidly changing areas of knowledge.

The Library subscribes to approximately 2005 periodicals, 855 non-periodical serials, 34 newspapers, and 14 digital subscriptions. Titles are located to correspond with the courses taught on each campus. Business, nursing, pure science, and social science are concentrated in Portland. Education fine arts, applied science and selected Maine newspapers are at Gorham.

Material may be sent from one campus to the other for use by serious researchers.

On the Library's webpage it is possible to check newspaper holdings and periodical holdings by subject. In the future it will also be possible to check periodical holdings by title. Information on the Library's holdings is also available in URSUS and MULS (Maine Union List of Serials).

In the Library a computer printout that lists holdings is also available. Gorham and Portland holdings are shown on it in separate columns. A plus sign (+) indicates an active subscription available from the first year of the entry to the present.

You do this using periodical and newspaper indices and serials abstracting services. The Library has a number of indices available online through Mariner. Reference librarians are available on each campus to help you access this information.

Some index general information and some focus on specific subject areas. Ask a reference librarian to recommend the index or abstract service best suited to your needs.

The periodicals and newspapers are housed in the Serials Department on the third floor of the Glickman Library in Portland and the first floor of the Gorham Library.

The most recent issues of periodicals are in a separate browsing collection on each campus. All holdings prior to these current issues are in the Periodicals Backfile section. All formats - bound, filmed, or loose - are shelved together in the backfiles.

Newspaper backruns on microfilm are stored in cabinets. Ask for copies of newspapers too recent to be on film.

Periodicals are filed alphabetically by title, with one exception. A serial that has its issuing body in its title is filed by that organization's name. For example, the Journal of the American Medical Association, often called JAMA, is listed and shelved as American Medical Association Journal.

A title that is an acronym comes ahead of all words beginning with the same letter. For example, AORN Journal precedes Academy of Political Science.

Also, an English or foreign language article (a,the,das,le, etc.) occuring in front of a title is ignored. Articles elsewhere in a title, though, do affect sequence. The Journal of the History of Ideas follows the Journal of Taxation, for example.

Photocopiers and microprinters are available for copying materials. Photocopiers cost .10¢ per page for coin operated machines or .7½¢ per page with a copier card. Microprinters cost .20¢ per page for coin operated machines or .15¢ per page with a copier card.

If a journal is not held at Portland, Gorham, or at the University of Maine Law School Library, an article from it can be requested through the Interlibrary Loan Department. For more information, see the Interlibrary Loan brochure.

Journals can be sent from Portland to Gorham or vice versa. Requests should be made at the serials office or information desk on each campus. Journals can be held on the opposite campus for only one day. They also cannot be held over the weekend.

The Serials Department reserves the right to refuse to send heavily used journals and will notify the requestor in that event.

You can have articles (excluding Eric Documents) copied for you on the opposite campus. Requests should be made at the Circulation Desk on each campus. The cost is .15¢ per page. Payment is expected at the time the request is made.