Database Coverage for Communication Research: Implications for Collection Development

Abstract

ABSTRACT Communication is an interdisciplinary subject area that relates to several other subject areas. Communication databases are important library resources since they serve as gateways to information for many researchers. While databases can be essential in connecting researchers to relevant resources such as newspapers, journals, magazines, and books, they can be one of the most expensive library resources. In an ongoing climate of increasing prices for library resources and shrinking library budgets, it is important that librarians have data that helps them evaluate resources and ultimately determine which one(s) is(are) best suited to meet user needs. Using a core list of communication journals, this study examines coverage of four communication and media databases and five general databases to determine whether the databases provide access to the journals necessary for communication research and provide librarians with information to assist in the collection development process.