Just an opinion--
If they don’t allow IP authentication,
treat it as a ceased title, and get something else instead. Passwords or
dedicated computers are too much hassle, there are almost always other decent
magazines (or web sites) in the same topic area, and the magazine’s content
may be in one of your full-text databases.
Many publishers of craft and other sorts
of magazines offer essentially the same content as books or on discs. Consider shifting
the little bit of money spent on the titles that go online-only into books or DVDs.
I didn’t bother even trying to get
patron access from the publisher to the new online-only weekly version of U.S. News & World Report. We rely on an
EBSCO database for access to it, and added the new weekly version of the Christian Science Monitor to take its
place on the shelf.
Steve Black
Reference, Serials, and Instruction
Librarian
Neil Hellman Library
The
(518) 458-5494
From:
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 5:50
PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [SERIALST] Popular
magazines going digital advice
Hello-
I work at a public library and with the
economic downturn, we've been noticing a lot of magazines (general
interest, parenting, crafts etc - the kind public libraries often have) are
starting to offer their magazine in digital format only. At one time, the
digital only titles tended to be scholarly or highly niche oriented, but now PC
Magazine, Disney's Family Fun and others are going that route
so we are facing this issue Usually, the publishers will offer
one log in per subscription so we are left with some concerns. Do we
keep receiving it, do we offer access and, if so, how do we offer
access?
I'm wondering how other libraries are
handling this or have handled it. No longer offering the magazine?
Setting up accounts for popular magazines and having staff interation for
passwords and user names? Setting up a special station? Any thoughts,
advice, ideas or innovations are welcome. Thanks!
Cynthia Dieden
Collection Specialist
Librarian/Periodicals Supervisor