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Re: Periodical Donations (9 messages) ERCELAA@ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu 20 Jul 2000 17:34 UTC

9 messages:

1)______

Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 12:08:34 -0400
From: Maria Hawkins <hawkins@MARYVILLECOLLEGE.EDU>
Subject: Re: Periodical donations (Karen Bolton)

I think you are correct in the doubts you have concerning this system of
accepting professor's personal copies in lieu of the library subscriptions.
In the case of our Library, we have experienced those problems of timeliness
in receiving issues, incomplete volumes, and even issues that have had
articles underlined and torn out of individual issues.  Also, if an issue is
not received, then getting the faculty member to claim that missing issue is
difficult.

Another problem, especially with technical and scientific journals, is that
personal subscriptions are usually much less than institutional
subscriptions, and frequently there is a prohibition against or time line
concerning when a subscription may be made available for the general public,
as in the Library.

Maria Hawkins
Serials Coordinator
Lamar Memorial Library
Maryville College
Maryville, TN 37804

2)______

Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 11:11:05 -0500
From: "Skwor, Jeanette" <skworj@UWGB.EDU>
Subject: Re: Periodical donations (Karen Bolton)

***Your concerns are right on.  My experience with donated titles has been,
overall, a nightmare.  People mean well, but they forget, or they don't get
an issue, and of course, don't claim, or they put it aside to read "later";
in many cases, then, the issue never finds it's way to the library.  Seeking
it is a landmine; the subscriber feels, invariably, they are doing the
library a Favor and should be treated thusly, and there you sit, without the
needed issues, and your hands tied.

***In some cases, at least, this procedure is also illegal.  This is why we
have differing subscription rates for individuals and libraries.

***Good luck!

Jeanette L. Skwor                       Email:skworj@uwgb.edu
Serials Dept., Cofrin Library           Phone: (920)465-2670
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay       Fax: (920)465-2783
Green Bay, WI  54311-7001

> -----Original Message-----
> Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2000 10:57 AM
> To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
> Subject: Periodical donations (Karen Bolton)
>
>
> Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 09:34:30 -0500
> From: "Karen S. Bolton" <bolton@MSOE.EDU>
> Subject: periodical donations
>
> Hello All,
> We are a small engineering university going through some
> budget problems and
> personnel changes. We went to our faculty for their input on which
> periodical titles they felt strongly we could keep or
> eliminate. In the
> process, some of these professors volunteered to donate their personal
> issues of some titles, thinking this would enable us to drop
> our subs to
> these titles. My new boss, the acting director, thinks this
> would improve
> our relations with other departments and save us $.  I can
> foresee problems
> in the timeliness of receiving the issues, getting complete
> volumes, etc. I
> said I would look into this.
>
> What experience have others had with donated titles? Am I worried for
> nothing? Let me know.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Karen Bolton
> Serials Librarian
> bolton@msoe.edu
>

3)______

Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 09:14:31 -0700
From: Shirley Graves <sgraves@DWEBB.LLU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Periodical donations (Karen Bolton)

It is a rare gem of a faculty member who transfers regularly and consistently
personal issues to the library.  You may end up spending more than the
subscription in reminding (claiming) colleagues that an issue has not been
received, in buying (at single issue rate) the issues that never arrived, etc.
In addition, there is the ethical issue of a personal subscription replacing the
library's subscription.

Shirley Graves
Loma Linda Univ Library
Serials Dept
Loma Linda, CA   92350

4)_______

Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 12:40:59 -0400
From: Lynne Stevens <lstevens@RMWC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Periodical donations (Karen Bolton)

Karen --

In addition to the problems of getting every issue of every title on time,
you may need to look into copyright issues.  Some professional organizations
specify that the periodicals sent to their members are not to be placed in
libraries.  Their contention is that the member receives the periodical as a
benefit of his/her membership, and that only that person will use it; if it
is to be used by a large number of people -- a library's patronage -- then
the library needs to pay the higher institutional subscription rate.  Many
other publishers have a higher rate for institutions for the same reason:
one user vs. many users.

Lynne N. Stevens
Serials Coordinator
Lipscomb Library
Randolph-Macon Woman's College
2500 Rivermont Avenue
Lynchburg, VA  24503
804 947-8133
lstevens@rmwc.edu

5)______

Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 12:45:02 -0400
From: Steve Black <blacks@MAIL.STROSE.EDU>
Subject: Re: Periodical donations (Karen Bolton)

Some comments based on my experience with donations:

1.  They may violate the subscription agreement the publisher has with the
individual subscriber, and we are ethically bound to avoid violating
subscription agreements.  Check the terms of the subscriptions before
agreeing to any donations.

2.  You will not be able to claim missing issues.

3.  Some individuals will be good about sending issues along, and some will
not.

4.  Tracking the origin of donated titles is extra work that becomes
critical if the donating individual quits donating for any reason (leaves
institution, dies, just forgets).

5.  Expect gaps in donated journals, for reasons 2-4.

6.  Because of 1-5, don't rely on donations for any core titles.

Steve Black
Reference,Instruction, and Serials Librarian
Neil Hellman Library
The College of Saint Rose
392 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12203

blacks@mail.strose.edu
(518) 458-5494

6)______

Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 12:51:20 -0400
From: Barbara Eastland - Library <eastland@HAL.MUHLBERG.EDU>
Subject: Re: Periodical donations (Karen Bolton)

Hi-

We've had this go-round on the problem of donated subs -- many times!  The
result of the go-rounds has been to not accept donated subscriptions.  the
reasoning is clear:  some publishers do not allow personal subscriptions
to be donated to a library (I'm not certain of the legality in this
instance, but we've never wanted to find out); the timeliness of receiving
the donated issues is *always* a problem; there is no way to claim missing
or damaged issues....  You know the problems.  The legal stumbling block
is probably the most serious, however.  Publishers don't charge libraries
more than individuals for no reason at all.

Hope our experience is helpful to you.

Best,
Barb

Barbara B. Eastland              VOICE: 484-664-3561
Serials Manager                    FAX: 484-664-3511
Trexler Library                         eastland@hal.muhlberg.edu
Muhlenberg College
2400 Chew St.
Allentown  PA  18104

7)______

Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 13:00:58 -0400 (EDT)
From: Deborah Harrell <dharrell@westga.edu>
Subject: Re: Periodical donations (Karen Bolton)

You are smart to be concerned.  We have a number of 'donations' from staff
both in-house and on campus.  It gets to be really ticklish reminding
donors that we haven't received issues.  I think the best situation is
where faculty/staff simply have all issues delivered to us directly from
the publisher.  Then we can add their name to a routing list and notify
them when the issues actually come in.  They will get the same tax credit
either way.

We have a number of titles donated, so I speak from experience.

Debbie Harrell
Ingram Library, State University of West Georgia
phone: 770-836-6498
fax: 770-836-6626

8)______

Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 12:08:14 -0500
From: Tricia Wilke <twilke@CENTAUR.CC.PURDUENC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Periodical donations (Karen Bolton)

Well, we have had both good and bad experiences with journal donations.
We too are a small academic library.  Some of our faculty will donate
their journals to us since we cannot afford to pay for the subscriptions
to some of the more expensive science, nursing, and engineering titles.
Many come to us right away, still in their plastic.  Others come much
later, when the professor is done with the journal.  On occasion, we
don't receive certain issues at all because the professor found them too
interesting and wanted to keep them for themselves.  On those occasions,
we find it very difficult to find another copy.  Sometimes we can
through duplicate exchange programs, but most of the time we cannot.
So, we have a gap in our holdings for that particular volume since we
will not bind a volume incomplete.

On the whole, it is very worthwhile if you definitely cannot afford a
journal.  How much your system will allow for late and missing issues is
another problem to consider as well as a donating professor who suddenly
doesn't work for the university anymore.  Good luck on your project.

--
Tricia Wilke
Technical Services Librarian
Purdue University North Central Library
1401 South US 421/LSF Building
Westville, IN 46391
(219) 785-5234
(219) 785-5501 (fax)
twilke@centaur.cc.purduenc.edu

9)______

Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 13:19:59 -0400
From: Diane Johnson <johnsonD@GENESEO.EDU>
Subject: Re: Periodical donations (Karen Bolton)

We are a 4 year liberal arts college library and we have about 20 titles
(out of over 1,000) that are faculty donations.  Some faculty immediately
bring the journal over (they don't even open it!), while others will hold
and read their journals for several months (or more) before bringing over.
Some issues we never receive.  Some faculty have cancelled their personal
subscriptions without notifying us.  None of these titles are in the sciences.

I would not use this for any critical, heavily used title.  We have added a
note to our online catalog for some of these titles indicating that they
are gifts and may not be received in a timely manner.

Also, be aware that some publishers/associations will not allow their
individual subscription journals to be donated until several years after
the publication date.  There may be some indication on the issue that this
is the case.  We would not accept these for donation until after the stated
time period had elapsed.

Hope this helps.  Diane Johnson

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 Diane Johnson                    Head, Serials Dept.
 Phone:  (716) 245-5597           Coordinator for MultiLIS & OCLC Services
 Fax: (716) 245-5003              Milne Library
 E-Mail: johnsonD@geneseo.edu     SUNY Geneseo, NY   14454