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Re: Holdings Lists: include electronic? (3 messages) Birdie MacLennan 22 Sep 2000 15:11 UTC

3 messages, 303 lines:

(1)---------------------------
Date:         Thu, 21 Sep 2000 09:06:46 -0400
From:         Lynne Stevens <lstevens@RMWC.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Holdings Lists: include electronic?

Any way you could put in-house holdings in bold-face type?

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

(2)---------------------------
Date:         Thu, 21 Sep 2000 18:53:07 -0400
From:         David Goodman <dgoodman@PHOENIX.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Holdings Lists: include electronic? (2 messages)

It is perhaps paradoxical, but printed periodical lists, and even printed
lists of ejournals, still have their place. Users still ask for them when
they enter a science library like mine. I am presently maintaining a
printed list of both current and ceased biology, chemistry and psychology
titles at Princeton in MS word. This is obviously not the best way to do
it (it was once a file on a SPIRES database, and this was the quickest way
to keep it going when our computer center withdrew Spires), and I will be
moving it to the web in a month or two, but i will still print copies from
those web pages. why? Because the users want it.

But why my own list and not an excerpt from our online catalog?
We could do that, technically. But it wouldn't do the following:

1. I need to list titles we don't have, and say so. For any title
frequently requested, its much faster for the user and the staff finding a
clear statement of a negative.
. The listing says: available via document Delivery. (There was a time
when we ordered a journal if it was requested more than 2 or 3 times, but
that hasn't been the case for years.)

2. I need to provide clearer listings for title changes than the LC rules
provide for. Anyone who doubts that should take a look at New Scientist
for a simple case, or CRASP (or any one of dozens --or more likely
thousands--of titles which serials catalogers are surely fully aware of.)
(This is not a adverse comment on the quality of serials cataloging--it is
an adverse comment on the impossibility of successive title entry for the
user in complicated cases, and on the inferiority of all current online
displays over a printed paragraph of explanation. ) Do serials catalogers
feel the same sense of frustration that public service staff feel over
this?

David Goodman, Princeton University Biology Library
dgoodman@princeton.edu            609-258-3235

(3)----------------------------
Date:         Fri, 22 Sep 2000 09:18:41 -0500
From:         Patricia Thompson <pthompso@SEWANEE.EDU>
Subject:      Holdings Lists

I get this list in digest format, so I apologize if my message is not
timely or duplicates other postings today. We too are struggling with the
best way to provide access to journal holdings information--especially
electronic journals. (Who isn't?)

We currently have a "hybrid" approach. When we got all of our holdings into
our OPAC last year, we wanted to stop printing a list, because we agreed
with Steve Murden that people should just use the OPAC. However, our public
services staff still wanted it. So we now print a list that is generated
directly from our OPAC (Innopac).We only print it once a year.  It has
turned out to be useful in other ways, because we send a copy to two of the
local public libraries because they kept phoning us to see whether we had
something. (Our OPAC is on the web, but they are small and probably
techno-challenged with equipment, at least.)

As far as electronic holdings, we are in a "hybrid" situation. We decided
to put catalog records and/or holdings in our OPAC for journals that we
actually have subscriptions to, including those in Project Muse, JSTOR,
Cambridge University Press, Oxford Journals Online, others with electronic
versions available directly from the publisher, and individual subscriptions.

These are hard enough to keep up with, but they do not include the
"aggregator" databases, such as FirstSearch, LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe,
Infotrac, WilsonWeb. Some of these have been purchased through consortia,
some came with grants, etc. We had Proquest for 2 years and then the grant
ran out so we had to drop it and switch to some of these others. So in
addition to the flux of the databases themselves continuing to add and
delete titles and coverage, we have database flux as well. We decided that
we couldn't possibly keep up with all of this with catalog records in the
OPAC. Instead, one of our reference librarians generated a list for the web
page similar to the ones described by Kendall Vance and Buddy Pennington.
For those who wanted examples, the list can be viewed at
http://library.sewanee.edu/elec/journals/home.html    It was generated
using Excel and HTML.  Instructions for doing it are at
http://library.sewanee.edu/libinfo/comteam/wwc/journal/home.html

It only has electronic journals, so in effect we have split lists (OPAC and
Web).

I wanted to say that Buddy Pennington's list is really cool.
http://www.rockhurst.edu/3.0/services_and_resources/library/interactive/Maestro/index.asp.

I'm would love to be able to provide something like this, but I'm not a
programmer. I don't have time to learn ASP.  How many of us do? I'm still
learning how to make basic web pages.

I have just learned about a new service called SerialsSolutions.
(www.serialssolutions.com) They do the holdings compilation for you. You
send them all the databases you have and they do a journal title holdings
list. They send updated lists once every two months. They will send it in
pdf format for printing and also in html format to post on your website.
The pricing is based on how many titles are on the list. They also have a
"marc-ready" service which is actually the same list with marc subfields
and so forth that is ready to be cut and pasted into individual marc
records.  I know this looks like an advertisement, but I can't really say
how good it is because we haven't tried it yet. It just seems like if the
pricing is reasonable, this could be a great timesaver.

Pat Thompson
Patricia R. Thompson
Head of Cataloging
Jessie Ball DuPont Library
University of the South
735 University Avenue
Sewanee, TN 37383
(931) 598-1657
(931) 598-1702 (fax)
pthompso@sewanee.edu

-----Original Messages-----
> Sent: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 17:52:08 -0400
> To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
> Subject: Re: Holdings Lists: include electronic? (2 messages)

> 2 messages, 166 lines:
>
> (1)---------------------------
> Date:         Thu, 21 Sep 2000 15:49:34 -0500
> From:         Anne Frohlich <frohlich@MAIL.MCNEESE.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: Holdings Lists: include electronic?
>
> We put our holdings list on the web and also print about 15 copies for the
> library.  At this point I do not think it is quick and easy for our
> students to find holdings information when they have citations in
> aggregator databases.  We hope that students working from home will be
> able to check our holdings before they come to the library.
>
> Our holdings list:
> http://www.mcneese.edu/library/depts/serials/biged/list.htm At the start
> the web list was pasted from Microsoft Word.  It looks exactly like the
> printed version does.
>
> We have also put our lists of journals by department on the web:
> http://www.mcneese.edu/library/depts/serials/dept/deptlist.htm This comes
> from my Access database, transferred to Microsoft Word, then to HTML.
>
> We have only included in the holdings list a few electronic journals that
> we order direct.  I feel that the situation with "free" or "free with
> print" is too uncertain for the work involved.  We do catalog the
> ejournals that we subscribe to.
>
> I expect that when our journal databases show clearly which journals
> McNeese has we will consider no longer printing a journal holdings list.
>
> Anne Frohlich, Serials Librarian
> McNeese State University Library
> Box 91445
> Lake Charles, LA 70609
> Phone: 337-475-5741
> 1-800-622-3352 x5741
> Fax:     337-475-5719
> http://www.mcneese.edu/library/
>
> (2)---------------------------
> Date:         Thu, 21 Sep 2000 15:20:27 -0500
> From:         Buddy Pennington <buddy.pennington@ROCKHURST.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: Holdings Lists: include electronic? (2 messages)
>
> Kendall,
>
> We put our holdings into an Access database and then I created an ASP page
> that allows users to search that database and display the results using a
> search form.  Look at:
> http://www.rockhurst.edu/3.0/services_and_resources/library/interactive/Maes
> tro/index.asp.  It is relatively easy to download the FT holdings from the
> vendor's websites for databases.  We have holdings information for ProQuest,
> Academic Universe, JSTOR, and a host of FirstSearch databases.  I update the
> electronic info twice per year, and it usually takes a couple of hours to
> do.
>
> Buddy Pennington
> Acquisitions/Serials Librarian
> Rockhurst University Greenlease Library
> buddy.pennington@rockhurst.edu
> #816-501-4143
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2000 3:11 PM
> To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
> Subject: Re: Holdings Lists: include electronic? (2 messages)
>
>
> 2 messages, 97 lines:
>
> (1)-----------------------------
> Date:         Thu, 21 Sep 2000 13:07:39 -0400
> From:         Steven Murden <stevemurden@MINDSPRING.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Holdings list including electronic
>
> In response to Tracey's query, how about a radical solution?  Stop doing a
> separate print holdings list of periodicals.  You are _always_ going to
> run into the problem of what to include.  Current only?  Ceased/cancelled
> subscriptions? Microform?  And now, electronic?
>
> Does your library maintain a separate print list of monographs?  How about
> sound recordings?  Videos?  Why do we have this persistent urge to create
> more work for ourselves?  Library users, especially in an academic
> environment, need to learn how to use the online catalog to do research.
> Unless your electronic titles are not included in your catalog (and why
> wouldn't they be?), the answer to "Do you have journal title X?" is right
> there, online.
>
> Before the flames start, I understand that the situation might be very
> different in public, school, and special libraries, and even in a
> community college or small college library.  For a large university
> library, the cost of creating, maintaining, and printing such a list seems
> a poor use of limited resources.
>
> Steve Murden
> librarian without portfolio
> (no caveats needed, because there's no institution to protect)
>
> (2)---------------------------
> Date:         Thu, 21 Sep 2000 13:13:05 -0500
> From:         Kendall Vance <KVance@MAIL.WCC.CC.IL.US>
> Subject:      Re: Holdings Lists: include electronic? (4 messages)
>
> If possible, would anyone else who has implemented a holdings list on
> their website please provide the URL, along with comments/suggestions you
> might offer to anyone attempting the same? The few that have been posted
> here to day have been helpful. I am considering ways to improve ours
> <http://library.wcc.cc.il.us/web/holdings/
> <http://library.wcc.cc.il.us/web/holdings/> > , both by streamlining the
> interface, and by incorporating our electronic serials, but am
> more-or-less stumped at the moment. Any assistance would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Kendall Vance
> Periodicals Mgmt. Asst.
> Waubonsee Community College-Todd Library
> Route 47 at Harter Rd.
> Sugar Grove, IL 60554
> Ph# 630.466.7900 x2333
> Fax# 630.466.7799
> kvance@mail.wcc.cc.il.us <mailto:Kvance@mail.wcc.cc.il.us>
>
>         -----Original Message-----
>         From: Tracey DeLillo [mailto:tdelillo@FALCON.TAMUCC.EDU]
>         Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2000 9:32 PM
>         To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
>         Subject: Holdings Lists: include electronic?
>
>
>         I am in need of some input/advice regarding Holdings Lists for
> periodicals.  I am in the process of revising our current Periodicals
> Holdings List, and had decided to create 2 separate lists: one for print
> and microfilm holdings (i.e. items housed IN the library), and one for
> full-text electronic holdings.  Our old PHL had combined everything into
> one massive list, which was nicely and expensively professionally printed,
> and was largely obsolete within a month due to changes in databases and
> other online availability.  The other problem I encounter daily with this
> comprehensive list, is that patrons come to my office to complain that,
> for example, "Private Placement Reporter" isn't on the shelves, because
> they don't notice that it says "ELECTRONIC, LEXIS-NEXIS"  underneath
> instead of "PERIODICAL SHELVES".  These are just two of my favorite
> reasons for deciding to split the lists.  Some of my coworkers, however,
> have concerns about my plan.  They feel that the patrons won't like having
> to look 2 separate places to see where they can get an article.  They
> think it will be time consuming and confusing.  They are afraid that
> patrons will be misled regarding our holdings and will be disgruntled, not
> to mention an expected increase in unnecessary I.L.L.  requests for
> materials we really do have access to.
>
>         I am now in a quandry.  How do other libraries format their PHL's?
> Are electronic sources listed?  Are they combined with print, or listed
> separately?  Are the PHL's available in hardcopy, or are they only online?
>
>         Any input will be greatly appreciated.  Feel free to email me
> directly, or post to the list if others think this is of broad interest.
>
>         Thanks in advance,
>         Tracey DeLillo
>         Serials Librarian
>         Texas A&M - Corpus Christi
>         <tdelillo@FALCON.TAMUCC.EDU>