-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Catchword problems -- Kent Mulliner
Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 16:30:35 -0500
From: Susan Davis <unlsdb@ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU>

Hi, we too had what seemed like "a lot" of problems (maybe 20 out of
4,0000) with access being cut off.  There was one publisher in
particular
(who uses CatchWord) where this happened.  I am supposing that it was a
mix-up at the publisher's end, in only one case though had the print
issues stopped arriving.

Nonetheless, our users perceive this as a LIBRARY problem.  We are the
incompentents here, especially for the really favorite online journals.
(And those you do hear about right away).  We are working here to
establish routines to more regularly monitor access for all our
e-journals
in order to avoid being caught off guard by irate or understanding
patrons.

I must applaud the American Society of Civil Engineers who did email us
about a change in their access pricing model.  We were able to arrange
the additional payment with our subscription agent before we were cut
off.

In past years the American Institute of Physics sent warnings about
non-renewal.  I guess we paid earlier this year because I didn't see any
warnings.:-)

So some publishers do have their acts together.  From a purely marketing
perspective, what better way to get a little more money from the
libraries? :-)  A lot of us are willing to pay or at least consider a
small premium for the titles that are heavily in demand.

In concluding today's soapbox, I want to reiterate that the library
often
comes out smelling like last week's dirty laundry through no fault of
its
own.  We fill out copious amounts of paperwork to set up electronic
access
including providing a contact email.  An electronic renewal reminder
about
online access or a change in pricing structure would actually be
helpful....and these should also be sent to all the major subscription
agencies. It would be a real service to the authors and readers .... and
aren't they the REAL audience for the publisher?

>>From the trenches,

Susan Davis
############################################################################
Susan Davis                       Chair, Serials Section (ALCTS)
Head, Periodicals                    2001/02
Acquisitions Dept.
University at Buffalo (SUNY)
Lockwood Library Bldg.
Buffalo, NY  14260-2200
(716) 645-2784
(716) 645-5955 fax
unlsdb@acsu.buffalo.edu

*The opinions expressed are my own and in no way reflect those of my
institution.*

> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: Catchword problems -- John McDonald
> Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 13:15:50 -0500
> From: Kent Mulliner <mulliner@OHIO.EDU>
>
>
> I would strongly echo John McDonald's comments, yet be
> relieved that I don't think our problems have yet reached 14%.
> But that is the problem with the existing situation.  We have no
> way of knowing if there is a problem until a user advises us that
> he/she cannot get access.  It is also quite revealing (at least about
> the length of time that can pass between when access was lost
> due to falsely assumed non-renewal and a report of inaccessability.
>
> I did have an interesting case late last month.  When I contacted a
> publisher about inaccessibility of a title through HighWire, the
> person answering the phone took care of it immediately but noted,
> somewhat apologetically, that they hadn't updated the web for a
> couple of months.
>
> Clearly something more is needed.
>
>          kent mulliner
>
> K. Mulliner       Collection Development Coordinator
>
> Ohio University Libraries               Phone: 740-593-2707
> Athens, OH 45701-2978, USA       FAX:    740-593-2708
> mulliner@ohio.edu
>
> At 12:35 PM 3/26/02 -0500, you wrote:
> >-------- Original Message --------
> >Subject: Re: Catchword problems -- Christopher Waldrop
> >Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 09:11:40 -0800
> >From: John McDonald <jmcdonald@LIBRARY.CALTECH.EDU>
> >
> >
> >We often have difficulties with renewals for electronic journals.  My
> >count
> >this past year was that 14% of our e-journals were incorrectly renewed
> >or
> >summarily cancelled.  Sometimes it is our subscription agent, sometimes
> >it's
> >our accounting department, but most of the time it's the publisher or
> >electronic journal vendor.  All of these problems could have been
> >corrected
> >or dealt with prior to de-activating our subscription if we had only
> >known.
> >
> >
> >Vendors and publishers - is it too much to ask that you email the
> >license
> >administrator or institutional contact in these cases?  A quick, even
> >machine-generated, form letter letting us know that our subscription
> >hasn't
> >been renewed will eliminate most of these problems.
> >
> >
> >
> >John McDonald
> >Acquisitions Librarian
> >California Institute of Technology
> >Millikan Library 1-32
> >Pasadena, CA 91125
> >626-395-6427
> >626-792-7540 fax
> >john@library.caltech.edu
> >
> >
> >
> >--------- Original Message --------
> >Subject: Catchword problems.
> >Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 08:48:44 -0600
> >From: Christopher Waldrop <Waldrop@LIBRARY.VANDERBILT.EDU>
> >Organization: Vanderbilt University
> >
> >
> >This year (2002) at Vanderbilt University Library we've had three
> >separate subscription problems with online publications that are
> >available through Catchword. Two of the titles were renewals, and the
> >third was a new subscription. In the case of the renewals, our access
> >was cut off without explanation, even though it was confirmed that the
> >publisher had received and processed our payment. In the case of the
> >new subscription, the publisher's received and processed our
> >payment, but our subscription hasn't been activated yet.
> >
> >To make it even more frustration, we pay for all the titles through
> >Swets, and, to his credit, our customer service representative has been
> >very good about contacting the Catchword support staff. He's had to
> >do so repeatedly because even after the support staff tells him our
> >access is activated, it hasn't been.
> >
> >Has anyone else experienced similar problems?
> >
> >Thanks.
> >
> >
> >Christopher Waldrop
> >Serials Coordinator
> >Vanderbilt University Library
> >Order Services Department
> >Tel: 615-343-3831
> >Fax: 615-343-8834
>
>