Print serials lists (2 messages) Bob Persing 07 Oct 2003 14:51 UTC
Message #1: Date: Tue, 07 Oct 2003 10:27:05 -0400 From: Edwardo Gil <gile@mail.montclair.edu> Subject: Re: print serials lists I don't think we do a disservice considering the fact that most users today (at least in our institution) want to utilize the full-text databases so they don't have a need to check the online catalog for a periodical title. We still maintain and generate several copies of periodicals holdings list in paper format (it is also available on the web linked to our Articles & More page). We keep several copies in the periodicals stacks for convenience sake our users don't have close access to online catalogs; we also keep a few copies in the microfilm room, again since there is no access to computers. The reference people tell me they never use the opac to locate periodicals even though they are an amazing group of bibliographic instructors. One last note, our periodicals holdings list has been maintained for years by librarians and library assistants. The old card catalog was also maintained by people. These opac's?? Ed Gil Periodicals Librarian Sprague Library ----------------------------- Message #2: Subject: RE: print serials lists Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2003 09:15:50 -0500 From: "Ronald Hardy" <HardyR@central.edu> Greetings! Our library has 850 active subscriptions, 1250 total serial titles. We maintain a printed list, our "red book" of serials titles and holdings information. One rationale is that it is a very handy alternative to being chained to the computer, as we print about two or three dozen and have them distributed around the library, especially around the serials stacks themselves. It has also been a life saver when the network is down. It is also used to track changes throughout the course of the year (the serials assistant marks her copy with changes, and periodically pens in changes in the copies out in the library), and until last year we also used a copy of the redbook to do regular "pick-up-and-count" stats at circulation with hash marks, which we collect all year. (I have automated this process now, so it is no longer done that way). We have had discussions about why we keep it, the strongest arguement against it is what Steve stated: the catalog has the most up to date information and we should make everyone look the info up on the catalog. Nonetheless, the Red Book is 99.5 percent accurate, and the idea of "making" our students use the catalog versus giving them what they want is sometimes (and I mean sometimes, not all the time) idealistic and forced. While we have an educational role, and as a mission teach students how to search our catalog, our online journal list, and other resources, when a student just wants to know if we have the 1963 Lancet or not the Law of Least Effort picks up the redbook and flips to Lancet. We are not going to make a student sit down at a computer (if one is available), log in to their campus account (most of our stations require patron logins), and look it up online just to find out if we have this. This is one example of Least Effort and Good Customer Service. In most situations in which a student is trying to determine if we have a title, our Online Journal List is the superior tool, as it not only indicates what is in our library (generated by the catalog) but also full text holdings in databases and online equivalents of titles. This is what we teach them, and this is still the first choice, but the Red Book is a very convenient alternative. On the other hand, if the generation of the Red Book was a time consuming and expensive process, it wouldn't be worth it. At one point it was a complicated process as it was generated by a custom serials database which also served the role of annual statistics processing, holdings information, and quality control. Now, however, in the wonderful world of convenience, we merely need to update the 140 page Word document that was previously generated by the serials database, line up the page breaks, and print! It takes about a day and the cost is about $75 tops. Just my opinion. Ron -----Original Message----- From: Steve Murden [mailto:stevemurden@MINDSPRING.COM] Sent: Monday, October 06, 2003 11:16 PM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: print serials lists I continue to be amazed at how many libraries maintain print lists of their serials. I was the serials librarian at Va. Commonwelath Univ. for 10 years (late 80s to late 90s), and we managed to jettison it at least 14 years ago, as soon as we got our holdings in the catalog. I wonder if those same libraries maintain print lists of their monograph holdings. Or their microforms. Or their realia. Or [fill in the blank]. We used the opportunity to educate the public in using the online catalog effectively. I always think that to do otherwise does a great disservice to the library's users and really underestimates their ability to learn to use the catalog. Steve Murden