I concur with Buddy about this.  No way is it censorship.  I assumed
Buddy's former position as Serials Librarian here at Kansas City Public
Library, and we both know there are titles at risk if you just put them on
shelf, especially the most recent ones.  They are going to either
disappear or be defaced if you put them into the open shelves.  We keep
the most recent issue of 30 different titles secured behind the Reference
desk.  If somebody wants to read them, they must leave a valid library
card or picture ID with us.  After the next issue of a title arrives, we
put out on display in the open shelving.  And we still have problems with
this.

Bill Osment
Periodicals/Reference Librarian
Kansas City Missouri Public Library
________________________________
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum on behalf of
Pennington, Buddy D.
Sent: Mon 10/25/2004 9:06 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Policy on dealing with defaced serials at
academic libraries?

I disagree that keeping something behind a desk is censorship.
Inconvenient access is not censorship.  Is it censorship when the
library closes at 10PM or is not open on Sundays?

The customer service issues are something to wrestle with, but I don't
think we need to be couching it within the context of censorship.  The
library is still subscribing to the title and it is still accessible to
users.

Buddy Pennington
Serials Acquisitions Librarian
UMKC - University Libraries
800 E. 51st Street
Kansas City, MO  64110
816-235-1548
816-333-5584 (fax)
penningtonb@umkc.edu

UMKC University Libraries: Connecting Learners to the World of Knowledge

www.umkc.edu/lib

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Simpson, Sarah
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2004 12:45 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Policy on dealing with defaced serials at
academic libraries?

We do keep certain titles behind the desk and have people ask for them,
but I do tend to agree it is a form of censorship - I know that I
wouldn't usually take the extra step to look at the magazine, especially
if there was a line at the desk.  I'm sure that a lot of people just
decide not to bother if it isn't right there where they can get it.
Censorship by inconvenience?  We certainly mean to do the exact opposite
of censoring by making sure it is available when wanted, but I think it
often has the opposite effect of keeping people from reading the title.
It's a frustrating situation.

Sarah Simpson
Tulsa City-County Library

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Carol Morse
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2004 12:34 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Policy on dealing with defaced serials at
academic libraries?

We would tend to put those kinds of titles on reserve. That protects the
current issue, but not the others. I don't consider it censorship. There
is a 2-hour check-out period for everyone. They are less likely to
deface when they have to turn it in in 2 hours. I have put 2 runs of
titles that tended to "walk" on permanent reserve and the current year
of others that are very popular. Think of it as preserving good access
for everyone.
Carol Morse

********************************************

Address:
Walla Walla College Library
Periodicals Dept.
104 S. College Ave.
College Place, WA  99324-1159

Carol Morse
Serials Librarian morsca@wwc.edu
509) 527-2684; fax 509) 527-2001
*********************************************

>>> cwilson@MMM.EDU 10/22/2004 9:59:23 AM >>>
Dear serialists:
Here's a nice discussion topic for a Friday... I am wondering if any of
you have a policy on how to deal with patrons who deface or damage
serials, particularly those of a politically sensitive nature. It was
just brought to my attention that someone found a copy of the Advocate
in our library with the word 'nasty' scribbled on the cover. I have also
previously noticed copies of Ms., Rolling Stone, etc. with missing pages
or photos. It's obviously difficult to punish patrons who deface
materials unless you catch them in the act, so what are our options?
Some libraries(especially public) may put popular or readily-vandalized
magazines behind the desk, but this brings up censorship issues. Any
ideas?

Thanks in advance for your input,

Kunchog Dolma

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

Kunchog J. Dolma, MA, MLISc
Serials/Reference Librarian
Thomas J. Shanahan Library
Marymount Manhattan College
221 E. 71st St.
New York, NY 10025
(212)774-4807