Prior to my employment, a decision was made to stop checking in what we designate as "popular" periodicals (ie Vogue, Time, etc.) and a handful of our lesser-used journals. My understanding is that this decision was made because 1) serials were increasingly moving online, so technical services staff were not as concerned with ensuring that we had print copies in our periodical room and 2) checking in serials was considered a 'waste of time'.

I've since reinstated the normal check-in protocol for all paid subscriptions. One of the major reasons was that a number of our periodical subscriptions had lapsed for years despite regular annual payment of renewal fees and no one had noticed because the issues were not being checked in. In addition to this and claim considerations, our public services librarians have expressed a strong preference for knowing exactly what issues have arrived and when. Lastly, as print subscriptions are supplanted by electronic ones, we've had less work in the serials workflow to be performed by students. Our department has consistently underspent its student employment budget for the past few years, and reinstating the check-in procedure for all paid subscriptions has helped maintain the availability of student work in our department.

-Sarah Hartman-Caverly

Sarah Hartman-Caverly | Library Assistant - Serials

610-526-5297 | 610-526-7480 facsimile | shartmanca@brynmawr.edu

Canaday Library | Bryn Mawr College
101 N. Merion Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

----- Original Message -----
From: "Wilma Dague" <wdague@BENEDICTINE.EDU>
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 12:12:47 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Eliminating Periodicals Check-in

I don't understand why you would want to eliminate check in? How would you know what you have or what you need to claim?

Best regards,

Wilma Weant Dague
Serials Coordinator
Benedictine College Library
1020 North 2nd St.
Atchison, KS 66002

(913) 360-7610
wdague@benedictine.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Payne, Ophelia (omp2w)
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2008 1:11 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [SERIALST] Eliminating Periodicals Check-in

I am trying to find information about eliminating periodicals check-in. I found a few articles written several years ago about this topic, but was wondering if there is anything recent? I read that Rick Anderson at the U of Nevada-Reno is a big proponent of this. Has anyone else done a similar initiative at your library? If so, would you mind sharing your experience? I an investigating this as an option here at UVA, but need some compelling facts to make it happen. Anything you can share would be great!

Ophelia

Ophelia Payne
Serials Cataloging Coordinator
Alderman Library
University of Virginia
PO Box 400108
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4108
434-924-0933 (office)
434-982-4579 (fax)