We have a similar ongoing regular process in place, usually using multiple students whose regular library jobs necessitate "being there" but not always busy.  I pull e-journal title lists from Millennium which are then checked in the public opac, clicking through the links to check holdings, access, etc.  If problem/discrepancy is discovered, a note is made; completed pages are returned to me to verify what the student found and to deal with problems.  It's a very valuable process for us.  And a worthwhile use of student time.  Often an access problem for a title is just the tip of the iceberg for a publisher or database and I can resolve this before it's a problem for our patrons.  I get regular clean-up lists from database maintenance of links that don't go anywhere (from our automated link checker) but this titles level checking assures us that the active link is both accurate and that the resource offers us actual access.

Alice Gormley
Serials Librarian
Marquette University
Raynor Memorial Libraries

________________________________________
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of T Thompson [thomtd@NMSU.EDU]
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 1:32 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Checking e access was futile claiming

Jeanette,

May I ask how large your collection is?  This is appealing, but I am
wondering how doable for us.

Thanks.

Tracey Thompson
Acquisitions Librarian
New Mexico State University Library
MSC 3475 P.O. Box 30006
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8006
(p) 575-646-8093
(f) 575-646-7477

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Skwor, Jeanette
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 10:43 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Checking e access was futile claiming

Sure.

We keep a spreadsheet of our titles; I sort it to show the online and/or the
print & online subs.  The spreadsheet shows through whom we have access, the
current subs dates, online coverage, passwords if needed and a notes field.
I print that off and a student takes them in alphabetical order, from our
catalog link, accesses the newest issue, the oldest we should have and one
or so in between.  Brings up the citation and the full text and makes sure
we have it.  If coverage is different in any way than indicated on the
sheet, he/she notes that.  If the current issue doesn't seem to be current,
or if there is a newer one on the site that we cannot access, that is noted
also, as is any difficulty getting into the site, etc.  Anything that works
as expected is just marked "ok".

The student dates & initials their work; I go through the list & check the
problematic ones myself & notify our ERM librarian as needed.

I enter the Access checked date on the spreadsheet, whether OK or
problematic and we recheck the problematic as needed to make sure it turns
into an OK.  I would say each title gets checked 3-4 times a year - more so
if it had been problematic.

By the time we get to the Zs we're ready to start over again with the As :-)

Basically, as far as the student goes, it is just like doing research - in
fact I've had unknowing staff tell me my student was doing homework at the
computer when they were doing this.

It really does catch a lot of things we'd miss otherwise, not a "missing
issue" like in paper, but a whole subs that the pub thinks they've not been
paid for, a non-working link, etc.

Hope that helps.  If you like, I do have a procedures sheet on this I'd be
glad to send, but it is of course specific to our system.

Jeanette Skwor

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Sally Smith
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 10:48 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Checking e access was futile claiming

Hello Jeanette,
Could you describe the process that your students use to check e content on
a rotating basis?

Thanks,
Sally

Sally Smith
Bethel University Library/Serials Dept.
3900 Bethel Drive  St. Paul, MN 55112
Phone:  651-635-8544   Fax:  651-635-2393
http://www.library.bethel.edu/

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Skwor, Jeanette
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 8:44 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] futile claiming

I have my students check access on a rotating basis.

Jeanette L. Skwor
Serials Dept., Cofrin Library
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
2420 Nicolet Drive
Green Bay, WI  54311-7001

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Linda Wobbe
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2009 1:46 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] futile claiming

Hi Michael,

I'm worried that we don't always receive the electronic content, either.
What are the options for checking receipt of electronic issues?

Thanks!
Linda

Michael A. Edwards wrote:

> All-electronic is looking better and better. But affording it is
> another issue entirely (usual pun intended).
>
> Michael A. Edwards
> Serials & Electronic Resources Librarian
> Harold F. Johnson Library Center
> Hampshire College
> Amherst, MA 01002-3372
> 413.559.5766 voice
> 413.559.5419 fax
> maedwards@hampshire.edu
> http://library.hampshire.edu/
>
> One man's theology is another man's belly laugh.
> -- Robert A. Heinlein
>