3 messages, 89 lines:
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Date:         Fri, 12 Feb 1993 16:20:00 EDT
From:         Lynn A. Barber <LABARBER@LIB.LAKEHEADU.CA>
Subject:      Indexing Linking Fields

In reply to Hannah King's:

> I believe linking fields of titles continued, merged, continuing is important
> because patrons may know the previous title but not the newer one.  For
> example, many people still ask for the British Medical Journal not the BMJ or
> for the Journal of the American Medical Association not JAMA.

> Another reason for linking such entries, in some way, is that, if shelved
> alphabetically by title, the library must decide to shelve titles that
> "continue as" under the old or under the new title.  Shelving also
> creates problems for the users no matter what decision libraries make.

> How do others handle shelving issues related to title changes?

I would agree most emphatically. At our institution we have at least two
ways of filing titles: by classification ; by title. The linking fields
(linking on 780/785) allow the patron to find the new title in its proper
alphabetic spot without a query to the information desk. In our classed file
we attempt to keep successive titles together under the first cuttering in
order not to have the patron move too far to pick up his/her information
thread.

How systems handle the problem of automatic linking is an important question
and one that deserves more investigation. Certainly this linkage is vital to
lead the patron through the maze of successive title changes and I think that
is the proper usage of automatic linking. Whether it is necessary for other
forms of linkage is another question? Certainly the user is probably interested
in titles related to the one he is looking for but I am not sure that the index
screen should draw up those titles unless the patron specifically requests
same.

Lynn A. Barber
Lakehead University Library
labarber@lib.lakeheadu.ca

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Date:         Fri, 12 Feb 1993 15:35:13 -0500
From:         Judith Hopkins <ULCJH@UBVMS.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: Indexing linking fields

In response to Hannah King's question the General Libraries of the
State University of New York at Buffalo decided to solve the problem
of shelving journals that changed title by classifying our journals
and filing the bound volumes by call number (in a separate sequence from the
classified monographs).

Judith Hopkins                            VOICE: (716) 645-2796
Technical Services Research and Analysis Officer
Central Technical Services                FAX:   (716) 645-5955
Lockwood Library Building
State University of New York at Buffalo   BITNET: ulcjh@ubvm (OR, ubvms)
Buffalo, NY  14260-2200              INTERNET: ulcjh@ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu

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Date:         Fri, 12 Feb 1993 11:25:20 -0800
From:         Mitch Turitz <turitz@SFSUVAX1.SFSU.EDU>
Subject:      RE: Indexing linking fields

We use the same reasoning as SUNY Syracuse for indexing the linking
(780/785) fields, but the Reference Librarians hate it.  They still think
of serials as funny-looking monographs and they don't like the idea that a
search for one specific title should retrieve a different title.  Maybe
it's serial-phobia.  A condition that leads to serial killers?  (Hey, it's
Friday, please excuse me)
--Mitch

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