Date: Mon, 19 Jun 1995 17:24 EST
From: Gene Dickerson <DICKERSON@UCIS.VILL.EDU>

The Serials Section Research Libraries Discussion will be meeting
during the American Library Association meeting in Chicago on
Saturday, June 24, 1995 from 9:30-11:00 AM in the Hyatt Regency,
Picasso Room.

We're going to talk amongst ourselves!  I'll give you the topics:

1.   Claims: Too Much, Too Little, Too Late; or So Many
     Claims, So Little Time!
     How much claiming are we actually doing?  How successful
     are we with claiming?  Has automation helped or merely
     identified more claims that go unfilled?

2.   Outsourcing: What's Hot, What's Not?
     A.   If your library has outsourced serials
          cataloging, what impact has this has had on
          other serials operations?  Who handles ceases,
          title changes, holdings updates, and other
          database maintenance?
     B.   Are there other serials control functions
          (besides cataloging) that can be outsourced
          (e.g. serials check-in)?  What are the pros
          and cons?

3.   Analytics:  Access or Albatross?
     Do we still need individual bibliographic records for
     serial volumes that have distinctive titles in the local
     library catalog or can we rely on indexing/abstracting
     tools for access to these titles?  Are you doing more
     analytics now or fewer analytics than in the past?

4.   Serials! Serials! Who's Got the Serials?
     In the 1980s, many libraries were reorganizing serials
     functions:  deconstructing serials departments,
     reconstructing serials departments, or merging serials
     functions with other departments.  Where are we now in
     the mid 1990s?  Are we still reorganizing or have we
     settled into a groove?

5.   Delivering the Goods: Who's Doing Document Delivery?
     What role should serialists play in the document delivery
     game?  Is document delivery a public services function?
     An acquisitions function? An interlibrary loan function?

6.   Government Document Serials:  Mainstream, Different
     Stream, or Up the Creek Without a Paddle?
     What's happening with government document serials
     (federal, state, local) in your library?  Who handles
     them? Serials staff? Documents staff? Anybody? Nobody?!
     Do documents get the same treatment as other serials?

7.   From the Frying Pan Into the Fire: Migrating from One
     Automated Serials Control System to Another.
     If your library has done this (or is planning to do
     this), what are some of the issues involved?  Many
     libraries are moving to the next system, some of which
     may have unproven serials control modules.  Will you go
     calmly or will you be kicking and screaming?

8.   Downsizing, Rightsizing, or a One-Way Ticket to the
     Reference Desk?
     with declining budgets and staff cutbacks, some libraries
     are reallocating existing resources.  Serials staff,
     particularly in Technical Services, may find themselves
     totally or partially reassigned to other departments in
     the library (e.g. Reference).  Is this happening in your
     library?  If so, how do you cope, particularly if you are
     partially reassigned and still seem to have the same
     amount of serials work to do?  Is there a positive side
     to this?

I'll hope that you'll join us for the discussion. Check your
conference program for changes in room assignments.

Gene Dickerson, Chair