3 messages:

1)_____

Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 11:08:29 -0500
From: Melissa Sorgi <mwsorgi@ADM.HACC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Routing issues (Mary Iber)

If you're asking about sending a copy of an issue to various staff
members, we still do it.  We have DRA and it produces a Route List for
each particular title as we check them in.  Then they disappear into the
black hole of various librarians' offices and homes.  Eventually most
wander home; but some are gone for over 6 months.  However, we only route
library-oriented titles, so the student/patrons aren't too inconvenienced.
 I worked in a public library that did the same thing and THAT was a pain.
 Patrons wanted to read Publishers Weekly, etc. too and all we could tell
them was that some librarian had it.  We couldn't even tell them when it
might re-appear.  That did not make for happy patrons.  Hope this helps.

Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 08:31:36 -0600 (CST)
From: Mary Iber <Iber@ACT.ORG>
Subject: routing issues

     I am interested in hearing from people who work in libraries that
     either still route journals, or have routed journals in the past and
     switched to something else.

     I have searched ERIC and Library Literature databases, and cannot
     find
     anything written on this subject. If anyone knows of something to
     point me to, I'd love to hear about it.

     I am in the process of designing a research project studying the
     problems associated with routing as well as what alternatives are
     available. I work in a corporate library.

     If you have any insights, experiences, horror stories, or your own
     research (however informal) I'd appreciate hearing from you. Or, if
     you just want to let me know that you work for a library that still
     does route journals, I'd like to know that, too.

     Please send replies directly to me. I will summarize for the list if
     there is interest. Thanks.

     Mary Iber
     iber@act.org

2)_____

Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 11:12:02 -0500
From: Helaine Davis <hdavis@MONH.ORG>
Subject: Re: Routing issues (Mary Iber)

Hi Mary!

I work for a library in a small Museum in Lexington MA.  Our set up is
probably similar to a corporate library.  We have about thirty full time
staff and probably 15 part-time with some interns and volunteers as well.
We still route our serials for up to three days per person.  It works out
pretty well, with a straggler every now and then.  What we do is have a
Serials review for all the staff in the fall.  We put on display each
periodical and have staff members sign a support statement for each
periodical as well as a route statement.  It is a nice method for
introducing materials and getting support for expenses.  The route is
written into the notes field of each database record and then handwritten on
a date stamped post-it note which is placed on all routed materials.  My
initials are at the bottom of each routing slip since part of my job as
Library Assistant is to route the materials and then shelve or display each
item.  I hope this helps-

Helaine Davis, Library Assistant
Van Gorden-Williams Library
Museum of Our National Heritage, Lexington, MA

3)_____

Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 11:08:16 -0700
From: Julia Franklin <jfrank@ISL.STATE.ID.US>
Subject: Re: Routing issues (Mary Iber)

At ISL we were concerned about the length of time it took for some items
to route.  Our findings for the 3 months of fact finding was.

Average number of days for a peiodicals to route: 14.76 days.

The highest number of days that a periodical was routed:  471 days
The lowest number of days a periodical  was routed:  1 day.

We started this because there was a concern about giving Patrons the best
possible service.

What we ended up doing was:

We put neon pink slips on time sensitive periodicals.

We ask staff to go through their list every year, and take themselves off
of routing they are no longer interested in receiving

We have a book with all the updated routing slips, that any staff member
can look at and send a message to the list, if a routed periodical is
needed.

We removed some items from the routing list completely.

I still get in some routed materials that is years old.  But for the most
part routing is going smoothly and quickly.

Julia Franklin
Serials LAI
Idaho State Library
jfrank=40isl.state.id.us