Price indexes for the new media: a cd-rom case history

This article is based on a presentation given July 1, 1991, at the American Library Association's annual conference. It reports on an attempt to develop a CD-ROM price index modelled on the price indexes for serials and other materials produced under the aegis of ALA's Library Materials Price Index Committee and conforming to ANSI Standard Z39.20-1983. This proved to be an impossible task, primarily because of the inability to define a reliable unit of measurement for CD-ROM prices and the difficulty of tracking a sufficiently representative sample of the universe of CD-ROM titles purchased by libraries over the period from 1988–1991. However, the value of simply tracking the prices of a data sample without a base index year—a price inventory—was recognized by the Committee. The data gathered thus far were analyzed to show price trends by LC subject classification and publication types (monographs and serials). The 4.3% increase from 1989 to 1990 reflects the change from $1,783 to $1,860 in publication price for the average CD-ROM title. The evolution and stabilization of the CD-ROM publishing industry in the 1990s should support the eventual establishment of a CD-ROM price index, on which work continues.     

Managing Serials in a Large Digital Library: Case Study of the UNT Libraries Digital Collections

The Portal to Texas History (http://texashistory.unt.edu) and the University of North Texas (UNT) Digital Library (http://digital.library.unt.edu) contain more than 445,000 items collectively, hosted by the UNT Libraries. These collections include a variety of serial publications such as newsletters, magazines, scholarly journals, annual reports, and yearbooks. Many of these serials are key resources for the user groups of both repositories. In this article, we discuss the importance of serials within our collections, some of the challenges, the standards we use, and how we leverage metadata to facilitate access to serials for diverse global users.     

A Comparison of Serials Administration Routines at Cornell and Leeds Universities

This paper compares the various administrative procedures involved with serials at the Engineering Library at Cornell University (New York State) and the Science and Engineering Library at Leeds University (United Kingdom). These include acquisition, deselection/cancellation, budgeting, surveying, serials checking, agent efficiency & pricing, binding preparation, reader services and user education.     

俄文连续出版物编目工作的探索与实践——以黑龙江大学图书馆为例

俄文连续出版物联机编目规则在我国尚没有统一的标准,只有少数图书馆按照自定规则实现了俄文连续出版物的计算机管理。黑龙江大学图书馆在俄文图书联机编目实践成功后,又对俄文连续出版物联机编目工作进行了探索。针对著录内容的简化以及编号项和附注项、受控检索点、统一题名的著录等方面出现的普遍问题以及特殊出版物、连续出版物的出版变化和分类等方面的特殊问题,图书馆应统一俄文连续出版物数据库建设标准,进行俄文连续出版物编目工作的培训,指定专人定期维护已建成的数据库并做好编目人员队伍梯队建设。     

纸本报刊在数字图书馆中的个性化服务及其服务增值

信息增值服务是近年来图书情报学界讨论的热点。本文以北京大学数字图书馆门户建设中有关纸本报刊服务的展现为例,探讨了纸本报刊在数字化环境下开展个性化服务的几条途径,对其中一些服务设计做了重点介绍,最后透视了纸本报刊的个性化服务带来的信息服务增值效果。     

How to evaluate serials suppliers

Price and service are two considerations in evaluating serials suppliers. Pricing aspects include establishing a business relationship with your supplier, knowing their pricing policy for your library, negotiating your service charge and dealing with exchange rates and invoicing currencies. A checklist of service criteria is offered. The experience of the CSIRO Library Network in evaluating serials suppliers is explained. Multiple vendor policies are examined, and advice on changing suppliers is provided.     

Basic List of Veterinary Medical Serials 2nd Edition, 1981, With Revisions to April 1, 1986

This article contains a list of core veterinary serials that the Veterinary Medical Libraries Section of the Medical Library Association feels should be in any veterinary medical library serving an institution accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association. It is a list that can serve as a nucleus from which the collection can be further developed as determined by the research thrust of the institution that the library is serving. An adjunct list of important human medical and general science serials is also included to help guide the librarian in developing the collection.     

Citations and Citation Metrics in a Serial Assessment Using Master's Theses

We analyzed serial citations in 72 marine biology master's theses as well as the ranking data of aquatic science serials from six global serial citation metrics, to assess serial use by marine biology graduate students from two perspectives. From 1,035 unique serials, a core of 123 titles was identified and evaluated for access. Citation ages averaged 13.5 years, with 27% of serial citations dated prior to 1996. Students cited serials from disciplines beyond marine biology, demonstrating broad title dispersion compared to several other studies. Recommendations are offered for future investigation to develop a stronger understanding of graduate students’ use of the library's serial collection.     

National Bibliographic Control of Serials in Australia, 1980–1990

There is a long history of effective co-operation and national initiatives in controlling and sharing serial data in Australia. Prior to the 1980's this largely took the form of manually produced national union catalogues such as Scientific Serials in Australian Libraries: Serials in Australian Libraries, Social Sciences and the Humanities; and Newspapers in Australian Libraries. The commencement of the Australian Bibliographic Network (ABN) in 1980 provided the mechanism for both a national shared cataloguing venture and a truly national on-line union catalogue. The National Union Catalogue of Serials produced from ABN was dependent on the addition of holdings by ABN participating libraries. Several factors contributed to the growth of serials data on the national bibliographic database-notably the steady increase in the number of ABN participants undertaking serials cataloguing on ABN, serial conversion work on titles in the National Library card catalogues, and major serial conversion work undertaken by other Australian libraries. Allhough much has been achieved in the 1980's there remains much to be done to enhance the coverage of bibliographic and holdings data for serials on ABN.     

Serials Management in the New Shanghai Library

Abstract

With a total floor space of 83,000 square meters, the new Shanghai Library, which opened on 20 December 1996, is among the top ten largest libraries in the world. The library was perhaps the first in China to implement international standards. In the early 1980s the Shanghai Library began cataloguing foreign books and periodicals following Western practices. In 1980, the library compiled a draft set of cataloguing rules for foreign serials based on ISBD(S). The library and the Library Society of Shanghai then organised a number of training classes for serials librarians from all over the country. Earlier, in December 1979, the Sixth Subcommittee of the National Document Standardisation Committee had begun compiling a set of cataloguing rules for serials. A draft based on ISBD(S), written by staff of the library, was put forward to the Fuzhou (city) Meeting in March 1983. After several discussions and revisions the National Standard Bureau finally approved the rules (GB 3792.3-85). In order to further the stardardisation of serials management, the Shanghai Library has issued its catalogue cards for serials to other libraries and information units. The catalogue cards have been widely distributed to the Chinese library community. Because of these developments, the library has become a de facto centre of serials research in the country.     

Collaboration and Organization for Successful Serials Cancellation

Serials cancellations are dreaded equally by librarians and faculty. Previously, faculty reviewed title lists, and librarians canceled what they recommended. Today's cancellation process is more complex; there has to be a context and a timetable. Reports must include at least data about historical pricing and titles associated with e-packages that are not cancellable. Although libraries' workflows differ, there are basic steps necessary to carry out a successful cancellation process. This joint presentation demonstrated how integrated planning and the use of serials management tools are used to organize complex information into useable data. It takes early and collaborative planning between Collection Development, teaching faculty, and Serials Technical Services to make a dreaded process less painful and more effective. This tactics session was delivered in parts by Susanne Clement and Gaele Gillespie, Head of Collection Development and Serials Librarian, respectively, at Watson Library, University of Kansas, and by Sarah Tusa, Coordinator of Collection Development and Acquisitions at the Mary and John Gray Library, Lamar University.     

Library Reorganization,Chaos, and Using the Core Competencies as a Guide

Starting in the fall of 2012, the staff at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) Library began to plan for a library-wide reorganization of staff and services. Every staff member would be affected by the reorganization process, including the library’s serials and e-resources team. In what could be a most chaotic time, the serials and e-resources team chose to use the North American Serials Interest Group (NASIG) draft version of core competencies for electronic resource librarians as a guide to help in selecting members for the e-resources team that would emerge following the reorganization. The presentation on which this article is based reviews the situation at UTA, the core competencies, and how the serials/e-resources team used the core competencies along with a self-assessment tool to help select the most qualified staff for the team.     

Monographic Series in a Network Environment

Up to 1976, serials automation had progressed to a point where the activities of the bibliographic networks was increasingly important, and the CONSER project had been launched. However, most union lists of serials were still being compiled manually, and the computers used for library applications consisted primarily of (expensive) mainframe computers. Several events took place in 1976: the Library of Congress received a grant for CONSER 11; OCLC's serials check-in system became available; NCLIS established a Task Force on a National Periodicals System; and the first major revision of the copyright law was passed. This article discusses the progress made or the changes that have occurred since 1976 in: CONSER, the bibliographic networks, union lists of serials, stand-alone systems, electronic mail, full text services, copyright, and organizations providing services involving serials.     

Applying serials & acquisitions skills on the “other side”

In June 1995, several librarians at the Fletcher Library of Arizona State University West resigned. The Library viewed this as an opportunity to examine the structure of the library and decided that the current contingent of librarians would assume the program responsibilities of the departing librarians on an interim basis. In addition to the author's regular responsibilities for serials acquisitions and serials management, she was given interim responsibility for management of the Journals/Microforms service programs and document delivery, as well as the supervision of the classified staff in that unit. She expected to draw upon her familiarity with serials and acquisitions, as well as previous supervisory experience, to maintain what is an important service point for the Library at ASU West. This paper will document the impact that decisions in serials acquisitions and control have on public service points and describe what impact this interim assignment in the public service sector will have on both the front-line and back-room operations at ASU West Library.     

Digital Reference in Slavic and East European Studies with an Examination of Practice at the University of Illinois and the Library of Congress

SUMMARY

This article presents a survey of digital reference trends in the United States with an emphasis on services for Slavic and East European studies. It is based on the author's experience as a Slavic reference librarian at the University of Illinois (Slavic Reference Service) and the Library of Congress (European Division). Topics include the conflict between print and digital resources, coping with electronic serials, full-text databases and websites, digital communication tools such as e-mail, chat, and web forms, the proliferation of websites from Eastern Europe and the NIS, and opportunities for bibliographic instruction via the web. The article concludes with suggestions for keeping current and ideas for possible reference collaboration among Slavic and East European studies librarians.     

A COURSE IN SERIALS LIBRARIANSHIP AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

This article briefly describes the experience of a concentrated serials course at the Columbia University School of Library Service in the summer of 1977. The course covered current issues in the acquisition, organization, preservation, storage, and servicing of serials collections, including problems of proliferation of serial titles, rising costs, and budgetary restraints in libraries.