Kansas Periodicals

Abstract

Many changes in the Law School Library have occurred during this past year because of INNOVACQ. Within the Serials/Acquisitions Section, almost all the routines and procedures have been radically redefined to allow for the computerization of serials control. There have been some staff reassignments and shifts in responsibility, and in most instances, old tasks and manual file maintenance have been done away with completely and replaced by work at a VDT. Naturally, the impact of INNOVACQ has also been felt in the Cataloging Section, and the instant availability of serials check-in and routing information in public services has certainly added a level of service that was never possible before. In addition, the immediate and up-to-date fiscal information has been a boon for both the library's collection development officers and the Library administration.

Various staff members throughout the year have been working to clean up and upgrade different parts of the serials files and to add or exchange better information in a number of fields in each record. Past payment history has been keyed into over 2/3 of the records in the file. The records for all the loose-leaf services contracted for by the Library are not fully online.

All the records for our California documents have been edited and check-in cards have been created for this large and obviously important part of the file. Conversion of the U.S. documents which had been deferred at the very beginning of the fiscal year, has begun and most entries now can be checked-in and claimed online.

All invoices (both serials and monographs) for this fiscal year have been processed on INNOVACQ, and while there are still some vendor and fund anomalies, Boalt has better, more comprehensive — and certainly more accurate — financial records than ever before.

A massive editing and claiming project has recently gotten under way. All titles on INNOVACQ are being checked against the shelf list to make sure that all the bibliographic elements in each record are in sync and are presented in a standard, retrievable (punctuation and spacing count in INNOVACQ) format. Routine claiming (as part of serials check-in) has been in place for some time now, and that activity was begun when that feature was delivered. A second part of the editing project, is however, to get the thousands of blank boxes out of the check-in screens where they will remain as claimable items until some sort of purging action is taken. The files are now being gone through (a simple command in INNOVACQ can allow one to review every check-in record in the system), our holdings are being checked on the shelves, and decisions to claim or replace the missing pieces are being made. We anticipate that this editing/ claiming project will take approximately half a year.

The INNOVACQ system was pretty exciting when we first saw it demonstrated, and we were eager then to incorporate it into our technical processing activities here at Boalt. If anything, our enthusiasm has grown as the capabilities of INNOVACQ have been realized. Enhancement and refinement — some at our prompting, others by the design staff at Innovative Interfaces — over the past year have resulted in what we believe to be the most comprehensive and easy-to-use serials control system available. Our confidence was manifested when we shifted all of our acquisitions activities from RLIN to INNOVAQ at the beginning of our fiscal year in mid-1984.

Many tasks remain for the Law Library in making the best use of the INNOVACQ system. The rapid acceptance by the public service staff and users has been heartening, and the continuing work to clean up the Serials Records has proven fruitful. System performance and maintenance have been outstanding, and we are excited about various possibilities for future growth. It has not been a simple nor uncomplicated process, but the gains realized by the Law library have been substantial.     

Building a Collection of Canadian Newspapers

Abstract

This article discusses the functionality of the Dynix Serials Module. Core functions such as searching, check-in, claiming, and binding are described. Most serials work can be accomplished within this single module by selecting various options from several menu sets. The procedures described are based on Release 181 of the system. Serials Review 2002; 28:45–48.     

Serials Workflow Adaptation and the New ILS : A Case for Continuous Process Improvement

This article examines serials workflow adaptation at Notre Dame University Libraries in the context of migration from the NOTIS LMS to the Aleph 500 ILS. In addition to detailing three specific workflows—check-in, claiming, and binding—in NOTIS versus Aleph 500, the authors discuss the workflow adaptation process in general. Emphasis is placed not only on the pragmatic side of the process but also on its psychological aspects. The last section of the article outlines several suggestions for how to deal with expectations for workflow that simply do not match a new system's functionality. Serials Review 2002; 28:298–315.     

Serials Workflow Adaptation and the New ILS

Abstract

This article examines serials workflow adaptation at Notre Dame University Libraries in the context of migration from the NOTIS LMS to the Aleph 500 ILS. In addition to detailing three specific workflows—check-in, claiming, and binding—in NOTIS versus Aleph 500, the authors discuss the workflow adaptation process in general. Emphasis is placed not only on the pragmatic side of the process but also on its psychological aspects. The last section of the article outlines several suggestions for how to deal with expectations for workflow that simply do not match a new system's functionality. Serials Review 2002; 28:298–315.     

Millennium Serials Module of Innovative Interfaces,Inc

Abstract

This article addresses the Millennium Serials module of Innovative Interfaces, Inc. The author traces serial titles through the total library process and examines how Millennium Serials (Innovative Interfaces, Inc.) facilitates each task, from ordering to receiving to check-in (including claiming and binding). Serials Review 2002; 28: 213–221.     

Journal Finder, a Second Look: Implications for Serials Access in Today''s Library

Since The University of North Carolina at Greensboro's Jackson Library introduced Journal Finder in August 2001, the service has grown and evolved. Its features and capabilities have been expanded, enhanced, and refined, and a partnership program has been developed. Journal Finder enjoys significant initial success and appears to meet a real need in the research life of faculty and students. Additionally, Journal Finder has revealed several user trends with implications for the library, including the use of print serials, photocopying, interlibrary loan, and document delivery/pay-per-view, and it continues to provide insights and data for serials collection management decisions. Serials Review 2003; 29:287–294.     

Ongoing Serials Cataloging Training

Abstract

Cataloging requires constant continuing education. The recent changes to Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2) Chapter 12 have necessitated widespread efforts to train and retrain serials catalogers. Serials cataloger librarians from the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, and the San Francisco Public Library describe their methods and the challenges of ongoing serials cataloging training. Serials Review 2003; 29:117–120.     

Serials Control for the Italian Union Catalog of Serials

Abstract

European and Italian libraries are strongly involved in efforts to facilitate access to European information resources. The Italian union catalogue of serials has evolved from a traditional catalog to a sophisticated resource that provides access to serials services. Serials control is the most recent service of the union catalog with features for end users and professional staff. The software is BASIS Techlib by ID Technology (Italy), affinity partner of Open Text (USA). The ability to customize features presents a very satisfactory, easy-to-use product that might be considered interesting for union catalogs in other countries. Serials Review 2003; 29:169–178.     

“Serials at Warp Speed: Navigating Transitions,” the 2007 North Carolina Serials Conference

Reports on four major serials conferences, the 2007 North Carolina Serials Conference, the 2007 meeting of the Ohio Valley Group of Technical Services Librarians, the Canadian Library Association’s 2007 Pre-Conference, and the 2007 North American Serials Interest Group Conference.     

“Shelf-Ready” Print Serials Acquisitions

The focus of this installment of “The Balance Point” is “shelf-ready” print serials acquisitions, including functions associated with traditional consolidation services (ordering, receiving, check-in, labeling, claiming and batch shipments), and the newer capabilities of uploading check-in data automatically into library systems. Featured authors discuss traditional vendor consolidation services, pilot projects and experiments in the pursuit of what they define as genuinely “shelf-ready” periodicals. The authors view obtaining “shelf-ready” print journal issues as an effective and efficient means of managing print serials operations while coping with the demands of managing digital resource acquisitions with limited financial resources.     

Little Magazines and Translations

Abstract

Serials and the serials information chain have changed rapidly since the development of the electronic journal. Many recent developments are briefly described, including electronic resource management systems (ERMS) and functional requirements for bibliographic records (FRBR). The constantly changing nature of serials is compared to a psychological midlife crisis.     

“Serials at Warp Speed: Navigating Transitions,” the 2007 North Carolina Serials Conference

Abstract

Reports on four major serials conferences, the 2007 North Carolina Serials Conference, the 2007 meeting of the Ohio Valley Group of Technical Services Librarians, the Canadian Library Association’s 2007 Pre-Conference, and the 2007 North American Serials Interest Group Conference.     

Serials spoken here: Reports on conferences institutes and seminars

Abstract

This installment of Bits and Bytes addresses Geac's ADVANCE integrated library system release 6.82. By tracing serial titles through the entire library processing route, the reader follows how ADVANCE facilitates each routine, from ordering to receiving to check-in (including claiming and binding). Serials Review 2002; 28:116–125.     

Serials Staffing for the Twenty-First Century and Beyond

Abstract

This article provides an overview of the technical services issues relating to the future of serials staffing, particularly for serials catalogers. Trends in cataloging procedures, technical services reorganizations, and the changing roles of professional and paraprofessional employees affect present and future responsibilities of serials work. The author also examines major technological innovations that have affected staffing needs, including journals in electronic format, vendor-supplied holdings data, automatic generation of bibliographic records, and the potential implications of proposed serials cataloging rule changes on the way in which serials will be managed in libraries. Serials Review 2002; 28:195–200.     

Developing a Crystal Clear Future for the Serials Unit in an Electronic Environment: Results of a Workflow Analysis

Institutional growth at Old Dominion University and changes within its libraries over the past several years have left the Serials Unit feeling anything but crystal clear. In moving from a print to an electronic focus, the Serials Unit conducted a workflow analysis project. The analysis resulted in a report containing recommendations for reallocating responsibilities and documenting changes in staff skills and positions. This article, which grew out of a presentation at the 15th North Carolina Serials Conference “Crystal Clear? Today's Libraries, Tomorrow's Library Users,” describes the workflow analysis process and expands on how its recommendations have benefited the Serials Unit.     

Serial Review Index

Abstract

The Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) is working to make tools available to catalogers of electronic serials and integrating resources. These resources are being developed to help catalogers understand and implement the 2002 revision of Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2d ed. (AACR2), related Library of Congress Rule Interpretations, and new MARC 21 coding. This column focuses on the revision plans for documentation of the program components of the PCC and new workshops from the Serials Cataloging Cooperative Training Program. Serials Review 2003; 29:40–42.     

Connecting Print Patrons to Electronic Holdings with Shelf Dummies

After a two-year renovation, the Kent State University Music Library reopened as the Performing Arts Library. Before the closure, some serials were sent to the depository or reclassified within the library. In order to assist patrons browsing print journals or searching for articles in the stacks, library staff created shelf dummies detailing print and electronic holdings information as well as indexing for each title. Patron feedback has been positive, and the project has helped both library staff and patrons better understand accessibility and location of journals.     

Life spans of Library Journal's “Best Magazines of the Year”

Abstract

An annual column published in Library Journal reviews the best new magazines of the previous year. Despite being chosen for their quality, a portion of them fail at a rate described in this study. Reasons for failure and characteristics of ceased titles are described, as are difficulties in determining end dates from records in OCLC, Ulrich's, and the Serials Directory. This study reveals that OCLC records had not been closed for 30 percent of the ceased periodicals. A list of successful and widely held “best of” magazines is appended.