Judith,
For us the statistics were gathered with the explicit purpose to determine which titles could be eliminated. Contrary to contemporary thought, not everything is online. Furthermore, we have kept some print journals that are also online simply because a professor wanted us to or the print publication had full color graphics that appeared better in print. By using the stats we could, theoretically, tell the prof that it simply wasn’t a feasible expenditure of funds. Without the stats you are just guessing. And yes, there are short-comings to every counting system as you pointed out. Pick what works for you in the most painless way or don’t do anything and guess.
Roger
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Judith Koveleskie
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 2:56 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] tracking usage of current print journal issues
I wondering why these statistics are being gathered? With so much moving to online use, it doesn't seem worth the time to me. We once used some of the methods described by others, but decided that they weren't very accurate because patrons can simply re-shelve items which don't get counted. So something might be well-used or used by multiple patrons and we would never know because it would be counted only once or not at all. So we discontinued counting and haven't missed it.
Judith A. Koveleskie, MLIS, MA
Periodicals Librarian
Seton Hill University
Reeves Memorial Library
1 Seton Hill Drive
Greensburg, PA 15601-1548
kovelesk@setonhill.edu
724-838-7828
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On Wed, Sep 21, 2011 at 1:31 PM, Wang, Julia <Julia.Wang@rockhurst.edu> wrote:
Roger,
Thanks again for sharing more information on this topic.
With regards,
Julia Wang
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Julia Wang
Acquisitions/Serials Librarian
Greenlease Library
Rockhurst University
1100 Rockhurst Rd.
Kansas City, MO 64110
Tel: 816-501-4143
Fax 816-501-4666
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of DAVIS, ROGER
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 10:46 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] tracking usage of current print journal issues
Julia,
Yes, the data can be downloaded to a spread sheet and organized any way you want. There is an article about the program at Serials Librarian v.57: no.1-2 (Jul/Sep 2009) that has screen shots. The article also has a history of various counting methods and their advantages and drawbacks.
Roger
Serials Librarian
Kent State University at Stark
6000 Frank Ave. NW
Canton, Ohio
http://local2.stark.kent.edu/Library/Bindings/
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Wang, Julia
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 10:10 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] tracking usage of current print journal issues
Thanks Roger for sharing this information. Is the data easy to retrieve and downloadable to excel ?
We have tried to find an effective way to count in house print journal usage but was not successful in Millennium (III system) as it actually counts every time the title is updated (not necessary being used). We ended up creating a spreadsheet and enter titles/issues manually each time usage occur since we have very light usage anyway.
Thank you,
Julia
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of DAVIS, ROGER
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 7:21 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] tracking usage of current print journal issues
There is always the problem of patrons re-shelving their own issues. We have signs up but they are often ignored. We use software we developed locally and is available open source that works. Student assistant re-shelves the issue, comes to the Circ desk opens the program, clicks the title and everything is saved. You can recall the stats by title, date or usage.
Might need your network people to help install it since it uses a database structure, but it is customizable.
Download here http://serialcount.kent.edu/download.cfm
Roger
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Diane Westerfield
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 4:19 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] tracking usage of current print journal issues
In theory you can have a barcode on the shelf that links to a dummy item record which can be counted for browsing. For example you have a barcode on the shelf where Newsweek goes. The barcode is entered in a dummy item record attached to the Newsweek bib. The student/worker doing the reshelving can scan this shelf barcode with a handheld device as issues are reshelved. Each scan counts as a “browse”. The dummy item record is never deleted, hence you won’t lose statistics. When statistics are gathered, the dummy item record will contain the total number of current issue browses, along with the browses for bound volumes.
Of course, this is coarser-grained than barcoding each individual issue. I haven’t worked in libraries that went to that level of detail – maybe other folks can chime in on the finer points.
On another note, scanning the shelf as issues are reshelved requires some supervision, or leaning on supervisors, to make sure the new practice keeps on happening. Otherwise you will soon have issues going back to the shelf with no scanning and all the barcoding/dummy item record creation will have gone for naught, and your statistics will have gone awry. You also have to make sure the handheld scanning devices are kept working, or have backups.
Hope this helps,
Diane Westerfield, Electronic Resources & Serials Librarian
Tutt Library, Colorado College
diane.westerfield@coloradocollege.edu
(719) 389-6082 (fax)
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Kathleen Dougherty
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 1:57 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [SERIALST] tracking usage of current print journal issues
Hi,
I’m a new serials librarian. We are barcoding our bound journal issues for inventory and statistical purposes. But with current issues, we'll be deleting those individual barcodes once they are bound and replacing them with one for the bound volume, and would therefore lose the stats associated with those barcodes. I’d be interested to hear how other libraries handle this issue.
Thanks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kate Dougherty
Electronic Resources & Government Documents Librarian
Leonard S. Washington Memorial Library
Southern University at New Orleans
6400 Press Drive
New Orleans, LA 70126