Our library adds ejournal records to our catalog as well as having them in our A-Z journal finder.  However, we do not catalog the titles in the aggregator databases because they are too dynamic, as you stated.  We catalog only the packages/titles for which we have perpetual access.  I am, like you, the totality of our serials catalog department.

 

 

From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] on behalf of kendall vance [kvance@WAUBONSEE.EDU]
Sent: Wednesday, August 07, 2013 4:13 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [SERIALST] Aggregator Database - to catalog or not to catalog

We are weighing the relative merits of cataloging each of the titles that we currently have access to though our aggregator databases.  We already have an AtoZ solution (specifically, Ebsco AtoZ) to guide students to our e-journal content, but are considering duplicating this data in our catalog as well.

The reason is that, it appears, the existence of two separate search interfaces is proving confusing to our patrons. As it stands, we direct our users to the AtoZ search interface too locate a gived e-journal by title.  However, some users notice the "journals" search parameter in our catalog and become confused as to which place to search.  At the moment, we include in our catalog all print resources (of course) as well as those titles whose subscriptions include PRINT+ONLINE (as well as a few very small packages).

If we make this change, we will be adding ~60,000 titles, which will need to be painstakingly maintained, no small undertaking given the churn rate in our aggregators.  This will double the number of records in our relatively small collection  (and I am the totality of our serials dept.).

Thus, I would like to solicit your thoughts on the matter.  Is cataloging this long list of titles, volatile as it is, worth effort.  Do other libraries do this as a matter of course, or would this be an atypical practice on our part if we choose to pursue it.  And, if other are doing this, any tips/cautionary tales?

Thanks much, and would appreciate any an all feedback others might offer.

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