-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Serials Holdings Lists -- Christina Liggins
Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2000 14:25:06 -0500
From: "John D. Crissinger"

Greetings Christina! I started to add on-line holdings last year and was
blown away by the number of full texts available to our users (we are
members of OhioLINK). I postponed their inclusion to enable me to issue
a timely list. I believe you must decide "why do you want a periodicals
holding list" and "do you have the staff to maintain it." I personally
believe the list should reflect what is available to my user at my
institution, therefore it is my goal to include full text and otherwise
available holdings. Databases change, but so do hard copy holdings. The
databases just add a LOT more upkeep to the listing. However once the
list is compiled, updating should be a doable activity. Getting there is
going to be the bear. Are you doing the keying or do you have staff to
do it? Are you doing the checking or do you have staff to do it? And are
you doing the proofing or.... Inclusion of full text truly reflects your
holdings. You list micro format, so why not on-line. But that addition
will add significantly to your holdings and therefore the length and
cost of producing paper copies. Therefore, once you have the list
compiled, I strongly urge you to place it on your homepage and not issue
countless paper reproductions. Post a note to refer? Why send to 2 (and
with each added database yet another?) list. BUT, I would include ONLY
what is truly full text. Partial coverage doesn't count in my book. Who
cares if a library has parts of a periodical issue, either they have the
whole issue or they don't; same holds with on-line version. Bottom line?
What is the purpose of your holdings list? To advertise only what you
physically have on the shelves or to indicate what is available to your
users from your location? If the former, skip the on-line. If the
latter, then I think I know where you will be for the next few weeks!

Good luck and have fun....John/

>-------- Original Message -------- >
Subject: Serials Holdings Lists >
Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2000 11:25:50 -0500
>From: Christina Liggins <
>Our library has a Serials Holdings List for all our print/microformed
>journals and indexes. We have recently subscribed to Ebscohost, which
is a >database that contains the full-text versions of many periodical
titles. >One suggestion has been that we add all of the periodical
titles covered >in full-text in Ebscohost to our Holdings List. Have any
other libraries >done this? What is your advice on this matter? > >Would
another way of approaching this be to make a note in our Holdings >List
that we subscribe to Ebscohost and then provide a separate list of
>which journals are covered in full-text in Ebscohost? I know that the
>full-text coverage could change quickly in Ebscohost and other
databases >of >this type. Thanks for any help. > >Christina Liggins > >
************************** * JOHN D. CRISSINGER * NEWARK CAMPUS LIBRARY
* Tele: 740-366-9306 OSU-N/COTC * Fax: 740-366-9264 1179 UNIVERSITY DR.
* email: crissinger.5@osu.edu NEWARK, OH 43055 * *
**************************
"Geographers never get lost, they are only exploring unfamiliar places!"