---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2001 16:02:50 -0400
From: Patricia M. Breno <pbreno@owens.cc.oh.us>
Subject: Re: Disappearing microform titles (Buddy Pennington)

Recently, Proquest (formerly Bell & Howell, UMI) replied to an inquiry
regarding our subscription to Journal of Forensic Identification that they
(not the publishers) were currently reevaluating their policy of filming less
popular (translate: less profitable)  titles.  While we are not a research
library, we do have limited shelf space for print subs--and used fiche to
allow us to expand our selection of titles. Our students prefer to access
full text articles via our OhioLINK databases, partly because we don't
charge them for printing (and we do for photocopying print--don't ask).  And
possibly because we are a community college library, our students rarely
use materials older than 2-5 years old.  But we still keep fiche, just in
case...

The archival concern which has not yet been mentioned is how will we
access the fiche/film that we do manage to keep, if the vendors that
supply the reader/printers make the same financial decisions as those
who are supplying the content?  And it isn't enough to make a profit, but
that the margin of profit better be xyz and increase by abc percent every
year or we won't do it anymore. You still have the similar preservation
issues as the online titles--how to keep them and keep up-to-date
equipment to be able to access them.

Off my soapbox--and the opinions stated above are mine, and not
necessarily those of the College or the Library administration.

Patricia Breno
Serials Librarian
Owens Community College Library
P.O. Box 10,000
Toledo, OH  43699-1947

pbreno@owens.cc.oh.us
(419) 661-7020 voice