Date: Fri, 09 Nov 2001 01:04:59 +0200
From: Sophia Fragou <fragou@civil.auth.gr>
Subject: Journals circulation in academic / branch libraries

I work as a site librarian in a branch academic
library. In reference to periodicals, several facts
(high cost, serial publication: difficulty in covering
gaps when issues are lost, difficulty in establishing a
reliable and convenient system for circulation) have
led us to maintain  a policy where periodicals (bound
and unbound) are kept in a non loanable collection as
reference material. When someone needs copies can only
use a photocopy machine or downloads the articles when
they are available online. But, very often
postgraduates or researchers do not find this
sufficient.
However, the need for circulation, especially for
issues that contain exclusively reports (each issue
deals with a particular subject), is increasing.
Furthermore, these issues probably need to be indexed
as well so to be retrieved (how could I possibly record
them and treat them as books without breaking essential
rules?)

We use Horizon 5.3 for electronic processing but I am
not sure if the system supports circulation of
periodicals.

Please note we do not charge fines for overdues.

I would much appreciate any comments, suggestions on my
question.
 --

Sophia Fragou
Dept. of Civil Engineering. Library
School of Technology
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
540 06 Thessaloniki
Greece

tel./fax +30 31 995749