Hi, folks --

Spectator did an oddly-timed volume change, so I sent a message to them.  My
thanks to Vanessa Tyrell-Kenyon, their Assistant Production Editor for her
prompt response, which is immediately below.  My message is below that.

Dear Ms Stevens

I'm really sorry about all the confusion. Basically, over the years, the
issues have got bigger & bigger, so we've found that one volume for 6
months' worth of magazines is too much of a strain on the spine. This year,
therefore, our book binders suggested that we now bind them in 4 months'
worth - i.e. from Jan to April, then May to August and from September to
December. Unfortunately this confused the people who set the contents page,
and so the volume number wasn't adjusted in May this year. The volumes
should have read 289 from May and will then become 290 in August.

I hope that clarifies the situation! And sorry again for the confusion.

all the best

Vanessa Tyrell-Kenyon
Assistant production editor

[My e-mail of June 26 to the Spectator editoral office]
Ladies/Gentlemen:

Spectator usually changes volume number with the first issue in January and
the first issue in July.  Volume 288 should have continued through the last
June issue, no.9073 (June 29), but issue nos.9070 (June 8), 9071 (June 15),
and 9072 (June 22) are printed as volume 289.  I am hoping you will tell me
that this is a printer's error, that v.288 really goes through the June 29
issue, that there is time to make a correction on no.9073, and that
UMI/Proquest will be given the correct volume number for those strange
issues when they go to film it.

Those of us in libraries who check in by computer with predicting
publication patterns get twitchy when the issues aren't what we expect.
I'll post your response to SERIALIST, a list serve for library serials folk,
which may save you repeated explanations.  Thanks for your attention.

Lynne N. Stevens
Serials Coordinator
Lipscomb Library
Randolph-Macon Woman's College
2500 Rivermont Avenue
Lynchburg, VA  24503
434 947-8133
434 947-8134 FAX
lstevens@rmwc.edu