Hi Tony,
  By having an A-Z list as well as links to your online titles in your
catalog (856 fields), this implies 2 separate link maintenance points.
Why not put your link resolver link in your catalog for your online
journal titles? This way, you won't have to constantly be adjusting your
856 links whenever a publisher or vendor changes their links or when a
title jumps to a different publisher. The link resolver link will take
the library user to a screen that displays links to the journal in all
of the databases that it occurs because it is pulling information from
your A-Z list. Thus, you have one link maintenance point: that of your
A-Z list.

In the case of a library that has Journal Linker as in Martha's case,
you could put a link to Journal Linker in your catalog and not have to
maintain the 856's.

 Susan P. Marshall
Electronic Resources Librarian
Assistant Professor
Renne Library
Montana State University
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT 59717-3320
smarshall@montana.edu
(406) 994-4313
Fax (406) 994-2851

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Michelle Kraft
Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 1:09 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] A-Z Lists vs. the OPAC

At my previous library we had both an A-Z list and the journals listed
in
the OPAC.  We found that most of our users were more familiar and wanted
the
journals in an A-Z list.  Rarely did they search for a journal through
our
OPAC.  However, we felt that the journals should be in the OPAC because
we
(library staff) searched for our journals that way, the OPAC allowed us
to
see things down the issue level, and there were patrons who wanted to
search
for journals in the OPAC.  So we had two access points for journals, but
we
did notice that the majority of patrons preferred and used the A-Z list.

Michelle

--------------------------------
Michelle Kraft
Medical Librarian
South Pointe Hospital
4110 Warrensville Center Rd.
Warrensville Heights, OH  44122
(216) 491-7454
mkraft@cchseast.org

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU]On Behalf Of Tony Goodwyn
Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 12:23 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [SERIALST] A-Z Lists vs. the OPAC

Hello, serialists!

Recently, the idea was raised about taking an A-Z List
from a link resolver and using it almost completely in
lieu of the library OPAC to search for journal
information.

I'm wondering a few things about this, and, being
pretty new to serials, I'd really like some opinions
about it.  I'm intrigued by the idea, but I'm not sure
I have the perspective to see what some potential
problems might be.  Does anyone on this list have
experience in dealing with this subject?  Any advice,
issues, or considerations I should know about?

Any input would be appreciated.

Best,
Tony

Tony Wren Goodwyn
Serials/Electronic Access Librarian
St. Olaf College
1520 St. Olaf Ave.
Northfield, MN 55057

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we.
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail