Good question!  I don't know if there is a standard for this, and if there
is one, I'd like to know about it.

In practice, we have used "current issues" as a rather vague, catch all
phrase.  The exact nature of the "current" depends on how many issues are
required to overflow the shelves or how frequently we can pull the older
issues.
We don't have the staff to enforce this very precisely.

We have used current year to mean issues in the current calendar year, not
a year's worth, but current 3 months does mean the latest 3 months worth.
We have also used the phrase "current year plus one" to mean 2004 to date.

Good luck!  And if there is no standard, my advice is to be as consistent
as possible and document what you've decided.

Susan

Susan Davis
Head, Electronic Periodicals Management Department
University at Buffalo (SUNY)
134 Lockwood Library
Buffalo, NY  14260-2210
(716) 645-2784
(716) 645-5955 fax
unlsdb@buffalo.edu

--On Tuesday, July 12, 2005 11:12 AM -0400 Bob Persing
<persing@POBOX.UPENN.EDU> wrote:

> [Moderator note: please send replies to Kim directly, or copy her if you
> reply to the list]
>
> Hello,
>
> I contacted BCR about this and they suggested posting the question to
> SERIALST... which I don't subscribe to.
>
> I am wondering if there is a written definition or set
> guidelines anywhere for "current issues", "current year", "current two
> years", etc.  It is my understanding that current issues equals January
> 2005 thru present day, current year equals January 2004 through present
> day, etc.  I just need to know if this is correct or not.
>
> As I said, I don't subscribe to the list, so if anyone would have an
> answer to this question, I would greatly appreciate a direct response.
>
> Thank you!
> Kim Garrett
> Library Assistant III, Acquisitions
> Des Moines University Library
> kim.garrett@dmu.edu <mailto:kim.garrett@dmu.edu>
>
>