An irony in Nature's erratic publishing of late referred to by Jeanette
Skwor is that the journal is an outstanding source for news about
journal publishing. I routinely check the News section of Nature for
articles on Open Access, issues surrounding peer review and the
reliability of published studies. But my library is also missing the
Jan. 5 issue.

It's funny that an editorial board that focuses attention on the quality
of journal publishing tolerates such sloppy work on the distribution
end.

Steve Black
Reference, Serials, and Instruction Librarian
The College of Saint Rose
392 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12203-1419
blacks@strose.edu
(518)458-5494

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Skwor, Jeanette
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 2:53 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Nature Problems?

Thanks to all on this - the Dec 22/29 issue is combined only for date
and is issue no. 7071.  Jan. 5 is 7072 (and a new volume).  It finally
dawned on me to check their website and that bears out what you have
told me.

Which brings me to question #2:  What is going on with this pub lately?
They were so reliable for years and years, and the past few months have
been horrid.  Issues not arriving, being told story after story
("delayed publication" vs "oh those went out on time, have your
librarian recheck" vs "that issue is out of print" vs "we're sending
that issue today" and now this piece of claptrap.

And yes, if someone from Nature is lurking, I'd like to hear what you
have to say.  This library has had more claims for this title in the
past 6 months than in the 10 years preceding that.

Thanks,

Jeanette Skwor

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Skwor, Jeanette
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 12:12 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [SERIALST] Nature Dec. 22/29 and Jan. 5 issues

We received the Dec. 22/29, 2005 issue of Nature clearly marked volume
438, no. 7071.

I claimed vol. 439, no. 7072, dated Jan. 5.

Now my vendor responded, stating that the Dec. 22/29 issue is actually
no. 7071/7072.  Which I would not even question, except that various
libraries are showing a Dec. 22/29, v. 438, no. 7071 and a Jan. 5, vol.
439, no. 7072.

And where do the Wise Ones of this list weigh in, please?

TIA -

Jeanette L. Skwor
Cofrin Library
University of WI-Green Bay
(920) 465-2670

"Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will
get you through times of no libraries."
                              Anne Herbert, The Whole Earth Catalog