OK, I am going to add my $0.37 to this issue.  I checked with the
U.S. Postal Service web site and found the following:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://pe.usps.gov/mpdesign/misc_docs/mqc_html/mqc_2.htm

WHAT IS PERIODICALS MAIL?

Periodicals mail consists of newspapers and periodical publications,
including magazines, published on a regular basis, at least four
times per year. [Emphasis mine - MT]

Only publications that meet the eligibility standards in Domestic
Mail Manual 707.4.0 can qualify for Periodicals mailing privileges.
To be eligible, a publication must fulfill specific qualification
standards and meet the preparation requirements for the applicable
presort levels, rates, and discounts.
Basic Characteristics

All authorized Periodicals publications must have the following
characteristics:

     * The publication must exhibit continuity from issue to issue (it
is the same publication).
     * The primary purpose of the publication is the transmission of
information. It may not be designed primarily for advertising
purposes.
     * The publication must be issued at a specific, regular
frequency. This frequency must be at least four times a year, with
the intent to continue publishing indefinitely.
     * The publication is formed of printed sheets.
     * The publisher maintains a known office of publication from
which the business of the publication is transacted. This location
must be accessible during normal business hours and must be where the
circulation records are maintained, or where they may be made
available for examination and review.

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OK, so what does this mean in terms of our publishers' frequencies?
Clearly, in order to qualify for the USPS discount rate, the
publication must be published at least 4 times per year.  What
happens if a publisher CLAIMS that it publishes 4 issues per year,
but sometimes issues a combined issue?  Does that still count as 4
issues a year?  If yes, then that may explain why some publishers
appear to only publish twice or three times a year, but number the
volumes with combined issues.  I am not suggesting that such
publishers are trying to thwart the USPS' regulations, when for
practical reasons they fall behind due to production problems.
However, this may explain how a  possible  loophole allows publishers
to have a frequency that varies without losing their status for the
discounted mailing rate.

I am not accusing any publishers of doing anything illegal or
immoral, but am offering an explanation for why the publishers'
stated frequency do not always match up with the officially stated
publication frequency.

So what I am saying here is we should not be vendor-bashing without
knowing all the facts. Publishers frequently do not publish their
products according to AACR2, but according to their own needs and
purposes.  It is our job, as Serialists, to figure out what is going
on with their publications and apply them to the cataloging rules we
have established and how to make their publications work with our
systems.

If we start basing publishers for not keeping up with their own
stated frequencies, then what's next?  Complaining that they have not
put the ISSN on their publications? Or telling them that the ISSN is
not enough and they must have included the SICI (extended ISSN which
includes vol/issue information), OCLC number, and LCCN as well?
Should we complain loudly that a publisher has changed their volume
numbering without sufficient reason and demand that they change it
back?  It's their publications and it's their decisions on how to
publish them.

Just my opinions,

-- Mitch

--
  _^_                                                 _^_
(___)-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ( ___ )
|   |                                               |   |
|   |     Mitch Turitz, Serials Librarian           |   |
|   |     San Francisco State University Library    |   |
|   |     Past President,                           |   |
|   |     SFSU California Faculty Association       |   |
|   |     voice: (415) 338-7883                     |   |
|   |     CFA:   (415) 338-6232                     |   |
|   |     FAX:   (415) 405-0394                     |   |
|   |                                               |   |
(___)-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-==- ( ___ )
   V                                                   V
           http://www.cfasf.org   (SFSU web site)
                   cfasf@igc.org) or Mitch Turitz (x. 87883; turitz@sfsu.edu)
                        &
           http://www.calfac.org/  (CFA State-wide web site)