Steve:

Our science librarians asked specifically to have the abbreviated title
added to our journal title index.  The fact that we only have it in the
title index makes it all but hidden to the patron when they know they
are looking for a journal. CODEN was my idea to add, which is why I'm
more cautious about it.  Do your reference  librarians find that people
understand that it is a number search and not a title search?  We
actually do have CODEN mapped to our other number index, but it is not
searchable to the public.  If patrons don't expect it to be a title
search, I suppose that we could make it searchable as a number and not
add it to our journal title index.

I see also that the 222 is indexed in the UW catalog.  I'm considering
whether to add this to our journal title index as well, but was
concerned that the qualifying information in the 222$b might cause some
confusion with the uniform title, which may or may not be the same.  For
much the same reason, I am also debating whether to include the
qualifying information from the 210$b when I add the abbreviated title
to our journal title index.  Have you noticed any problems with the
qualifying information?

Thanks,

Chris

Christine W. Blackman
Catalog Librarian
Williams College Libraries
Williamstown, MA  01267
413-597-4403
cblackma@williams.edu

Steven C Shadle wrote:
> Chris -- Our experience with abbreviated title matches yours.
> Anecdotal feedback I've heard is that reference staff have found it
> useful.  CODEN probably wouldn't hurt as their such unique
> combinations that it's doubtful you'd get many false drops, but not
> sure how much it would add.  If there were a relatively easy way to
> search your transaction logs looking for single-word, 5 character
> searches you might consider, just to see if there's anyone using it as
> a search term.  Our CODEN are indexed in an "Other Number" search.
>
> Steve Shadle/Serials Access Librarian  *****  shadle@u.washington.edu
> University of Washington Libraries      ***     Phone: (206) 685-3983
> Seattle, WA 98195-2900                   *        Fax: (206) 543-0854
>
> On Tue, 6 Feb 2007, Chris Blackman wrote:
>
>> We currently have a local journal title index in our catalog instead
>> of scoping, and neither the abbreviated title nor the CODEN are
>> included (abbreviated title is indexed in title only, CODEN is not
>> currently indexed at all).  I plan on adding the abbreviated title
>> from the 210 field into our journal title index since it is so
>> frequently used in the sciences in favor of the full title.  I am
>> however not sure about adding the CODEN; Is it even used enough in
>> citation to make it worthwhile?
>>
>> Any thoughts on either CODEN or on abbreviated title?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> --
>> Christine W. Blackman
>> Catalog Librarian
>> Williams College Libraries
>> Williamstown, MA  01267
>> 413-597-4403
>> cblackma@williams.edu
>>