Mark,

Here is our Library Policy on Current Periodical Stacks:

1.
Answer: We shelve all unbound periodical issues, including the most
recent unbound issues, at the end of our bound volumes in a Princeton
File in our stack area, and each title is shelved alphabetically by
title.

  NOTE: We do have 31 titles out of all of our titles, which our doctors
here at the medical university like to read the most current issues when
they arrive.  So, we have something called the "Current Journal Shelf"
down near the Reference Department that has comfortable chairs where
they can sit and read at their leisure time. These issues stay there
until the next issue of that title comes in, and it is put on the
Current Journal Shelf, and the previous issue is pulled off and put with
the others in the stacks.

2.
Answer: We have approximately 1,372

3.
Answer: We eventually bind them.

4.
Answer: As I said, we just keep the current issues with the bound
volumes when they come in.

5.
Answer: We do not restrict the use of the current periodicals and they
can be taken anywhere in the library. (We have three floors.) We have a
part time evening person collect and re-shelve the current issues.

6.
Answer: We security strip all issues.

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Mark Hemhauser
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 1:56 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [SERIALST] questions regarding open current periodical stacks

We have always had closed current periodical stacks and are planning to
move to open stacks. I would like to get some idea of how other academic
libraries arrange their current periodicals in open stacks. This
listserv
seems the ideal way to gather that info from many libraries.

1. Do you keep your current periodicals in a separate place from your
bound
periodicals? All current periodicals together? Or do you shelve them
mixed
in with the bound volumes?

2. Approximately how many subscriptions to print journals and magazines
do
you have?

3. Do you eventually bind most of them or toos them?

4. How do you shelve/display the current issues before they've been
bound?
(We currently are using hanging folders for the closed stacks. I don't
think they will work well in open stacks.)

5. Do you restrict the use of the current periodicals to a floor or
room?
Or can they be taken anywhere in the library?

6. Do you security strip all issues, most issues, random issues,
weighted
towards titles that more often disappear?

Thank you for your replies.

Mark Hemhauser
American University Library--Serials & E-Resources
Washington, DC  20016