I agree with Rick's points.

We stopped claiming about 5 years ago and have no regrets.  We make
exceptions for missed loose-leaf updates (since the publication is
useless unless complete), reference items (if requested), and lapsed
orders (if noticed).  We cancel print as soon as reliable online access
becomes available, with very few exceptions, but we still have over 5000
print titles.  Users are offered ILL for missing issues.  They don't
care why the issue is unavailable (issue never received, lost, stolen,
mis-shelved, at the bindery, etc.).

Although it's true that each library must make its own decisions based
on its own situation, certain data if collected by one library would
likely be applicable to all of us, such as what percentage of issues
never arrive with claiming vs without claiming.

With the staff time we saved we've been able to (among other things)
organize systematic reviews of our orders to identify print titles we
can cancel in favour of reliable online access, and to provide prompt
troubleshooting for online access problems.

Kathy Carter
Bibliographic Services
University of Alberta Libraries
Edmonton AB T6G 2J8
780 492 5753
kathy.carter@ualberta.ca
www.library.ualberta.ca

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Rick Anderson
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 2:12 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] changing job descriptions - new responsibilities
in the absence of check-in/claiming

> For those who have ceased check-in and/or claiming, what types of
proactive
> processes are staff now doing to manage the electronic resources?

It's not really as simple as a straight transfer of employee time from
print
management to e-management -- partly because activities that make no
sense
in the print realm don't necessarily make more sense online.  But by
eliminating (or significantly reducing) check-in and claiming activities
for
print, various departments I've worked with have been able to increase
the
amount of time staff have spent registering for free-with-print access
(which in the past they had been "too busy" to keep up with),
spot-checking
online products to make sure access hadn't been interrupted, and
following
up more quickly on patron-discovered problems.

It's also worth bearing in mind that staff time freed up by the
abandonment
of check-in doesn't have to stay in the Serials department.  It should
go
wherever it will provide the most benefit to patrons, and that could
theoretically be just about anywhere.

--
Rick Anderson
Assoc. Dir. for Scholarly Resources & Collections
Marriott Library
Univ. of Utah
rick.anderson@utah.edu
(801) 721-1687