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We are considering cancelling our subscriptions to several serial
titles, such as Environment reporter, that are contained in the
LEXIS, NEXIS, and MEDIS information retrieval systems that we
subscribe to. We are concerned that patrons will think that these
titles are no longer available to them when they see that the
summary holdings information for these titles in our online
catalog is closed off. One solution would be to place notes in
the summary holdings fields stating that the titles can be found
in LEXIS, NEXIS, or MEDIS after a particular date. A note in the
bibliographic record might also be used in conjunction with a 776
field. Another solution is to catalog LEXIS/NEXIS/MEDIS.

In searching the OCLC database I discovered that there are over
400 analytic records input by LEXIS (LXZ) for each of the titles
contained in LEXIS. Each of these records has the uniform title
added entry: LEXIS (Information retrieval system). These records
are all computer file format. They all have fixed field elements
of: "Type: m" and "Bib lvl: m."  "Bib lvl: s" wasn't added to the
OCLC computer file format until Nov. of 1989; however, records
entered after this date continue to use "m." Also, these records
have ending dates supplied in the "Dates" fixed field element
even though the titles have not ceased publication. These dates
might be for the period that the title was included in LEXIS?

There are also over 500 analytic records input by various
libraries with the uniform title added entry: LEXIS. These
records have the same inconsistencies noted above. There are no
records for LEXIS itself. There are also no records for NEXIS or
MEDIS nor are there analytic records for the titles contained in
NEXIS and MEDIS.

Shouldn't "Bib lvl: s" be used in the computer file format
records for the analytic titles that are serials? Couldn't LEXIS,
NEXIS, and MEDIS be cataloged as serials with linking entry
fields for all of the analytic titles that are contained in these
systems? This would make it a lot easier to update as titles are
eliminated and new titles are added. We could do this locally and
not input the records into OCLC since the records would have to
be updated frequently. Has anyone else either cataloged or
considered cataloging LEXIS, NEXIS or MEDIS? Any comments are
welcome.

Thanks for your help.

Tom Hinders
Serials Coordinator
Oberlin College Library
phinders@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu