Date: Fri, 3 Apr 1992 12:35:00 EDT
From: SMURDEN@VCUVAX.BITNET
Subject: Unsolicited journals

During the last year, we received several unsolicited Chinese journals.
Unfortunately, we never knew the source of this gift, and spent a lot of
time spinning our wheels trying to discover why they were coming.  Eventually,
by using the function of Faxon's system that allows us to look at the check-in
records of other SC-10 libraries, we were able to determine that the titles
were being sent gratis.

Now, I have received a query letter from the publisher, asking how we liked
these gift journals and whether or not we intend to subscribe.  I penned the
following, slightly civil, note:

"We were never notified of this "gift," or the notification never reached the
proper individual.  Consequently, we wasted much staff time and effort trying
to determine why they were arriving.  This kind of "promotion" of your titles
actually has the opposite effect.  They were all discarded.  A publisher like
X _should_ be more sensitive to the staffing constraints that libraries must
deal with on an ongoing basis.  In the future, please do not include us in
these promotional offers."  Them, I attached my business card and mailed it
back.

This is a real pet peeve of mine, and I am now wondering if I overreacted.
How do others feel about this?  To me, it is hard enough dealing with the
things that you _are_ expecting, without having to deal with those things
that you really do not want.  If there is a need for a particular title among
the teaching faculty, they will make that known to us.  Any feedback?

Steve Murden
Virginia Commonwealth University
smurden@vcuvax.bitnet