Of the responses I received to my query on production standards
for serials cataloging, most could be summarized thus: "We don't have
standards, but we'd sure like to know what you find out."  Serials
are not easily quantifiable critters.  Two respondents did have
goals of 3-6 serial titles a day; another quoted an LC report to
the effect that it takes three times as long to catalog a serial as
a monograph.  For those who were interested in the "Jello" quote:
Anne Marie Allison opened her 1982 article "Automated Serials Control:
a Bibliographic Survey" with the statement, "Someone said that
controlling serials is like nailing Jello to the wall."  I have
not been able to trace the quote any further back than that; if
anyone knows the source of the original, please chime in.
Thanks to all who responded.

Kathy Wells
Head, Serials Cataloging
LSU Libraries, Baton Rouge
NOTKLW@LSUVM.SNCC.LSU.EDU