I've been reading all the queries/replies/queries/problems from Susan,
Kevin, et al., with horror and find myself wondering:  are we the only
ones left who use Level 3 holdings???

Since our patrons and staff can all view the check-in record on Innopac,
we decided years ago that Level 3 would suffice quite nicely, thank you;
if our holdings say "v.7 (1982)-    "   the patrons can look at the
checkin record to find out whether we have the current issue they need;
if we do, it's checked in; if we don't, it says MISSING or EXPECTED.
Once a volume is bound, the Level 3 holdings (since the statement is
inclusive) include all issues; if we lack any issues, there is a note
stating "vol.__ incomplete" ; eventually our item records for bound vols.
will record which issue(s) is/are missing.

We have neither the time nor the staff to handle the day-to-day volume of
work that Level 4 holdings entail -- and I'm not really sure I would want
to do it anyway: if details of holdings can be located just as quickly by
other means, I think we're simplifying using a library to the point of
spoon-feeding .... and that's not really fair to the users: before long,
few patrons will have the faintest idea of how to find out anything for
themselves.  And then what happens when the electricity goes off???  Only
we chosen few will know how to find things in a library?

Sorry for the soapbox, but I really do know patrons who resent having us
simplify everything to the library equivalent of pablum.  (And yes, I know
others are delighted....)

So, Kevin/Susan/and others, where do you get the staff & time for Level 4?

    --Kathleen Thorne    (kathleen@sjsuvm1.sjsu.edu)
      Serials Cataloger
      San Jose State University Library