I feel that I must reply to Lionel Robson's question about allowing serials
to circulate.

Why on earth do we allow people to borrow our serials?  Well, first we do it
as a service to our patrons (which, as an academic library, are faculty and
students).  It is often easier to compile research at one's own desk or
dining room table than in a Library carrel.  We only circulate them for two
days, with no renewal, so that they aren't out of the Library long enough
to cause serious problems for most other users.

But the second and more important reason that we circulate them is that we
need to in order to preserve our collection.  Yes, I do believe that we've
heard of copy machines (and we even own a few!) but sad experience has shown
us that often our students (and maybe even faculty?) choose not to take the
time nor spend the money to copy long articles, but rather simply rip or
razor blade out what they need.  And those missing pages create a lot of
trouble and consternation for both the disappointed patron and the Library
staff who must acquire and then replace the missing pages.

Experience has taught us that since we don't have closed stacks or a
supervised periodicals reading room (who has the staff for that?),
circulating serials is the most practical and inexpensive route for us to
take.  And besides, our patrons like it and they perceive it as better
service -- and that's why we're here, right?

> Date: Thu, 15 Sep 94 08:05:16 +1000
> From: (Lionel Robson) <l.robson@unsw.edu.au>
> Subject: Re: Serials barcodes? (3 messages)

>
> Why  on earth do people allow borrowing of serials?  How many others are
> inconvenienced when one person borrows an issue to say nothing of a whole
> volume?  Have you not heard of photocopy machines?  I suppose while these
> items are borrowed you have to use some document delivery service to get
> items for those who need an article from the borrowed serial!  the mind
> boggles.  Lionel Robson.
>

Rebecca House Stankowski
Technical Services Librarian
Purdue University Calumet
Hammond, Indiana  46323-2590
stankorh@pucal1a.calumet.purdue.edu
219.989.2435  Fax: 219.989.2770