Date: Wed, 10 May 1995 13:04:23 -0500
From: "Keith R. Stetson" <KSTETSON@FAIR1.FAIRFIELD.EDU>
Subject: Closed periodical stacks

Fairfield University Library, with 1,830 current subscriptions,
and 27,000 bound periodical volumes, has started the preliminary
planning process for a new library or addition.

We have found that our CD-ROM Local Area Network with 14 indexes
has dramatically increased the use of our periodical collection,
not to mention ILL and other document delivery options.  Of course
this increased use has correspondingly increased reshelving,
multilation, missing issues, and the purchase of replacement issues
in the case of titles that are bound commercially, rather than
retained in microform.

User frustration at finding missing issues is paralleled by a
tremendous amount of student time spent shelving, reshelving, and
shifting, and staff time spent searching.

We are open 104 hours per week, to midnight five days, and have
extended hours during exams.  Still, considering the cost of our
subscriptions, and the investment represented by our journal
collection, it would seem to be cost effective to consider having
closed stacks attended by student(s) for all unbound, current
issues.

I would appreciate hearing from any libraries who have or are
facing the closed stacks issue.

Keith Stetson
Collection Development Librarian
Fairfield University (CT)
kstetson@fair1.fairfield.edu