---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 1996 09:44:40 -0600
From: Patricia Thompson <pthompso@SERAPH1.SEWANEE.EDU>
Subject: Periodicals shelving questions

We have two separate periodical collections-- the General collection for
the College is classified, and the Theology collection for the Seminary is
arranged alphabetically by title.  I really have two questions.

My first question is somewhat specific:  In a collection arranged by title,
is it common practice to put "dummies" in the shelves linking former and
later titles?  We have been doing this to aid the users in the stacks.  The
titles are, of course, linked in our catalog, but our practice has been to
aid the browser in the stacks.  One argument against this is that a user
with a citation will have the correct title, and so doesn't need to know
the related titles.  Our Theology librarian is certain that many of the
users of this collection need to survey a title over time and commonly
browse a complete run of a periodical, in which case the dummies are quite
useful.  This may be the case, but due to the amount of work to create
dummies at each end of a run for multiple title changes, we are questioning
the importance of this practice.

My next question is more general, and I admit is somewhat of a cop-out to
doing research:  what are the arguments for and against a classified
arrangement vs. alpha by title?  From our experience in administering the
two collections, we much prefer the classified arrangement, because title
changes can stay together on the shelf if we just classify them together.
Also, there are no choices as to which title to shelve by.  The main
hindrance for users is having to look up the call number for every title.
Our faculty's preferences are divided between the two methods.  I would
appreciate some other insights into this issue and some ways that you all
have managed to overcome the difficulties of either method.

Thank you very much.

Pat Thompson

Patricia R. Thompson
Technical Services Librarian-
Head of Cataloging
duPont Library
University of the South
Sewanee, TN 37383
pthompso@sewanee.edu
615-598-1657 (voice)
615-598-1702 (fax)