Pat Thompson states:

> 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.

I think we need to be wary of the assumption that each and every
citation is correct.  I work in an environmental library, and we
constantly have problems with correct citations.  For example, _The
Journal-Water Pollution Control Federation_ has changed and split
many times with the original title now being nonexistent.  Yet, we
still find current citations for this journal title.  If you are going
to shelve by title, it is imperative that you use dummies to show
former and changed to titles.  Without this "value added" service, you
will be doing your patrons a disservice.  Yes, you have them linked in
your catalog, but not all patrons will look at the catalog.  If they
have a specific title in mind, they will more than likely go to the
current reading room and browse it instead of looking in the catalog.
Also, it is much easier to see the changes on the shelf than to have to
look at several data screens on the OPAC.

Once you bind and put the periodicals in the stacks, this problem
should become obsolete.  That is, if you are classifying the linked
titles in similar fashion, and they will then end up side by side on
the shelf.

Dana Belcher, Library Technician
USEPA SPRD Library (contractor staffed)
919 Kerr Research Dr.
Ada, OK 74820

405/436-8639
405/436-8503 (fax)
belcher@ad3100.ada.epa.gov