Mike,

We use Faxon's MicroLinx to check in serials, and we handle microforms
shipped in batches exactly as you have described (for more than 1000
titles). I disagree with other respondents who claim this is an innacurate
representation of the frequency. The purpose of automated checkin is to
track receipt of items, not to act as a pure bibliographic holdings record.
The definition a "frequency" must be pragmatic in this case. I can imagine
no more logical or workable solution to the problem. If only part of a
shipment needs to be claimed, this is easily adjusted in our check-in screen
(perhaps this is not so on other systems). I do like Lisa Macklin's suggest
to use a pound sign to distinguish shipment number from real issue number.
But even without this we have had no trouble teaching the concept to our
student workers, who do the check-in.

Tim Lawrence                      Northern Kentucky University
Serials Assistant                 Steely Library
                                  lawrencet@nku.edu