2 messages, 62 lines:

(1)------------------------
Date:         Mon, 9 Sep 1996 14:37:35 -0700
From:         "MORSE, CAROL" <morsca@DOSGATE.WWC.EDU>
Organization: Walla Walla College Computer Cen
Subject:      Re: Closing shelflist

I do not understand why you are calling Kardex cards a shelf list.  In
our library, we maintain a Permanent Record file in which we type a
record of every volume of every title in the Periodical collection.  This
is a shelf list.  Kardex cards are something else.

When we go to our Innovative catalog in the next year, we will dismantle
the Kardex, but may keep the cards for several years in a box or
something like that to refer back to.  At this point, we have not
discussed whether or not we will keep up the shelf list in the future.
*************************************************************************
Carol Morse                                  Phone: 509)527-2290
Serials Librarian                            Fax:   509)527-2001
Walla Walla College Library                  Email: morsca@wwc.edu
College Place, WA  99324

          Grant us wisdom to find the way and strength to carry on.
*************************************************************************

(2)-------------------------
Date:         Mon, 9 Sep 1996 17:40:29 -0400
From:         Craig Fairley <fairley@TAP.NET>
Subject:      Discarding the Shelflist

A library I worked for had a policy of discarding acquisitions records after
5 years.  This was successfully applied to the serials Kardex records in the
following way:  All holdings had been entered oline in the PAC (Level 4),
and the Kardex was closed.  Three years down the road I was given the task
of trying to make the Serials operation fit into a space that was
significantly smaller than their current space.  There was some resistance
from a number of serials clerks. After asking about their use of the file,
they acknowledged that after 3 years they no longer learned anything new by
looking into those files.  We agreed to put the files into storage, where
they could be accessed if necessary.  A year later I discovered that nobody
had accessed the files in storage, and were quite happy to have them
discarded.  I have been told that the Kardex will be discarded when the 5
year limit is reached.

The key to the success of the process was the full conversion of holdings to
the PAC.  After two or three years, proving to a publisher or vendor that
you did once have a subscription is often of little use.  The issue at hand
is to get a subscription going again, regardless of why it stopped.  If the
Shelflist/Kardex is your *only* source if information for some holdings, I
would be reluctant to discard it, too.
_________________________________________________________________

Craig Fairley
Information Dynamics
2165 Margot Street
Oakville, Ontario
Canada
L6H 3M5
(905) 842-1406

"Services in Information and Process Management"