5 messages, 120 lines:

(1)--------------------------
Date:         Wed, 8 Jan 1997 16:46:58 -0600
From:         Jeanette Skwor <SKWORJ@GBMS01.UWGB.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Shelving journals with title changes

Jacqueline Snider <Snider@ACT.ORG> wrote:
> We are in the process of house cleaning our serials, and are reviewing
> procedures established by previous librarians.  The issue that faces us
> now concerns how to shelve journals that have title changes.  One of my
> predecessors would keep all of the journals together so Vocational
> Education Journal is shelved with the newest title change, Technics.  I
> would prefer a straight alphabetical system.  I realize that this is a
> very, very basic question, but there does not appear to be a hard and
> fast rule anywhere in the literature.  Any and all advice is appreciated...

***We have the straight alphabetical system you are imagining.  We would
put a little note next to Vocational Educational Journal, saying,
"Continued by Technics."

Jeanette Skwor
Cofrin Library
UW-Green Bay
    who takes this occasion to also thank everyone for the help on issues
    of Publius :)

(2)------------------------
Date:         Wed, 8 Jan 1997 16:22:49 EST
From:         Charles Dabkowski <DABKOWSK@EAGLE.NIAGARA.EDU>
Organization: Niagara University
Subject:      Re: Shelving journals with title changes

Unless you classify the journals and can shelve by LC number, I would
go with alphabetical order, even though it is a real pain in the neck-
-as with Library Journal, LC Library Journal, back to Library Journal
again.  Patrons seem to be able to deal with the changes.

Charles T. Dabkowski
Head of Acquisitions & Serials
Niagara University Library
Niagara University, NY 14109
dabkowski@niagara.edu

(3)-----------------------
Date:         Wed, 8 Jan 1997 16:58:35 -0500
From:         Annalisa Van Avery <AV691@CNSVAX.ALBANY.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Shelving journals with title changes

        In reply to Jacqueline Snider's question about shelving journals,
if you classify your journals, you can keep them in call no. order.
Then there is no problem at all with title changes.  If the volume
numbering continues, keep the same call number.  If it starts over again
with vol. 1 or a new system, make a small change in the Cutter no.
Either way, the whole run of the journal will be together on the shelf.

        Of course, if you have not classified your journals up to now,
it would be a major project to make the change from alphabetical to
call no. order, and then all the people who were comfortable with the
alphabetical system will complain about the extra step of having to look
up the call number.  There is no one easy solution that will make everyone
happy.  Good luck!          Annalisa Van Avery, SUNY at Albany
                            av691@cnsvax.albany.edu

(4)-------------------------
Date:         Wed, 8 Jan 1997 16:17:27 -0600
From:         Dana Belcher <"RSKERL::BELCHER"@AD3100.ADA.EPA.GOV>
Subject:      Re: Shelving journals with title changes

I, too, have been through this problem.  If you are going to shelve by
title, use a strict alphabetical approach.  You can always put dummies
at the end of a title to indicate what it has changed to and with which
volume the changed occured.  Vica versa, put a dummy with the new title
indicating the previous title.  This is really the best approach, IMHO.
Also, if you want the titles to shelve next to each other, you can
always take the LC shelving approach.  This works great for subject
browsing and not having to search for title changes, but I believe it
creates more work on the shelvers and the patrons since they'll have to
take time to look up the call numbers.  Invariably, you'll need to ask
your patrons so you can best meet their needs.

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

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

(5)-----------------------
Date:         Wed, 8 Jan 1997 15:01:47 +0000
From:         Kathleen Thorne <kathleen@SJSUVM1.SJSU.EDU>
Organization: San Jose State University
Subject:      Re: Shelving journals with title changes

For Jacqueline Snyder:

We both catalog and classify our journals; binding is done by volume,
so where there is a title change, a bound volume may include both
titles. We shelve by call number, and so (obviously) we keep all the
journal together, regardless of title changes.

We find it really helps patrons: we're your basic university,
bachelor/master programs, not primarily a research facility, so our
patrons aren't always that familiar with the journals they use and can
be unaware of title changes -- by keeping the whole thing together, we
help them (and short-circuit the questions of "but where is the REST
of this volume??").  It also means that students don't have to
struggle with spelling out some of the stranger titles, or wonder
about British vs. American spelling ... it also means that journals
are like books in that one locates items by call number.

While this works well for us, I'm sure some other libraries take
diametrically opposing views...

Kathleen Thorne
Serials Cataloger (in spite of them all)
San Jose State University
kathleen@sjsuvm1.sjsu.edu