Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 08:56:11 -0500
From: kpetsche@CHAMPION.IUPUI.EDU
Subject: Re: Issue Specific Holdings Question (Allen Williams)

Allen,
        I wouldn't change my holdings to reflect a gap, since there is no
gap.  Adding a 515 note such as:  "Vol. 45 (1996) contains only 7 issues."
(as best as I can do off the top of my head).  I also thought of adding a
321 note to show a change of frequency (e.g. 7 no. a year, |b 1996) but if
the publisher just had a "problem", then I think a 515 note would be more
appropriate.  Hope this helps.   Kevin

Kevin Petsche
Copy Cataloger
IUPUI
Indianapolis, IN

> Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 12:37:10 -0500
> From: Allen Williams <williama@GVSU.EDU>
> Subject: ";" and issue specific holdings
>
>         Hello, everyone --
>
>         At our university we display issue specific holdings to the public, and
>         currently use a semicolon to designate irregular volume/issue gaps.
>         This has come under debate now since there is a feeling that it is hard
>         for patrons to understand, as well as library staff members.
>
>         Here is an example:  A title is published monthly - 12 issues to a
>         volume.  During 1996 they have 'some sort of problem' and only publish 7
>         issues, but the following year return to 12 issues per volume.  Since
>         there technically isn't a gap in the holdings but instead in the
>         numbering, we would use a semicolon to represent the oddity:
>
>         v.45:no.1 (1995:Jan.)-v.46:no.7 (1996:July);v.47:no.1 (1997:Jan.)-
>
>         Is this an accepted format and do other libraries use this as a
>         standard?  Any suggestions about how to do this differently?
>
>         There has been consideration of placing the information in a 5XX note to
>         record the oddity so that in the future no one would waste time trying
>         to locate the non-published issues - in this case we would not use the
>         semicolon and show the holdings as complete to patrons.
>
>         Please reply to the list -- and thank you in advance for your help!
>
>         Allen Williams
>         Periodicals Specialist
>         Grand Valley State University
>         Allendale, MI  49401
>         email: williama@gvsu.edu
>