Date: Thu, 13 Nov 1997 11:08:17 -0600
From: "Cecelia N. Boone" <c-boon@MAROON.TC.UMN.EDU>
Subject: E-serial holdings & union lists of serials

I've been reading with great interest the discussion of whether/how to
include holdings for electronic serials (like those included in JSTOR) in a
library's OPAC.  I'd like to take this discussion a step further -- is your
library reporting or planning to report the electronic serials you provide
to your patrons to union lists of serials in which you participate?  If so,
what information are you providing -- some type of summary holding
statement (e.g., 1992- ), a note indicating that patrons should check
online for holdings, or. . . ?

Participants in MULS, the OCLC-based union list that includes library in
Minnesota and North and South Dakota, have been discussing the issue of
whether to include e-serial holdings in our union list.

The factors that we've discussed include:

1) Whether it makes sense to include e-serials in the union list if license
restrictions prohibit the use of the material for interlibrary loan.

2) Whether library staff can keep holdings for these titles up-to-date (if
we decide to try to include summary holding info.).

3) Whether holdings should be attached to a bibliographic record for the
appropriate electronic version of the title or to a print bib. record that
conforms with the CONSER Interim Method for handling cataloging of e-serials.

4)  What type of holding (summary or a note) we would make the preferred
style.

I would like to hear how other union lists of serials are handling these
issues.  So far, a "perfect" solution has not appeared!

Cecelia Boone, Editor
MULS (The MINITEX Union List of Serials)
c-boon@tc.umn.edu
612-624-6353