----------(1)
>From lindah@ELMHURST.EDU Thu Dec  2 08:43:25 1999
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 08:08:54 -0800
From: Linda Harding <lindah@ELMHURST.EDU>
Subject: Re: Subscription problems (Sarah Christenson)

I am noticing a similar trend with duplicate issues.  However, when I compare
the mailing labels, I see that the expiration date differs only for the year
(i.e. Dec. 1999 and Dec. 2000).  So it appears that I am getting a free copy or
two, but that our renewal date will stay the same.  I intend to watch the
labels for awhile to see if there is a change.

By the way, I keep a card file of all labels which bear an expiration date.
This allows me to make an easy comparison when needed and gives me something on
paper to show that a change has been made.  It's a bother, but it has helped me
out more than once.

Linda Harding
Periodicals Assistant
Elmhurst College Library

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 13:18:58 -0500
> From: Sarah Christenson <siracksa@OPLIN.LIB.OH.US>
> Subject: Subscription problems
>
> Hi!
> I am trying to find out if any other libraries have had this problem.  We
> use EBSCO as our serials vendor.  This year, when we sent in our renewal
> list, somehow most of the publishers interpreted them as new subscriptions
> rather than renewals.  This has resulted in a number of early start dates
> and duplicate subscriptions.  Which will, next year, result in early expire
> dates.  If you have experienced a similar problem, please let me know.
> Thanks!
>
> Sarah Christenson
> siracksa@oplin.lib.oh.us
> Processing Supervisor
> Geauga County Public Library
> 12701 Ravenwood Dr.
> Chardon, OH  44024
> (440) 286-6811 ext.120

----------(2)
>From cdowning@FLOYD.SANTAROSA.EDU Thu Dec  2 08:43:25 1999
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 15:54:36 -0800
From: Caitlin Downing <cdowning@FLOYD.SANTAROSA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Subscription problems (Sarah Christenson)

Dear Sarah:

THIS year?  How about every year.  That has been our pattern.  Every single
year, we have publishers who receive renewal instructions from EBSCO that
clearly state start dates of July. Every year, some publishers choose to
ignore the start dates, do not locate our original order in their files,
and start NEW subscriptions in April or May.  To add to this, we check in
periodicals for our main and branch libraries at the same address, and
publishers entering renewals often decide that there should be only 1
subscription going to that address - not the 2 we should have.
I have heard that the Fulfillment houses are run like sweat shops -minimum
wage, temp staff, quotas of orders that encourage workers to hurry.  There
is probably not a lot of training or care that goes into the
data entry.
Is this the first year you have encountered this?

Caitlin
Caitlin Downing
Library - Periodicals
Santa Rosa Jr. College
(707) 527-4543
cdowning@floyd.santarosa.edu