[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] RE: Serials Management

[Dan Scott]

Hi Stuart:

2008/9/11 Stuart Miller <stuartwm at uchicago.edu>:
> I'd like to point out that while I would very much like to think
> prediction is no longer necessary, the fact is that nearly half of our
> active serial subscriptions are still print--and that's after
> cancelling print wherever we could for the electronic versions. We
> will be stuck for yet many more years with managing something like
> 20,000 print subscriptions. If anyone can figure out how we can
> maintain one key-stroke checkin and monitor claims WITHOUT prediction,
> we're all ears. I just don't think abandoning checkin and claiming for
> THAT many titles is possible--much as I would like to recommend it.
> That isn't to say we couldn't manage those print serials in some
> existing, proprietary stand-alone system and pull holdings data into
> a public interface, but I think this library (and other ARLs probably)
> would like to have usable serials control in an open source ILS. But
> given the cost of replicating prediction features (and who really wants
> to code that AGAIN?) and the fact that so many libraries CAN ditch
> prediction because the number of print subscriptions is so small anymore,
> I'm doubtful if ANY open source ILS is going to meet serials management
> needs like ours--unless of course the big libraries are willing to
> develop the needed functions. Such a thought gives me hives, but we
> might end up having no other choice. All the "choices" we have at the
> moment are most unappealing when it comes to serials.

For what it's worth, some work is underway in Evergreen towards
supporting print serials with predictions and claiming via MFHD. We've
all been pretty focused on finalizing the 1.4 release for some time
now, though, so there hasn't been much visible progress on the serials
front.

Can you be more explicit about the kinds of support a library like
yours needs for serials management? Subscription renewals, holdings
statements (generated or manual textual summaries?), predictions, and
claiming? Most of us have no idea what it's like to work at an
institution with 20,000 print serials.

-- 
Dan Scott
Laurentian University