Minutes for November 5, 2003 meeting

Present:: Gracemary Smulewitz [chair], Iliana Bernal Ian Bogus, Paul Cabelli [recorder], Ellen Calhoun, Yoshiko Ishii, Andrea Lakios, Elizabeth Leister, Jean Madden, Teri McNally, Kayla Reichardt, Chris Sterback, and Linda Turzynski
Absent:: Fatima Cunha and Melody Tomaszewicz

AGENDA

Meeting was called to order @ 10:15am

A discussion ensued about who we were and what the group represented and did. G. Smulewitz began by giving us a history of the group, including why we changed the name from 'serials' to 'holdings'. She mentioned two reasons for the name change: (1) RUL would be using Marc holdings in monographs and booksets when necessary, and (2) the strong connection between serials processing and holdings. It was felt that there needed to be strong oversight over the maintenance of standards in IRIS holdings. This group is fulfilling that role.

G. Smulewitz wanted to know how we could communicate more effectively within the group, esp. how to create a more friendly and effective meeting environment for video-conferencees. A member from Camden suggested identifying oneself whenever you spoke. A member from Dana echoed that sentiment.

G. Smulewitz offered to create a listserve for the group. She also encouraged all members to send comments and suggestions and future meeting agenda items to the listserv.

Camden and Newark reported encountering few problems so far with the merger. K. Reichardt mentioned that she has had many problems with Everetts, including no orders placed and claims not being filled. G. Smulewitz felt that the merger was a positive step for Everetts, since it seemed that Everetts was lacking clout in the vendor business community, since they were ineffective with claims etc. The merger probably saved our subscriptions with Everetts. Camden has received email from Swets, but was unsure if the title in question had been switched. Newark said that Swets will be sending them their Everetts invoices.

E. Calhoun wondered if this switch affects online titles; Swets already did online exchanges

G. Smulewitz notified the group that Swets is dropping Blackwells from their name.

G. Smulewitz noted that 930 summary holdings statements have been converted to Marc summary 866 holdings statements for all currently received titles in NBL. We will eventually want to perform inventories and add all holdings in Marc to all of these titles as well. This involves using the existing bound control record for adding 863s and properly sequenced detailed barcoded items. K. Reichardt has run reports of currently received titles having bound controls for many NBL units. Documentation was produced describing the entire inventory/barcoding and Iris processing procedure. Chemistry, Chang, Physics, Math, Art, and Alex are currently engaged in adding their holdings. Kilmer and Douglass have been completed. E. Calhoun mentioned that we may be seeing IRIS records that have a mixture of libraries with complete holdings and partially complete holdings, and wondered if something should be done to clean up these records as a priority. It was suggested that anyone working on cleaning up a title for a particular record should also check to see if other units have holdings; if so, they should email the other units and ask them to clean up their holdings.

A member from Camden said that they have Marc summary holdings for all their active subscriptions. Newark noted that they are just beginning to add their holdings. G. Smulewitz asked Camden and Newark if they were ready to participate in the Serials Inventory Project.

L. Turzynski mentioned that the DBM Recon Project is working exclusively from the shelf list cards for Alex at TSB. No inventory is being taken. Some of these titles are serials, and holdings (possibly inaccurate) are being taken from the back of the SL card itself. Some of these titles may not even exist anymore in our collection. What are the ramifications (if any) to the Serials Inventory Project?

P. Cabelli mentioned that he and M. Tomaszewicz were developing a cheat sheet for the Serials Inventory Project, listing basic steps to perform and pointers to remember after finishing with a title.

I. Bogus gave us a brief status report on certain aspects of the LINCPlus project. LINCPlus can link to the bind# and bind title from the SIRSI bind folder. You can actually edit/update the record as you import it. LINCPlus can also be set up so that you can scan in a barcode and charge out the material in one continuous step. The group discussed the proper variables and deliminiters to use in the IRIS bindery folder. I. Bogus inquired about how Camden and Newark were using the bindery folder. Camden said that it is using the bindery folder; it includes the bind #. Dana still needs to add their bind #s to the bind folders.

I. Bogus invited members of the group to come on a scheduled trip to the new RUL binder, Library Binder of Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, Nov. 25.

The group discussed the status of the annual cancellation lists. Newark is finished with their list (18 titles); all records have been updated and vendors notified.

Camden has finished their 25 titles. NBL has their finalized list, vendors have been notified, but order records have not been cancelled. Records management is now starting on all 250 NBL titles.

G. Smulewitz mentioned that due to the complex nature of print and online licensing agreements, all selectors are being notified whenever a title undergoes a format change, update, or cancellation. This includes cancelling paper and keeping online, paper coming in addition to online, paper only, online only, online not free anymore, etc.

L. Turzynski and G. Smulewitz both felt it was important to stress that cancellations at each RUL campus may affect the other campuses due to RUL-wide licensing agreements. L. Turzynski expressed the concern shared by us all about the possible loss of archival copies of serials when print subscriptions are cancelled and we receive only the online version.

GS – will create a list-serve for the Holdings Working Group
KR - will create and distribute to the listserve a cheat sheet for vendor transfer changes
GS – will send Serials Inventory Project documentation to the listserve
GS – will send Camden and Dana active control lists
IB – will post the bind report instructions to the list serve
GS, PC – will send any available gift/firm order single serial issue policy information to the listserve

Next meeting date: December 3, 2003 - Location: TSB - Time: 10:00am

Next recorder: Ellen Calhoun
Backup recorder: Elizabeth Leister