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Harmonizing Serials Management: From discordant ensemble to solo performance
Prior to the 1980s, all serials functions
were performed on paper by the Serials
clerk. These functions included:
•Issue check-in was done in the
Kardex.
•A missed issue was claimed via letter
•Binding was done with a system of
paper slips
•A paper list of journal holdings was
provided to Circulation and Reference.
The first ILS, the CARL system, came
to Blackwell Library in the late 1980s.
This implementation did not effect the
serials workflow. All processes were
still done on paper.
Serials management faced a drastic change
in 2002 when the Aleph system was
implemented. All serials processes could
now be managed in an automated
environment. The catalog now contained
bibliographic records for serials with
holdings. Predication patterns could be
created and issues arrived through the
catalog. EDI was eventually enabled for
claiming and invoicing.
The long-term Serials Clerk retired
shortly after the introduction of
Aleph. With her departure, serials
functions were divided among all
members of Technical Services.
The cataloging
department took on
binding and some issue
arrival.
The acquisitions
technician did most
of the issue arrival.
The government
documents technician
managed the
newspapers.
No one consistently
did claiming.
In 2003, a new serials
technician with no library or
serials experience was hired.
Every one tried to teach her
each separate serials task but
her limited knowledge and lack
of direct supervision kept her
from being able to bring serials
back together.
In the meantime,
the development of
electronic journals
and resources
began to emerge.
With serials management becoming more
technical and difficult, library
administration recognized the need for a
motivated professional. The position was
created and the first serials librarian was
hired in 2004. The serials librarian
was on board for two
years. She tried to
bring all the parts
back together in
harmony. The
position, however,
suffered growing
pains.
While the position sat vacant, a new Head of
Technical Services was hired who possessed
serials experience. She was able to take over
the supervision of the serials technician and
guide her in basic duties while bringing order to
the serials holdings and claiming process, but a
dedicated serials librarian was still needed.
In 2008, I was hired as the second serials
librarian. All of serials management has
come together including the licensing and
activation of electronic journals. To
facilitate the management of serials,
several Access databases have been
created:
• to track requests for new journal titles
• for most aspects of e-journals
• for details of serial holdings not easily
extracted from the catalog.
The first automation change to
effect serials workflow was the
use of LARS for journal binding.
Leigh Ann DePope, Serials/Electronic Services Librarian, [email protected]
Blackwell Library, Salisbury, Maryland