5 messages, 133 lines:

(1)----------------------------
Date:         Wed, 5 Jan 2000 16:15:39 -0700
From:         Julia Franklin <JFRANK@ISL.STATE.ID.US>
Subject:      Re: EBSCO free magazines

Idaho State Library has also been receiving these free issues.  We send
them off to the breakroom for the staff to read on breaks, lunches or even
take home if they want.  We do not catalog them, nor do we add them to the
collection.  At Clean Sweep (once a month total cleaning of the
break-room)  the old issues are tossed.

That is what we do here at Idaho State Library

Julia Franklin
<JFRANK@ISL.STATE.ID.US>

(2)----------------------------
Date:         Wed, 5 Jan 2000 14:30:10 -0900
From:         Deborah Ludwig <LIJDL@LIBRARY.CI.ANCHORAGE.AK.US>
Subject:      Re: EBSCO free magazines

We also receive these free subscriptions. Ebsco usually sends out a card
stating that we will receive this free subscription. Sometimes it comes
after we've started to receive the title. It is especially annoying when
it is a duplicate of a title we already subscribe to. I have called the
Ebsco toll-free number and requested them to stop sending the listed
title. When I asked why the library was receiving this title, the person
responded that someone had responded to a survey, which I know isn't the
case. At this time, there doesn't seem to be a way for them to stop doing
this. Perhaps Ebsco could explain what is the purpose of this program. My
Ebsco customer service rep also receives a lot of complaints about this.

Deborah Ludwig
Serials Librarian
Anchorage Municipal Libraries
Anchorage, Alaska
<LIJDL@LIBRARY.CI.ANCHORAGE.AK.US>

(3)----------------------------
Date:         Wed, 5 Jan 2000 21:06:00 -0500
From:         Eleanor Cook <COOKEI@CONRAD.APPSTATE.EDU>
Subject:      An open plea to EBSCO: RE - Free magazines

We too are not an EBSCO subscription agent customer and we too are
getting these magazines and so like someone else observed, I suspect
the division of this large organization that is doing this is NOT the
EBSCO we are familar with. HOWEVER, the right hand should know what the
left hand is doing and so we beseech you - STOP!

I liked hearing about how other libraries are dealing with the issues
and have passed on the comments to our serials checkin manager.

Happy New Year,
Eleanor
*********************************************************************
Eleanor I. Cook                                  828-262-2786 (wrk)
Interim Coordinator, Materials Processing        828-262-2773 (fax)
& Serials Specialist
Belk Library, PO Box 32026
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608-2026                             cookei@appstate.edu
*********************************************************************

(4)----------------------------
Date:         Thu, 6 Jan 2000 08:45:52 -0500
From:         Pam Matthews <pmatthew@GETTYSBURG.EDU>
Subject:      Re: EBSCO free magazines

Oy!  I REALLY hate this bizarre ploy of EBSCO's!  I called the 800 number
on the notification card and got them to cancel the magazines.  However,
when I talked to the person at the 800 number she was unable to tell me
whose idea it was to do this.  (I wanted to tell them exactly what I
thought of their "generosity" in providing us with stuff we don't want.)
Has anyone found out exactly whose brainchild this was???  Pam
____________________________
Pam Matthews
Acquisitions/Serials Librarian
Musselman Library
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, PA  17325
717-337-7007 (phone) ** 717-337-6666 (fax)
pmatthew@gettysburg.edu

(5)----------------------------
Date:         Thu, 6 Jan 2000 09:17:26 -0500
From:         Regina McEneaney <mcenear@SUNYSUFFOLK.EDU>
Subject:      Re: EBSCO free magazines

We at Suffolk Co. Community College are getting free copies of YM,
FITNESS, and ESPN for all 3 campuses.  We are so far throwing them away
because nobody wants the confusion of a browsing verses a library
subscription. Hope EBSCO decides to stop this practice soon.

Regina McEneaney
<mcenear@SUNYSUFFOLK.EDU>

> -----Original Message-----
> From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
> [mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU]On Behalf Of Karen Chobot
> Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2000 12:01 PM
> Subject: EBSCO free magazines
>
> Lately, EBSCO has taken to sending us free subscriptions to magazines,
> apparently as an appreciation gift.  I have written to them twice asking
> them not to do this, as the items sent are fairly marginal to our
> collection and I don't want to bother with cataloging them or dealing with
> them.  If they really want to give us an appreciation gift, they could
> reduce the service fee!
>
> Are any of the rest of you getting these, and how are you
> handling them?  I
> hate to throw them out, but I really don't need YM...
>
> Maybe if the EBSCO folks see comments here, they might reconsider their
> program.
>
> Thanks, Karen.
>
> Karen M. Chobot, MS, MLS
> Reference/Serials Librarian
> Mildred Johnson Library
> North Dakota State College of Science
> 800 N. 6th St.
> Wahpeton ND 58076
> 701/671-2385
> <chobot@PLAINS.NODAK.EDU>
>
> "I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is bizarre and
> outside the conventions and humdrum routine of daily life."  Sherlock
> Holmes, in "The Red-Headed League."