3 messages, 165 lines:

(1)---------------------------
Date:         Thu, 6 Jan 2000 16:04:30 EST
From:         Elizabeth Horn <horn_elizabeth@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: EBSCO free magazines

Not to continue a discussion that has ended for the majority (but I will
anyway). But I would like to get others' opinions on this as well, because
I find it an interesting aspect of librarianship. In response to "If you
have YM on your shelves for a year, you may create an expectation that it
will be there next year.  What do you do when your readers are looking for
it next year and can't find it?", I would ask: if our patrons want and
enjoy the publication, isn't that an indication that we should add it to
the collection? Granted, this is the goal of "gift subscriptions," to rope
us in to subscribing to some pretty idiotic magazines, but who am I to
judge the tastes of my public? When they want and expect YM, should I
place Aviation Week & Space Technology in their hands? If the demand is
high enough for Self, YM, or another magazine, shouldn't that be an
indication that we should make changes to please our public? This is
probably a moot point for most Academics, because it's not an Academic
Library's job to make everyone feel warm and fuzzy and happy. But speaking
from the Public Library perspective, I don't think we should ignore a
chance to find out what our patrons really want out of our collection.
What do others think?

Thanks,
Beth

Elizabeth Horn
Reference and Serials Librarian
Roanoke City Public Library
Roanoke, VA
<horn_elizabeth@HOTMAIL.COM>

(2)----------------------------
Date:         Thu, 6 Jan 2000 14:53:49 -0500
From:         Lynne Stevens <lstevens@RMWC.EDU>
Subject:      Re: EBSCO free magazines

About the time I was reading these postings this morning, my EBSCO rep
called me about something else.  I told her that I did not want to receive
these "free" titles, that it took staff time, and therefore money, even to
deal with and recycle these issues, and that I did not like feeling that
as their customers we were being put on a list to receive what amounted to
junk mail and advertising.  She implied that other customers had asked not
to receive these, and asked me to submit my request not to receive them in
writing (e-mail is fine).

So: I have requested to EBSCO that we not receive any of these "free"
subscriptions at any time, stating my reasons for my request.  I e-mailed
it to my service rep, and copied the message to Dixon Brooke, Vice
President & Division General Manager (the name on the card announcing my
"gift").

I hope the rest of you who are less than thrilled with this new foray into
magazine jobber "services" will do likewise.  ;-)

Lynne N. Stevens
Serials Coordinator
Lipscomb Library
Randolph-Macon Woman's College
lstevens@rmwc.edu
804 947-8133/FAX 804 947-8134

-----Original Message-----
From: Buddy Pennington [mailto:buddy.pennington@ROCKHURST.EDU]
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2000 11:06 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: EBSCO free magazines

I agree that most of the negative comments on EBSCO's free subscriptions
have come from academic libraries, but I don't know if it is such a great
boon for public libraries.  If you have YM on your shelves for a year, you
may create an expectation that it will be there next year.  What do you do
when your readers are looking for it next year and can't find it?  Also, it
seems a waste of time, money and effort to catalog and create checkin
records for a title that will be canceled in a year.  Of course, many users
may think that a year is better than nothing, and I know what it is like to
struggle with meeting users' needs on a limited budget!

Buddy Pennington
Acquisitions/Serials Librarian
Rockhurst University Greenlease Library
buddy.pennington@rockhurst.edu
#816-501-4143
<buddy.pennington@ROCKHURST.EDU>

-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Horn [mailto:horn_elizabeth@HOTMAIL.COM]
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2000 9:27 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: EBSCO free magazines

As a public library, we greatly appreciate the gift titles that we have
seen so far (we have received ESPN, have added it to our catalog, but have
not seen any duplicates yet). Most likely the frustration that most
librarians on this listserv have expressed is because they are speaking as
Academic or larger libraries that support major research. Our periodicals
are read and re-read again by a public who enjoys general interest and
sports-oriented magazines- and we as a library struggle with the budget to
meet our public's needs. I might not read the magazines we get (I haven't
read YM since I was 12) but our patrons definately benefit from the free
subscriptions (even if it is an advertising ploy).

IMHO,

Beth

Elizabeth Horn
Reference and Serials Librarian
Roanoke City Public Library
Roanoke, VA
<horn_elizabeth@HOTMAIL.COM>

(3)----------------------------
Date:         Thu, 6 Jan 2000 14:10:59 -0500
From:         "Susan E. Sturgeon" <ssturgeo@SALEM.MASS.EDU>
Subject:      Re: EBSCO free magazines

It would be my hope that Ebsco would have the courtesy to ask libraries if
they want to receive these "free" magazines.  Choosing to not do that is
to choose to antagonize those who find them more of a nuisance than
anything else.  That can not be good public relations for Ebsco.

SUSAN STURGEON
SERIALS DEPARTMENT
SALEM STATE COLLEGE LIBRARY
352 LAFAYETTE ST.
SALEM MA 01970
NEW E-mail address:susan.sturgeon@salem.mass.edu

On Thu, 6 Jan 2000, Karen Chobot wrote:

> Thanks to everyone who replied to my query yesterday.  I guess it touched a
> nerve, because there have been a lot of replies!  It seems as though most
> folks are of the same opinion, that it doesn't serve us very well and seems
> to be a waste of time and resources.
>
> I did have a call from Linda at EBSCO yesterday afternoon, and she said
> that they are not the ones paying for this, but that the publisher had
> requested a list.  I noticed that we are all getting the same magazines -
> YM, Fitness, ESPN, and so on.  EBSCO will cancel any subscriptions if you
> send them the address label.
>
> My worry is that these title will somehow end up on the Annual Renewal list
> next summer, since they are in the database, and that is when the cost will
> come home to us.  Guess we'll all just have to watch.
>
> Again, thanks for all the replies.  It reassured me to see that I wasn't
> being as *ungrateful* as refusing a gift made me feel.
>
> 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
>
> "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."