2 messages:

(1)------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2005 16:12:21 -0500
From: "Pennington, Buddy D." <penningtonb@umkc.edu>
Subject: RE: [SERIALST] Statistics Question

It depends on what you need to report out, but we count a couple of
things here:

1.  The number of subscriptions, which we base on our order records.  We
use fund codes to identify the paid titles vs. gift titles, etc.  Our
status codes indicate whether the subscription is current or not.  We
also use a subject code to group titles by our academic departments.

2.  Periodical bibliographic volumes.  We code the item records to
indicate how many volumes in that item.  So, for example, if the bound
volume contains published volumes then we code that as a three.  If the
bound volume is a partial, it is not given the code.  We can then use
the item record "create" date and the numbers to determine how many
volumes were added for a time period.

Whatever you decide to do, I recommend using your ILS as much as you
can. And fixed fields tend to work better than your internal note
fields. Explore the reporting and data extraction capabilities within
your ILS.  Avoid manual statistics if you possibly can.  I can tell you
from experience as our periodical bibliographic volume counts were
previously done by counting the binding pullslips and that was a mess!

Good luck!!

Buddy Pennington
Serial Acquisitions Librarian
UMKC - University Libraries
800 E. 51st Street
Kansas City, MO  64110
816-235-1548
816-333-5584 (fax)
penningtonb@umkc.edu

UMKC University Libraries: Connecting Learners to the World of Knowledge

www.umkc.edu/lib

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of SERIALST Moderator
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 3:45 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [SERIALST] Statistics Question

Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2005 13:25:16 -0700
From: Joseph Nicholson <jnicholson@touro.edu>
Subject: Statistics Question

Hello all,

I am wondering about how different people approach statistics with their
serials collections.  Do you count the number of titles you have on the
shelf and break it down by archived and current subscriptions?  I've
also heard that some people might count the individual volumes.  I
haven't done statistics before so I'm wondering what is the best way to
do things.
Any suggestions would be great!  Thanks!

Joseph M. Nicholson, MLIS
Assistant Librarian
Touro University-California Library
1310 Johnson Lane
Vallejo, CA 94592
Phone: (707) 638-5317
Fax: (707) 638-5330

(2)-------------------
Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2005 17:11:53 -0700
From: Carol Morse <MorsCa@wwc.edu>
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Statistics Question

We count whatever we are obligated to for our library director's
reports. Usually, no. of current subscriptions: some want total, some
want unique, so we have to de-dupe the print/fiche/electronic titles.
No. of new titles added that year. No. of volumes added to the
collection that year. (We keep a tally sheet all year to be able to
know). No. of pieces of microform (we keep a tally sheet as each
shipment comes in). Some want volumes of microform, arbitrarily counted
as: 10 pieces of fiche or 1 reel equals one vol.
Hope this helps,

Carol Morse

********************************************
Address:
Walla Walla College Library
Periodicals Dept.
104 S. College Ave.
College Place, WA  99324-1159

Carol Morse
Serials Librarian morsca@wwc.edu
509) 527-2684; fax 509) 527-2001
*********************************************