2 messages, 96 lines:

(1)---------------------------
Date:         Tue, 3 Nov 1998 08:46:34 CST6CDT
From:         Deborah Lee <dlee@LIBRARY.MSSTATE.EDU>
Organization: MSU Mitchell Memorial Library
Subject:      Re: Subscriptions added/cancelled

We've found that keeping a "manual" accounting of new titles, title
changes and title cessations the most effecient way to maintain this
data.  We've had problems retrieving reports field information out of
DRA, so I designed a form that we use.  This form records the
database control number, the owning location, source of the title,
whether the title is being added or deleted to the current title
count and why (reasons include title changes, new title, new
"comes with" title, etc...).  Each staff member that has the
authority to change the status of title maintains this form; the
forms are turned into me at the end of the month.  I use this data to
compile a monthly report on the status of our current serial titles.
So at any given time I can produce information concerning the number
of Direct titles, gift titles or Ebsco titles that we have current
subscriptions for.   This also allows me to go through and identify
the number of gift titles that we added during the year---something
we had never been able to produce a count of before.

Hope this helps!

Deborah Lee
-----------------------------------------------------
Deborah Lee
Coordinator of Serials/Assistant Professor
Mississippi State University
dlee@library.msstate.edu
work: 601-325-8184  fax: 601-325-2895
url: http://www2.msstate.edu/~dol1/index.html
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(2)----------------------------
Date:         Tue, 3 Nov 1998 10:40:15 -0600
From:         "L. Hunter Kevil" <mulkevil@SHOWME.MISSOURI.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Subscriptions added/cancelled

My two cents on this problem:

In software there is a big difference between maintaining running counts and
performing a new count whenever a total is needed. Generally the latter is
the better option, because running totals can easily get off and cannot be
corrected. Our mistakes simply cumulate. The better choice might be simply
to calculate the figures you need each time you need them. Perhaps using an
Innovative SCODE to indicate whether a check-in record is for an active,
currently received serial would be enough. When a title becomes no longer
current, either by reason of cancellation, cessation, or cancellation, you
simply change that one code. Then whenever you need to know the number of
currently received serials you would use that field to compute the total.

L. Hunter Kevil
University of Missouri-Columbia
internet: mulkevil@showme.missouri.edu
tel: 573-884-8760
fax: 573-884-5243

-----Original Message-----
From: Lee Cheng Ean <clbleece@NUS.EDU.SG>
Sent: Monday, November 02, 1998 11:03 PM
Subject: Re: Subscriptions added/cancelled

Great!, Now that we know how complicated it can get with counting serial
subscriptions added and cancelled, how do you keep track of the counts?  Do
you keep a manual record or do you insert a code in each record and have a
system generated report?  If it is automated, where do you keep the data to
generate a report for a specific reporting period?

In our case, we have two fields (variable length) created in our checkin
records for us to enter the reporting year, eg. 1998/99 etc. One field is
for Year subscription was added and the other Year subscription was
cancelled.  By the way we are using Innopac.  Instructions have to be given
to staff regarding when they need to add data to the field and when not to.
Hence my earlier questions.   It tends to get too complicated since a serial
title can change and take so many variations.  You may ask, wouldn't it be
easier to keep a manual tab than to get the system to count???  I know, I
know, but....

Any further "insights" would be helpful.

Ean

Mrs Lee Cheng Ean
Head, Serials
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Technical Services Division, Central Library,  National University of
Singapore,
89 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 119275
Email: clbleece@nus.sg  Tel: (65) 8742035   Fax: (65) 7747180
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