Re: Spectator -- Joyce Nelson Stephen D. Clark 13 Oct 1999 12:16 UTC
-------- Original Message -------- Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 11:30:32 -0400 From: Joyce Nelson <JOYCEN@HSC.EDU> Here is a copy of most of my post to a Ms. Nathalie Slack who responded when I e-mailed the editor of THE SPECTATOR back in September (editor@spectator.co.uk). It provides some of the vendor responses to the libraries which replied to my post yesterday. There are a few different angles on this - bad renewal load into the publisher's database, change in publisher with original payments not forwarded or lost, simple requests for a second payment as the first was not received. If there was truly a glitch in loading a renewal batch, I do not understand the varying lengths of the subscription lapses. Our lapse was pretty much a late January through April lapse (with two summer issues not arriving either). Others did not begin to experience a lapse until Spring of the year. I just can't help but wonder if enough issues were printed in the first place. I believe about 3-4 repondents mentioned getting a subscription extension; one was forwarded details on purchasing back issues at $6.50 per issue. Anyway here is today's post to Ms. Slack: >Ms. Slack, > >I have not had any confirmation on whether our missing issues are available and whether they will be supplied since my post to you on September 28, 1999. I gather that a renewal load was not properly entered into the databases of the publisher in January of this year (per a post from another subscriber missing a substantial number of issues; details provided on the SERIALSLIST listserv- archives at: http://www.blackwells.com/services/library/community/index.html). > >A total of 12 respondents addressed this problem in posts to that listserv or to me directly. A number of them had been given subscription extensions by the publisher; one had been provided details on back issues at $6.50 per issue plus shipping. I can assure you that that was not the response that these libraries wanted to hear. They had paid in good faith at the appropriate time in 1998 to insure a renewal that would allow them to maintain complete collections of THE SPECTATOR for their patrons. > > Another respondent mentioned that the publisher had changed, and the check did not get passed to the new publisher. Several respondents had mentioned the first check not being received by the publisher, and a second payment being required. This was true in my case also. The time frame for the missing issues of the various respondents varies somewhat with some missing January through April issues, others May through July issues, and one even missing from January through most of July. I believe there are a number of reasons that have been extended for the subscription renewals not being entered. The bottom line is that we all want, above everything, to simply have those back issues. > I relisted my missing issues and provided information from the shipping label of a January issue (I keep all those early year labels and have the persons opening mail hold them for me). I don't have great hopes for getting those issues, but I was pleasantly surprised with some long overdue issues of AFRIQUE arriving a week or so ago, so I still believe in miracles. Sorry this is so lengthy, but there you have it! Joyce Nelson Periodicals/Government Documents Eggleston Library Hampden-Sydney College Hampden Sydney, VA 23943-0007 tel: 804-223-6278 joycen@hsc.edu