OATdb Archive

2009 - 2010

Library, Acquisitions / Serials / Electronic Resources

Goal
Collection
Provide seamless access to a collection of high quality resources, including print, web-based resources and locally produced content, which meet the curricular and research requirements of the University.

Objective
Access To Resources
Through inventory and generated reports, the Aquisitions/Serials/ Electronic Resources component of the Library determined that upgraded inventories might improve user access.




Indicator
Correct Dates Of Coverage For Consortia Package E-Journal Titles In A-to-Z Database
The objective will be judged by the percentage of consortia package e-journal titles that have correct dates of coverage in the A-to-Z database.  The A-to-Z database is a listing of e-journals and the issues available for those titles which are accessible to library patrons.  Correct dates of coverage help ensure that users are directed to the appropriate resources for fulfilling their information needs.

Criterion
80% Of Consortia Package E-Journal Titles With Correct Dates Of Coverage
80% of consortia package e-journal titles will be updated with correct dates of coverage in the A-to-Z database.

Finding
90% Of Consortia Package E-Journal Titles With Correct Dates Of Coverage
The consortia packages were updated; however, there were problems with the ScienceDirect titles which is about 10% (i.e., 800) of the consortia titles. The ScienceDirect titles will need to be examined by staff who have more experience with library holdings who can identify and correct these problems or who can train other staff to fix these problems.

Action
Increase Number Of Staff Dedicated To Updating Dates Of Coverage
There will be an increase in the number of staff who will be able to update dates of coverage for the titles in the A-to-Z database.  The Serials Cataloger and the Collection Development Student Assistant will attend training sessions and practice updating various sets of titles.  Also, the Electronic Resources Librarian who is leaving will be replaced, and this person will also be trained to perform these updates.


Objective
Efficient And Cost-Effective Acquisition Of Library Materials
Methods of selecting, ordering, licensing, receiving, invoicing, and paying for library materials should be handled efficiently so that materials will be available to users as quickly as possible, and the cost of providing these materials should be kept as low as possible to maximize the number/quality of resources that can be acquired/accessed.

Indicator
Increase Number Of Vendors Set Up For 9XX/EDI Ordering And Invoicing
9XX/EDI ordering and invoicing increases the efficiency of the ordering and invoicing processes because it automates the creation of purchase orders and the transmission of orders and invoices to and from the vendor, thereby decreasing the amount of time staff need to spend on these tasks. This method is currently being used for one firm-order vendor, Baker & Taylor.

Criterion
Set Up 9XX/EDI Ordering And Invoicing For One Additional Firm-Order Vendor (YBP)
Set up 9XX/EDI ordering which will allow bibliographers to enter their requests on the YBP Gobi database in a manner which is easy for them and efficient for acquisitions staff. Set up EDI invoicing in a manner which is efficient for acquisitions staff.

Finding
9XX/EDI Ordering And Invoicing Not Completed For YBP
During February and March 2009, several steps were taken to prepare for the testing and implementation of 9XX/EDI ordering and invoicing.  See the attached pdf file of emails and files exchanged with YBP staff.  However, the final stage of testing the system did not take place because the emphasis shifted from ordering books from YBP to receiving notification slips of new publications from Baker & Taylor and ordering those materials from Baker & Taylor.  The need for using 9XX/EDI ordering and invoicing with YBP will be re-evaluated.


Criterion
Set Up EDI Ordering And Invoicing For One Serial Vendor (EBSCO)
Set up EDI ordering and invoicing for EBSCO which will require adding purchase orders to Sirsi for approximately 2000 serial subscriptions.

Finding
Setup Of EDI Ordering And Invoicing For EBSCO Serial Vendor Not Completed
Procedures for setting up dated purchase orders for print subscriptions were under development this year, but have not been implemented.  The upgrade to Sirsi Symphony 3.3.1 introduced some new features such as the Acquisition Material Type which was incorporated into the procedures.  The attached file is a description of the procedures which have been developed so far.  This project was changed to a lower priority in order to focus on training on the Banner Finance system and the focus on spending all of our library material funds before the end of the fiscal year.  The project will continue after staff acquire more experience with the Banner system and have more time to devote to it.

Indicator
Improve Serials Claiming By Utilizing The Serial Controls Without Predictions Report
Serials-claiming helps to ensure that journal issues are available in the library for patrons to use. The Serial Controls Without Predictions report will be tested to evaluate its usefulness and to determine what follow-up action is needed to handle the identified serial control records.

Criterion
Run The Serial Controls Without Prediction Report Before The End Of Fall 2009
Run the Serial Controls Without Prediction Report and update at least 75% of the affected serial control records by the end of Fall 2009. This may involve cross-training of staff to learn how to adjust serial control records.

Finding
Serial Controls Without Prediction Report Has Not Been Run
This report has not been run.  It became a lower priority when the Banner Finance training started.  The running of the report needs to be delegated to a staff member.

Indicator
Improve Maintenance Of Standing Order Records
Review standing orders to claim volumes not received on time and to identify orders that need to be closed or changed. This will improve patron access to standing order materials by obtaining published volumes which have not been received and maintaining accurate records on the titles that are closed or have changed titles.

Criterion
Compare Sirsi And Vendor Standing Order Reports To Identify And Reconcile Differences
Compare vendor records of open orders and latest volume published to Sirsi open orders and last volume received for at least 2 major vendors (Blackwell Book Services and YBP.) Take action to reconcile differences for 90% of identified titles.

Finding
Action Taken To Reconcile 10% Of Standing Order Titles
A report was run from Blackwell Collection Manager and a student assistant checked the status of the order in Sirsi against the Blackwell order information.  Discrepancies in the statuses have not been fixed.  A second report from Sirsi of standing orders with a standing order copy versus active orders without a standing order copy was run to reconcile the differences.  About one third of those titles have been reconciled.  The reconciliation of these reports should be delegated to staff. This may be combined with verifying the status of Blackwell standing orders that have been transferred to YBP due to the acquisition of Blackwell North America by YBP.

Action
Begin Creating Dated Purchase Orders In Sirsi For Print Subscriptions During Summer 2010
Now that the procedures have been fairly well established and we have experience adding dated purchase orders for databases and e-journals, we need to begin entering the purchase orders for the print titles and train several staff members to enter the orders this summer.  A possible hindrance to this, however, is the need to spend all of our funds before the end of the fiscal year and to finish developing procedures for and training staff to implement the Banner financial system, which will take priority over the purchase order project.

Action
Delegate The Running Of The Serial Control Without Predictions Report
Need to delegate the testing of this report to a staff member or group of staff.  Most probably assign it to the Serial Check-in staff member to work with Bindery staff members

Action
Delegate The Reconciliation Of Standing Order Titles
Need to have the staff member who handles standing orders check the status of orders that have been transferred from Blackwell North America to YBP and compare this information to the order and item record in the Sirsi system. 

Objective
Improve Selection And Maintenance Of Electronic Resources
Electronic resources need to be selected, evaluated, and monitored to ensure that the curricular and research requirements of the university are met.

Indicator
Complete CY/FY Electronic Resource Usage Statistics
Compile up-to-date usage statistics to make decisions about adding, maintaining, or canceling electronic resources. The objective will be judged by the percentage of electronic resource subscriptions with complete Calendar Year (CY)/Fiscal Year (FY) usage statistics.

Criterion
80% Of Electronic Resource Subscriptions With Complete CY/FY Usage Statistics
Complete CY/FY usage statistics will be compiled for 80% of electronic resource subscriptions.

Finding
60% Of Consortia Packages Usage Statistics Compiled
60% of consortia package (e.g. Sage, ScienceDirect, Springer) usage statistics have been compiled. This work could benefit from more automation.  The use of the Scholarly Stats resource which compiles usage statistics is a step in this direction.  More of this work should be delegated to staff.

Indicator
Test And Evaluate ERMS For Possible Purchase By The Library
Test and evaluate at least one Electronic Resource Management Systems (ERMS) to determine the the extent to which it will streamline the management of our electronic resources and whether it will be affordable.

Criterion
Test And Evaluate The EBSCO ERMS
Test and evaluate the new EBSCO ERMS

Finding
Evaluated 2 Systems And Selected EBSCO's ERM Essentials
SerialSolutions' Summon system and EBSCO's ERM Essentials were reviewed and the latter was selected.

Action
Train Staff To Compile Usage Statistics And To Investigate More Ways To Automate
Until the vacated Electronic Resources Librarian position is filled, other Technical Services Librarians and staff will need to learn how to compile the usage statistics.  If time permits they can look at more fully automating this process.  This will be a lower priority than some of the other duties such as ordering, setting up access to, and paying invoices for electronic resources. 

Action
Add Items To ERM Essentials
Librarians and staff need to be trained on how to utilize and add information to the ERM Essentials database to keep information about electronic resources centralized and more accessible.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Plan for continuous improvement The library will continue to strive to improve access to a collection of high quality resources which meet the curricular and research needs of the University.  This requires the continual training and delegation of duties to staff as well as adjustment of priorities as new demands and new technologies emerge.  The University's adoption of the Banner system has been incorporated as a high priority during 2009-2010.  The need to spend all funds before the end of the fiscal year instead of having funds roll forward to the new fiscal year has also been a constraint on accomplishing other objectives.  Staff turnover has also had an impact this year with a key position, Electronic Resources Librarian, vacated in June 2010. Regardless of these factors, more emphasis will be placed on providing more training to librarians and staff and delegating more responsibilities to them.  This will allow tasks to be spread among more people.  Efforts will also be made to automate and reduce workloads.