I agree 100% with John's comments about how the e-forms vs. the paper forms
work for selectors and collection development administrators and the effect
charging for them might have upon profiles and orders. I find that more and
more of my routine work MUST be done at the keyboard and less and less is
portable. The slips are one thing that I can still stuff in my briefcase and
do whenever. The advantage of being able to sort and revisit is a major
issue as well. I could live with single copy slips rather than multi-copy
slips. I could use the copy machine in the exceptional case when another
copy is needed. I would hate to have to do my selection on line. Like John,
I will adjust to what happens but this is not a development I look forward
to with pleasure.
I must admit I have been one of those people all along who argued that while
the money invested in the vendor databases and electronic infrastructures
have provided us with many other capabilities, the use of these databases
for selection was never something that I could see working very well. If
selectors cannot find time with paper tools (catalogs, slips, requests) to
do their review of titles and options, I could never understand how CD
coordinators thought that these same selectors would find more time to do it
attached to a computer. But five or six years ago when I would express this
opinion at vendor forums, others thought I was being a bit backwards. I was
just trying to be practical. I admit that I am getting older and that there
could be some advantages to my doing selection online. I could order the
things rather than handing off that part of the work to an acquisition clerk
to do - but since I am at the top of the pay scale, I am not sure that use
of my time is in the best interests of the library.
Anyway - thanks, John, for your well-stated comments.
Mary C. Bushing, Ed.D.
Associate Professor
Information Resources Development Librarian
Montana State University Libraries - Bozeman
Bozeman, MT 59717
(406) 994-4994
(406) 994-2851 (fax)
alimb_at_montana.edu <mailto:alimb_at_montana.edu>
Received on Mon Sep 11 2000 - 12:45:12 EDT