ACQNET: How Vendors Name Their Files

Date: Thu, 09 May 2002 10:02:01 -0400
From: Paul Metz & Ladd Brown (Virginia Tech) <blbrown_at_vt.edu> &
<pmetz_at_vt.edu>
Subject:  How Vendors Name Their Files

[Ed. note - I know you vendors are out there lurking!  Listen up!]

[From Ladd:]
    Paul usually handles all the organizing, tracking, and distributing
lots of usage statistic files from vendors. His suggestion is that they
label their files
(see below); I second that motion and would like to see date ranges in
there, too.
    Have you seen any other suggestions along this line?

[From Paul]:

I think it would make all of us a little more efficient if vendors were
more thoughtful in the mnenomics by which they name files. Too often I
receive attached files of statistical reports or price quotes that have
only the name Virginia Tech or VT as part of the file name. This makes
sense from the vendor's point of view -- they know they are Joe's
Library
Company (or Wiley or ISI or Kluwer) and are concerned only to make sure
I
get VT's data. But guess what? -- I know I'm VT and am concerned to make

sure I know whose data I have! How nice it would be if file names could
be, [for example]:
            ISIbidGaTech
            WileyusePrinceton
            KluwerjournalsDartmouth

Too much to ask?

Paul Metz, Director, Collection Management and College-Based Services
Virginia Tech University Libraries
P.O. Box 90001 / Blacksburg VA / 24062-9001
Ph: (540) 231-5663  FAX: (540) 231-3694  e-mail: pmetz_at_vt.edu

Ladd Brown, Head of Acquisitions
Newman Library [Mail Code 0434]
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
PO Box 90001 Blacksburg, Virginia USA 24062-9001
Voice: (540) 231-6736  Fax: (540) 231-3694 E-mail: blbrown_at_vt.edu