ACQNET: Purchase decisions for subsequent editions of titles

Date:    Thursday, 19 Jun 2003
From:    Stephen D. Clark (College of William & Mary) <sdclar_at_wm.edu>
Subject: Summary on survey of purchase decisions for subsequent eds of titles

About a month ago, I sent out a small survey asking the ACQNET readership 
how they dealt with purchases for subsequent editions of titles.  Below is 
a summarization of the responses.

The original survey was:

I am curious to find out anyone has a policy for dealing with the purchase 
of subsequent editions of titles.  If you would respond to my little survey 
below, I will summarize for the list.

______ I automatically purchase the next edition of a title.  The length of 
time since the publication of the previous edition is of no consequence.

______ I wait a proscribed amount of time (indicate below the timeframe 
that you use) after the previous edition before making my purchase of the 
next edition.
         _____ I wait 2 years after the previous edition's publication.
         _____ I wait 3 years after the previous edition's publication.
         _____ I wait 4 years after the previous edition's publication.
         _____ I wait 5 years after the previous edition's publication.
         _____ I wait more than 5 years.  Please indicate how many______.

Responses to survey are outlined below:

No policy -- 2
Run title through Collection Development Committee -- 1
Automatically purchase next edition -- 6
   Comments:
     Time between eds. is irrelevant
     Order if still fits collection profile
     Automatically order every ed. of reference titles
Check circulation stats. -- 6
   Comments:
     Earlier ed. has to be checked out at least twice a year
     Earlier ed. has to have circulated at least 5 - 8 times
Purchase case by case basis -- 10
    Factors:
      Subject matter
      Cost
      If "hot topic" purchase new eds. as soon as possible
      Circ. stats.
      Reviews
Systematically search for latest ed. by faculty members -- 1
Have standing orders set up for selected titles to ensure having latest ed. 
-- 1
Wait for proscribed period of 2 years -- 2
    Comments:
       Use this guideline for title which publish new eds. every year

I would like to thank all who submitted responses to my query.  This has 
been most helpful.

Cheers,
Stephen Clark
-- 
Stephen D. Clark
Acquisitions Librarian
College of William and Mary
Earl Gregg Swem Library
Acquisitions Department
P.O. Box 8794
Williamsburg, VA  23187-8794
757.221.3107
fax:  757.221.2635
e-mail:  sdclar_at_wm.edu

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