Hi Amy,
In addition to the advice you have already received, I would suggest prioritizing any invoiced serials over items you pay annually via a subscription. The fiscal year end is fast approaching for many institutions and getting those invoices paid and off the books will be important.
You also could see if staff from departments could be spared for a few hours a week and cross trained in order to assist in checking in the “easier” materials, freeing up serials staff to tackle the more complex selections.
Good luck! I have had to deal with large backlogs (serial, monograph, and gov docs) at previous institutions. Eventually, you will be caught up. It will end. It just takes time, and slow and steady will win the race. Try not to feel daunted and make sure your staff isn’t overwhelmed and feeling as if they have to “get it all done immediately.” And As you make progress, celebrate each milestone in someway.
Sincerely,
Susan Martin
Chair, Collection and Management
James E. Walker Library
Middle Tennessee State University
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________________________________
From: acqnet-request_at_lists.ala.org <acqnet-request_at_lists.ala.org> on behalf of Dittman, Amy <amy_dittman_at_harvard.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2020 4:27 PM
To: acqnet_at_lists.ala.org
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [ALCTS-acqnet] Plans for return
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone had started to develop plans for the day at least some of us might return to working on-site. How do you plan to address the backlogs that have formed?
We anticipate a large number of our serial issues to be waiting for us – we asked a lot of our major vendors to hold our shipments, but so many serials come directly from the publisher, that we are anticipating that those will still be waiting for us, as well as anything that shipped prior to the decision to leave campus, and arrived after our departure.
Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas they would be willing to share about how they plan to address large quantities of material, particularly if some staff remain off-site to continue some level of social distancing?
Thanks!
Amy
Amy Dittman
Head of Electronic Resources and Serials Acquisitions
Harvard Library ITS
625 Massachusetts Ave, Room 301
amy_dittman_at_harvard.edu<mailto:amy_dittman_at_harvard.edu>
617-998-1656
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Received on Wed Apr 29 2020 - 19:31:57 EDT