ACQNET v1n053 (March 30, 1991) URL = http://www.infomotions.com/serials/acqnet/acq-v1n053 ACQNET, Vol 1, No. 53, March 30, 1991 ===================================== (1) FROM: Christian SUBJECT: Who's new on ACQNET today (8 lines) (2) FROM: Margaret Peeples SUBJECT: Combined monograph/serial acquisition departments (12 lines) (3) FROM: Stephen Marine SUBJECT: Combined monograph/serial acquisition departments (50 lines) (4) FROM: Scott Wicks SUBJECT: Work in America Policy Institute (12 lines) (5) FROM: Doina Farkas SUBJECT: Spanish booksellers, Puvill Libros (20 lines) (6) FROM: David James SUBJECT: Acquisitions librarians, acquisitions profession (39 lines) (1) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: March 30, 1991 From: Christian Subject: Who's new in ACQNET today Diane Hillmann Sandy Beehler Head of Technical Services Acquisitions Librarian Cornell Law Library Cornell Law Library E-mail: DH5@CORNELLC.BITNET E-mail: SB5X@CORNELLC.BITNET (2) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 28 Mar 91 07:20:34 -0800 From: Margaret Peeples Subject: Combined monograph/serial acquisition departments At the University of California - Santa Cruz, acquisitions became a separate section from bibliographiv records (both had been combined under technical services) in the late 1970s. Acquisitions includes 3 units: monographs, serials and conservation (repair, labelling and bindery preparation). Heads of the units are classed separately from the unionized library assistant positions in a category called Administrative and Professional Staff. These are not professional librarian positions. The head of acquisitions is a librarian position. (3) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 29 Mar 1991 16:21 EST From: Stephen A. Marine Subject: Combined monograph/serial acquisition departments At the University of Cincinnati Libraries we recently reorganized the Acquisi- tions Department into two units: Order Unit and Receiving Unit. The Order Unit searches, verifies, and orders requests for materials in all formats. The Receiving Unit receives and makes payment for materials in all formats; this unit also manages all accounting functions. The department head is the only librarian in the department. The two unit heads are supervisory non-classified staff. There are 16 support staff. The Acquisitions Department does not have any preservation or collection development responsibilities. The new organization based on function was preceded by a mixed organizational structure that included units based on both function and format. Several factors led to the reorganization: 1. INNOVACQ, recently installed, very neatly makes the distinction between ordering and receiving. Functionality is basically set up on these two principles. 2. Because of a lack of supervisory staff, two units were not managed by bona fide supervisors. This left an unwieldy number of staff for the department head to supervise directly. The new organization puts the day-to-day supervi- sion in the hands of two unit heads and allows the department head to concen- trate on higher level activities. 3. A vacancy in one of the two non-classified supervisory positions created a workable opportunity to make a change. The new structure matches or exceeds the previous structure in three important organizational principles: 1. The potential for workflow efficiency is greater because staff performing similar functions are grouped together. Procedural consistency is now easier to accomplish. 2. Communication across structural lines is simpler. With only two units, staff - and unit heads - can easily identify others affected by a particular problem or issue. As simple as this sounds, however, supervisors must take an active role in developing new lines of communication. Some staff will not make the change easily or quickly on their own. It is extremely important that supervisors facilitate communication across structural lines at ALL staff levels. For example, since an AV order specialist and an AV receiver are in different units, they may initially be reluctant to communicate directly. 3. The staff are well suited to their roles in the new structure. As much as we hate to organize around people, it is important to have staff positioned in the organization so that they can perform well. (4) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 28 Mar 91 08:49:59 EST From: Scott Wicks Subject: Work in America Policy Institute publications Cornell's experience with the titles quoted on Thursday has been less expensive -- We ordered and received _EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT AND THE SUPERVISOR'S JOB_ for $45 (7/89) and _MANAGEMENT INVOLVEMENT FOR HIGH COMMITMENT_ for $95 (4/90). We ordered these titles at the request of a member of the faculty. I didn't examine these titles for quality of information, but note that they are a bit expensive on a per page charge. C'est la guerre! (5) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 28 Mar 91 08:06:30 EST From: Doina Farkas Subject: Spanish books vendors We have noticed this year that the prices charged by Puvill are MUCH higher than the price in LIBROS EN VENTA (latest ed.). The explanation given by Mr. Puvill was that, in addition to exchange rate fluctuations, Spanish publishers are raising their prices very frequently and unpredictably in the course of every year plus his company's service charge ranges between 12-15%. As a result of these factors the prices charged by Puvill were double, triple and even higher than what we encumbered. We do not feel that discrepancies of such magnitude are justified. What is your experience with Cuesta, Iberbook, Servicio Espanol de Libreria (Barcelona) and Export-Libro Espanol (Madrid). I would welcome your comments directed via ACQNET or sent directly to me ( if you think this may be more appropriate). [Respond to ACQNET, please. This is important to all of us. C.] (6) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 29 Mar 91 10:46:51 EST From: David James Subject: Professional Positions in Acquisitions Departments I want to second October Ivins' comments on the lack of professional positions in acquisitions departments. I believe very stronly that this the most serious problem facing acquisitions in academic and research libraries in the near future. I single out academic and research libraries because of the more complex nature of their acquisitons efforts. In fact, the problem exists for all libraries. Like October, I was a paraprofessional for many years (15). During that time, I rose to a position of significant responsibility. When I realized that I had ambitions beyond the library I was in, I earned an M.S.L.S. In three months I was Head of Acquisitions in an ARL library. There must be others like October and myself. The problem is: Are we, as acquisitions librarians, doing enough to encourage capable people to enter the field? As a recent library school graduate, I try not to miss any opportunity to put in a positive word about the acquisitions field with former classmates whom I think might make good acquisitions librari- ans. I have identified several staff whom I am encouraging to pursue the M.L.S. I have contacted the nearest school of library (and information science [that eggplant Michael Gorman so aptly described in AL]) to discuss options for encouraging students interested in acquisitions librarianship. Karen Schmidt's study of acquisitions librarians indicates that most of us learned on-the-job. Since there are fewer and fewer jobs to provide that essential knowledge component, I feel that those of us who head acquisitions departments have an obligation to provide internship opportunities. Such internships should encompass acquisitions basics - searching, ordering, claiming, receiving, accounting, etc., of both monographs and serials. But, most important, must include a significant element of the "professional" aspects of the field: management of personnel, equipment, and fund accounts; evaluation of vendors; vendor relations; etc. Developing an internship program will require a considerable investment of time and effort. Working with an intern will require an additional, substantial investment. I believe we have an obligation to the profession (and specifically to our "sub-profession") to make that investment and to make it pay off. ***** END OF FILE ***** END OF FILE ***** END OF FILE ***** END OF FILE *****