ACQNET v2n065 (June 15, 1992) URL = http://www.infomotions.com/serials/acqnet/acq-v2n065 ISSN: 1057-5308 *************** ACQNET, Vol. 2, No. 65, June 15, 1992 ===================================== (1) FROM: Christian SUBJECT: Who's new on ACQNET today (18 lines) (2) FROM: Christian SUBJECT: ACQNET to cease for five weeks (19 lines) (3) FROM: Christian SUBJECT: ALA meetings in San Francisco (11 lines) (4) FROM: Scott Smith SUBJECT: Electronic ordering (40 lines) (5) FROM: Adrian Alexander SUBJECT: Acquisina? (13 lines) (6) FROM: Richard Jasper SUBJECT: Telemarketing (62 lines) (1) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: June 15, 1992 From: Christian Subject: Who's new on ACQNET today Anne-Marie Emili Supervisor, Monograph Acquisitions McGill University Libraries E-mail: CXCU@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA Susan K. Beidler Collection Management Services Librarian Lycoming College Library E-mail: BEIDLER@SHRSYS.HSLC.ORG Robert W. Boissy EDI Specialist The Faxon Company E-mail: BOISSY@FAXON.COM (2) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 15 Jun 92 19:50:55 EDT From: Christian Subject: ACQNET to cease for five weeks Last year I was able to secure a temporary editor to keep ACQNET going while I went to ALA and on vacation. No such luck this year. So, on Thursday June 18, I will send the last issue for five weeks. I'm leaving on Friday for San Francisco (yes, driving) where I will be until the 2nd of July. Then it's on to Wyoming for a week, including some hot and heavy ruminating about acquisi- tions librarianship with that Big Horn River guru Gael Larr. (For the uniniti- ated, see the Challenge to the Profession (CHALLNGE.POS) background file.) Then back to Ithaca by way of the Dakotas so that I can take a good look at the Missouri River which has always fascinated me. While I am away, you may keep sending files until my disk crashes, but you will not get answers. Requests for new subscriptions will be answered with a message advising the requesters to try later. Expect the first issue after I'm back between the 20th and 22nd of July. (3) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 15 Jun 92 20:05:09 EDT From: Christian Subject: ALA meetings in San Francisco I am holding a number of announcements for meetings to be held during the ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco. I will send them all in one issue on Thursday June 18. If you want to get an announcement listed in ACQNET, please send it in to me by 6 p.m. (EST) on the 18th. Announcements received after that time will not be re-transmitted. (4) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 14 Jun 92 12:38:11 GMT From: Scott Alan Smith (Blackwell's) Subject: Electronic ordering The following is in response to Ann Palomo's comment in the June 3rd issue: I can't speak for all materials vendors, but I think it's safe to say that most domestic bookdealers and serials agents are not only receptive to establishing electronic ordering capabilities with systems vendors (and electronic claiming, invoicing, etc.) but are in fact working to develop interfaces to as many of the systems vendors who are active in their markets and willing to devote some of their resources to such projects. Again, I think it's safe to say that most materials vendors endorse the existing and emerging standards, and support widespread use of these standards for precisely the reasons they're developed: to eliminate the need to create application-specific interfaces with each and every user. Use of one standard for electronic ordering, be it with system A, B, C, etc. is obviously much more attractive to us. However, we can only do so much when it comes to convincing the systems vendors to develop their side of the link. I don't mean to pass the buck off on "the systems vendors" and suggest they're lagging behind - I just want to make the points that (a) for many of them the acquisitions and serials modules are younger and, in many cases, still under development, so it's a matter of their simply not having gotten around to some of the features you want, i.e. elec- tronic ordering. This isn't surprising, either, because other aspects of their system will be internally defined, but electronic interfaces with materials vendors will require work with external data processing departments, with needs & wants outside the scope of the system's vendors priorities; and (b) the need (or demand) for these links must originate with the systems vendor's client - the library. In fact we're seeing more and more RFIs and RFPs specifying interface capabilities, and there are several systems vendors who have recog- nized the competitive benefits of offering these capabilities - but you have far more power with the systems vendors than we do. Finally, if your current system doesn't interact with a materials vendor you want to interact with via the system, I suggest you arrange a meeting with representatives of both companies to submit a list of the features you'd like to see, and to express the degree of your interest. (5) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 14 Jun 1992 19:35:55 -0400 (EDT) From: Adrian Alexander (Faxon) Subject: Acquisina correction As the person who was honored to read at Feather River the anonymous report to the chosen of the appearance of the goddess of acquisitions at our gathering, I feel obliged to point out that the correct spelling of the deity's name is Acquisina, not "Acquizina", and most certainly not "Aquizeema" (sounds like a skin cream). As to whether the deity bears a resemblance to someone pictured in the latest edition of ALA Books, I can neither confirm not deny that assertion, but ask yourselves this: Why would She want to? [My wife says we're all ready for a vacation, every single one of us. C.] (6) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 15 Jun 92 19:48:05 EDT From: Richard Jasper (Emory) Subject: Telemarketing An anecdote on telemarketers: Recently a telemarketer for a well-known publisher of reference materials calls our head of Reference to ask whether we have the 1992 edition of a particular title? "Yoicks," our ever vigilant reference librarian replies, "it doesn't appear that we have anything later than 1989 for this outstanding reference work. I'll get on it immediately..." And so the intrepid reference librarian does, reserving a copy with said publisher, and hurrying off to a collection management coordinator, who agrees to send through an order request for the title (a serial) on the continuations fund (it doesn't have to go through committee that way, of course). Days pass... Next the telemarketer gives me a call, wanting to know what p.o. number we want to give the copy he's holding, breathlessly awaiting our formal request. "Well, gee, I don't know," I, the ever-addled acquisitions librarian reply. "I haven't seen an order request for this title. I'll have to check, make sure it gets into our ordering system, and then give you a call back. Hopefully today, but it may be tomorrow." Telemarketer, of course, is ever so gracious--just don't tarry too long. And so one checks and finds out that... (1) Gee, we actually already have this title set up in SC-10, our online serials system. (2) Hmm, we haven't received anything since 1989 and, well, no, the sub doesn't appear to be with our agent but directly with the pub. (3) Ah ha, yes, the old manual serials payment file shows that we did have a subscription for this title direct with publisher and, oh ho, in 1982 when we tried to switch it to our subscription agent we found that it was an "apply direct" title. (4) Well, well, well. (5) Can our subscription agent handle now? Why yes indeed! (6) Next day: Serials Receiving Unit supervisor calls telemarketer to point out we consider our SUBSCRIPTION, not firm order, with them for this title to have lapsed in 1989. We will now obtain through our subscription agent as per s.o.p. (standard operating procedure). (7) Telemarketer talks until he is blue in the face. Serials Receiving Unit supervisor calmly buffs nails. (8) "Why, yes," Serials Receiving Unit supervisor, paragon of unflappability says when telemarketer finally winds down, "we'll be SURE to call you if we have any trouble getting this title through our subscription agent." (9) Telemarketer once again wonders why he puts up with this crapola (Ques- tion: This word is permitted in ACQNET, Christian? [Yes. C.]) for $4.50 an hour but appreciates fact that would be customer doesn't hold it against him that he's just trying to do a job in order to feed himself and his large pet iguana. (10)Acquisitions librarian pulls out Lecture # 187 to send along to ever-vigi- lant reference librarian, w/copies & lecture # 192 to every-agreeable collection management coordinator. Telemarketingly yours... ******* END OF FILE ****** ACQNET, Vol. 2, No. 65 ****** END OF FILE *******