ALCTS Network News v8n04 (September 1, 1994) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/ann/ann-v8n04 ISSN: 1056-6694 ALCTS NETWORK NEWS An electronic publication of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services Volume 8, Number 4 September 1, 1994 In this issue 1994 ALCTS WORST SERIAL TITLE CHANGE OF THE YEAR AWARDS ALCTS NEWSLETTER DEADLINES APPROACHING NEW LISTSERV FOR ALA PROGRAM PLANNERS ALCTS REPRESENTED ON TASK FORCE STUDYING CERTIFICATION BARSCHALL-GORDON AND BREACH FOLLOW-UP ************************************************************************** 1994 ALCTS WORST SERIAL TITLE CHANGE OF THE YEAR AWARDS The 1994 ALCTS Worst Serial Title Change of the Year Awards were announced at the President's Program and Membership Meeting in Miami Beach: 1. The Here's Looking at You Award, is presented to the _Journal of Refractive and Corneal Surgery_, for changing from the _Journal of Refractive Surgery_, and _Refractive and Corneal Surgery_; and then combining the two into the current title. This title has left many medical librarians searching for a pair of trifocals. 2. While here in Miami Beach on the beautiful Atlantic Ocean, we can not neglect to award _Atlantic Monthly_ with an honorary "greased pig," for their inability to get a handle on their title. Like many of us traveling back and forth between Miami and the Beach (on seemingly month-long journeys) _Atlantic Monthly_ has dropped "monthly" twice in its long history, for a total of five title changes. We're hoping that they don't move to San Francisco -- we'd hate to see what they'd do with the Pacific. 3. Two journals have the honor of sharing an award this year. _Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine_ -- formerly _American Journal of Diseases of Children_, and _Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing_ -- formerly _Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing_ are hereby awarded the Give the Kids a Chance Award (aka: Give the Librarians a Chance Award). 4. We would like to honor the Institution of Electrical Engineers for 11 separate title changes during 1994. Unfortunately, we are sure they will continue shocking us with future changes. 5. The Students Choice Award is presented to the student newspaper at Louisiana State University. The title began as _The Almagest_, changed to _The Sentinel_ -- from November-April 1994, and after a student poll, changed back to _The Almagest_ in April 1994. So who says we're the only ones that care about title changes? 6. The Incredible Shrinking Title Award, is bestowed on _Public Utilities Reports Fortnightly_, which became _Public Utilities Fortnightly_ and has now been downsized to _Fortnightly_. Anything smaller and it just might disappear entirely. 7. An award of distinction is presented to the _Journal Of Scholarly Publishing_. According to the publisher, and I quote, "Not every change we've introduced will seem an improvement to everyone" (and we agree) "we hope that through the spirit with which _Scholarly Publishing_ was founded will be a constant, connecting the journal's past with its future." Unless of course, you shelve by title, and then never the two shall meet. 8. With the topic of health care leading everyone's agenda, we are proud to present the _PRIDE Institute Journal of Long Term Home Health Care_, which is now known as _The Journal Of Long Term Home Health Care: (subtitle) The PRIDE Institute Journal_. 9. THE WORST SERIAL TITLE CHANGE OF THE YEAR AWARD COMMITTEE'S WARNING: TOO MANY TITLE CHANGES ARE HAZARDOUS TO A SERIAL LIBRARIAN'S HEALTH. In clear violation of this warning the Pennsylvania Department of Health has presented us with _Health Risk Behaviors of Pennsylvania Adults_, _Behavioral Health Risks of Pennsylvania Adults_, _Health Risks of Pennsylvania Adults_, and finally _Behavioral Health Risks of Pennsylvania Adults_. 10. Lest you think all we do is criticize, we want to thank _Advances in Wound Care_ -- formerly _Decubitus_ for healing the wounds of incomprehensible title changes. 11. The Snake in the Grass Award is presented to the _Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery and Information Supply_ -- formerly the _Journal of Interlibrary Loan_ for borrowing bad publication practices and delivering unnecessary title changes. 12. THE WORST SERIAL TITLE CHANGE OF THE YEAR AWARD, is presented to Barron's for returning to its original title after a brief 52 year experiment as _Barron's National Business and Financial Weekly_. After 52 years could't they have waited for a new volume to make the change? ************************************************************************* ALCTS NEWSLETTER DEADLINES APPROACHING Dale Swensen, newly appointed editor of the _ALCTS Newsletter_, has announced deadlines for upcoming issues: Copy should reach him by September 6, 1994, for v.5, no.6 and by October 25, 1994, for v.6, no.1. Send copy to him at 6380 Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602; fax to 801-378-3221; internet to dale_swensen@byu.edu. ************************************************************************* NEW LISTSERV FOR ALA PROGRAM PLANNERS Anyone involved with program planning for ALA conferences is invited to join a new listserv for planners. The purpose of the listserv is to enable program planners to share information about programs *in process*. The kinds of topics of interest will include seeking names of potential speakers, asking advice about formats, seeking co-sponsorships, getting feedback from experienced program planners on issues of concern. While this may be a good opportunity for planners to discuss areas of common concern, the listserv is not a substitute for talking with your program officer about specific programs. Contact Karen Whittlesey (karen. l.whittlesey@ala.org) or Yvonne McLean (yvonne.mclean@ala.org) as you plan your ALCTS programs. To join send this message to listserv@sun.cc.westga.edu subscribe [your name] ala-plan Do not put anything in the subject line, or include your signature file. ALA-PLAN is being moderated to assure strict adherence to its purpose; their should not be any annoying, irrelevant or accidental postings. -- Carol Goodson, ALA-PLAN Listowner and moderator cgoodson@sun.cc.westga.edu ************************************************************************* ALCTS REPRESENTED ON TASK FORCE STUDYING CERTIFICATION Drew Racine is the ALCTS liaison to a task force which the Association of College and Research Libraries has established to examine certification or related mechanisms as a means of conveying to library users, librarians, and future librarians what is expected of members of the library profession. Among the topics that undoubtedly will be discussed is the question of keeping up to date (lifelong learning) as is required in professions like nursing and accounting. The question of how librarians are perceived outside and within the profession is a significant one that has been discussed at great length over the years. One of the major differences between librarianship and most other professions is that librarianship has nothing beyond the MLS to communicate to its public what qualifies one to be a librarian, and to indicate that there is a structure in place that guarantees a certain level of quality to the "customer" of a library. Every division of ALA has been asked to appoint a liaison to this task force, so that its deliberations will represent the thinking of people in libraries beyond academic institutions. ************************************************************************* BARSCHALL-GORDON AND BREACH FOLLOW-UP The _New York Times_, Science Times section, on Tuesday, 16 August 1994, reported that Federal Judge Leonard Sand ruled Monday that Dr. Henry Barschall's articles in _Physics Today_ and in the _Bulletin of the APS_, ranking rival journals by price and value, were constitutionally protected free speech. Judge Sand's ruling states that, "The articles examine an issue of considerable public significance, the dilemma facing scientific libraries that must cope with stagnant budgets and escalating subscription costs..." The fact that the AIP and APS "stood to benefit from publishing Barschall's results -- even if they intended to benefit -- is insufficient by itself to turn the articles into commercial speech." Gordon & Breach and Harwood Academic Publishers contended that the articles were promotional materials cloaked in the guise of academic inquiry and thus constituted misleading advertising. --Susan Nutter ************************************************************************* ************************************************************************* ALCTS NETWORK NEWS (ISSN 1056-6694) is published irregularly by the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, a division of the American Library Association. Editorial offices: ALCTS, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; Robert P. Holley, President; Karen Muller, Executive Director. Editor: Karen Whittlesey (u34261@uicvm); Editorial Advisory Board: Jennifer Younger, Robert P. Holley, David Farrell; Editorial Assistance: Karen Muller ALCTS NETWORK NEWS is available free of charge and is available only in electronic form. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the division. News items should be sent to the editor at the e-mail address above. To subscribe, issue the network command "tell listserv@uicvm sub alcts [your name]." Back issues of AN2 are available through the listserver. To find out what's available, send the following command to LISTSERV@UICVM: send alcts filelist Send questions about membership in ALCTS to the ALCTS Office, alcts.office@ ala.org All materials in the newsletter subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or education advancement. For other reprinting or redistribution or translations, address requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions, 50 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. *************************************************************************