CDL-Quality of Indexing (Response)

[Original posting on this topic is reproduced below; the response follows it.]

From: Selene Hinojosa <gh14_at_swt.edu>

My institution is seriously considering switching or dropping some of our 
database subscriptions in favor of a massive serial supplier's 
products.  When they said they were "picking" up other well known 
databases, after some inquiry, they admitted that they had included all the 
journals covered by those better known databases, but that they had not 
purchased the indexing.  Meaning that this major serial supplier was doing 
their own indexing.  Once word got out to our state consortia which this 
company was "courting" actively to buy their products, which were much 
cheaper than the "original" database, they started sending messages that 
they were "improving" their indexing and search options.   I do not know if 
this is true and to what extent they have "improved."

My issue is, the reference dept. is seriously considering switching a major 
and well known Biology index to the serial supplier's product.  My 
university has a new Ph.D. program in Aquatic Resources and this is the 
only MAJOR database we have at the moment that covers the field.  I feel 
that switching to a "one size fits all" and cheaper product is not what is 
needed for a Ph.D. program.  In addition, I think it is going to be 
difficult to prove to the dept. faculty that the new resource is "adequate" 
for research at that level.  I sincerely believe that the quality of the 
indexing is an issue at graduate research levels, but how do I convince 
them?  We don't have the new product yet, so I can't do comparison 
searches.  Does anyone have any information or similar situations that can 
help me make the case?

Thanks,
Selene Hinojosa
Gloria Selene Hinojosa
Collection Development Librarian
Alkek Library
Texas State University, San Marcos

(1) From: "Linwood DeLong" <linwood.delong_at_uwinnipeg.ca>

My experience, expressed in a paper that I hope will be published soon,
is that quality of indexing is very important, and that it varies
considerably among different databases, as does the quality control in
terms of actual coverage of ALL of the articles in a journal and the
inclusion of the correct bibliographical information.

For any scholarly field of endeavour, I would be very suspicious of
indexing that it is not carried out by a scholarly institution or
organization, according to a well  thought out list of subject terms and
careful quality control.

Linwood DeLong
Reference Coordinator
University of Winnipeg Library
515 Portage Ave.
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
R3B 2E9
Ph. (204) 786-9124
FAX (204) 786-1824
e-mail:  linwood.delong_at_uwinnipeg.ca