EQUITY IN PROFESSIONAL PERIODICAL CIRCULATION

[Paula Neale <mohmie@COOP.CRN.GEN.MO.US>]

Dear Netters,
My last question may have pushed at the boundaries of the purpose of this
list, but this one is strictly a library question.
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At the request of several staff members, I subscribe to several magazines
such as Copycat, Mailbox and Teacher's Helper.  Until this year we used
to put these in the Magazine shelving unit in the Faculty Lounge.  We
have always housed our new issues there under the assumption that this
would increase access and use.  Most back copies are also kept there
except the ones where we keep more than two years worth of issues.  Now
the problem that developed was that the above-mentioned magazines would
disappear as soon as they went on display, never to be seen again or at
least, not for a long time.

So this year, we put a sign in the lounge stating that these 3 should be
requested in the library and we keep them behind the desk.  When someone
wants the current issue, we suggested that it be returned in a day or two
so that others might use it.  We have a copy-machne about 20 feet away,
and most of them could easily find time to copy something they wanted to
use during their student's visit to the library.  However, now what we
have is magazines that no one is using, so I guess that in trying to
promote fairness in access, we have become too restrictive.

The next step I can think of is a route list, but if anyone has a more
creative idea, I'd like to hear it.  And speaking of those same
magazines, what do you do about the posters, learning centers, etc that
come bound inside and are meant to be torn out and used?  They don't do
anyone any good inside, but who would you give them to.  We just don't
have time to process them as a seperate item?

This seems like such a petty, minor thing.  Why is it taking up so much
of my time (sigh!)
Paula Neale
mohmie@coop.crn.gen.mo.us