The purpose of this newsletter is to provide summary information about activities
in the three divisions of Technical Service that may be of interest to the library
staff. The newsletter will be issued irregularly via NjP-L, the Library list
serve, and archived accessible from a link on the Technical Services web page:
http://infoshare1.princeton.edu/tech/hptsd.html
In this issue:
Catalog Division
Cat. Div. recently re-organized to combine electronic resource cataloging into a single unit. On April 1, 2004, the unit welcomed Jennifer Lang as our first Electronic Resources Cataloger.
Electronic Resources Cataloging Committee (ERCC):An internal Catalog Division
committee was recently established to develop policy and documentation for processing
electronic materials. The group has established a section in the online documentation
to post the results of their work.
http://infoshare1.princeton.edu/katmandu/electronic/electronic.html
Cataloging web pages and printouts from same: Policies for cataloging web pages and printouts of web material are in flux. The existing policy for cataloging web pages requires that pages be "officially selected", and typically includes only paid orders. Cataloging printouts of documents from the web had been on hold until we investigated copyright compliance implications. Recent discussion with University Counsel's Office has provided us with guidelines to allow us to begin to move forward with this. As a result of discussion at a recent meeting of TS managers with PSCD, Joyce Bell was appointed to form an inter-departmental working group to draft a policy on cataloging free web sites. Contact Joyce Bell, joyceb@princeton.edu if you have questions.
Recon: Staff in Catalog Division are increasing efforts to catalog the last of the unconverted records remaining after the OCLC recon project was completed in 2000.
ReCAP transfers: In order to make space for the temporary quarters of the Geosciences
Library in part of the Fine Hall Annex Catalog Division staff has been working
to transfer a large number of volumes from Fine to ReCAP. As of the end of March
about 20,000 volumes have been transferred, and work is continuing.
Circulation Division
Firestone stack shifts: Shifting on the 3rd floor and B-floor is ongoing, but
the pace has slowed while Shelving staff were diverted for an emergency shifting
project in Fine Annex. In order to shelve about 3000 overflow books in the Hs
and Ps staff have shifted nearly 1,100,000 volumes.
Fine Hall Annex: Some 70,000 volumes from Fine Annex have been moved to ReCAP
and the entire remainder of the collection has been shifted. The administration
of Fine Annex has now been transferred from Circulation Division to the Patty
Gaspari-Bridges and the administrative staff of the science libraries.
Order Division
The Acquisitions Advisory Group hosted a drop in session in the Electronic Classroom
on March 15. Dubbed "ask acq" this session focused on serial cancellation
questions and problems. The success of this session has led us to begin to plan
additional sessions, perhaps monthly, focusing on various issues.
Policies on the web: Order Division has posted a policy statement and calendar
pertaining to subscription cancellations on the Order Division web page.
http://infoshare1.princeton.edu/order/policies/policy_list.html
Firm order cancellations: cancellation requests based on the "Commitments Jan04" report are being processed. Selectors will be notified as their lists are completed. Any selector who has not yet submitted firm order cancellation requests to clear old commitments and wishes to do so should contact Carol Fagundus, fagundus@princeton.edu for suggestions on the most efficient way to submit them.
Production and Statistics
Order Division
Current turnaround time for general order placement is approximately eight weeks
from date of submission for full search requests and about two weeks for "search
and order requests." See the Order Division web page for a full definition
of search and order: http://infoshare1.princeton.edu/order/searching/srchordgdln.html
Monograph and standing order receipts have about a three-week turnaround from
receipt of package to check in of material. This reflects an increase in incoming
mail and an increase in staff vacancies and disabilities.
Periodical receipts are current within two days of arrival.
Invoice processing is current within three weeks of receipt in the unit. Binding
and Labeling both are current within the week. Returns from the commercial binder
are up-to-date with the usual two weeks turnaround.
Catalog Division
SA material held in Firestone while Marquand was under construction has been
reduced by an additional 28% in the last quarter. Newly received material for
SA is held in Marquand.
The Roman alphabet hold is at its lowest point in over three years.
Links to the Firestone hold statistics are available at http://infoshare1.Princeton.EDU/katmandu/holds/holdrom.html
For further statistical information on production see the Technical Services web page: http://infoshare1.princeton.edu/tech/stats.html
(Submitted by Katharine Farrell)