NASIG Newsletter

22nd CONFERENCE
TACTICS SESSION 

Little Things Mean a Lot
Bob Pershing, University of Pennsylvania Library; Eve Davis, EBSCO Information Services; David Horwitz, SAGE Publications
Reported by Susan Markley

Bob Persing, Eve Davis, and David Horwitz represented the various constituents in the publishing game.  They each presented some of the common annoyances they face each day which in turn have a cumulative impact on their daily activities and workload.  Although these minor complaints are often rather humorous, they do increase stress and workflow problems for all involved.

One of the “small” issues that libraries face include postal regulations for bulk mailings which limit the number of characters on the mailing label so items continually are sent to the wrong location.  Added to this annoyance are postal charges not included in the publication price so the journal is not even sent to the library.  Then there are hidden fees bundled into the journal’s actual cost, making it difficult to determine the service charge.  Another nuisance mentioned was the small notification postcards sent by fulfillment centers that extend your subscription one month when claims are placed. In addition, unanswered claims are always a major concern.  Libraries often have a real problem with the numbering system of many journals that follow no logical arrangement or units, making check-in and claiming very problematic.

Publishers and vendors complain that university accounts payable and procurement departments are often rigid about exact payment and about receiving e-mails instead of written letters.  Publishers often find that their automated or bulk e-mails to libraries end up in university spam files.  Universities often use confusing acronyms for their buildings or libraries, making it difficult for the publishers to recognize who is actually subscribing to the journal.  Publishers have problems with libraries that claim too soon or too often, not allowing time for the problem to be resolved.  They also find libraries try to circumvent publisher policies by trying to cancel requested titles after the subscription has already begun.

Vendors have problems with fulfillment houses that start subscriptions immediately after the order is received rather than waiting until the start of the year and volume.  There is also the problem of renewals or invoices sent after the cancellation period has ended.

In the new electronic serial world, additional problems have emerged, such as registration and activation headaches.  Why is there a need to re-register year after year and why can’t vendors register for the library?  In addition, automated e-mail responses from publishers that don’t include your initial question rank high on the list of petty annoyances.

The session concluded with this piece of advice: you can make a difference by complaining loud and clear.  Publishers do listen if enough people complain.  This was truly an excellent suggestion for an enjoyable presentation.