Tracking Not Yet Published Material: Using the Bibliographic Record the Smart Way

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Rosann V. Bazirjian (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: In July 2001, the Pennsylvania State University Libraries stopped placing purchase orders for materials that were deemed not yet published or available. It was important that our carry-over encumbrances not be too high since that would impact the Libraries' purchasing power for the following year. In addition, it was felt that the collections budget should be spent on titles that are readily available, rather than tied up in materials that may not be published for one to two or even five more years. In should be noted that Penn State's fiscal cycle runs July 1 to June 30, at which time State appropriated funds should be fully expended. Any outstanding orders for library materials are then applied against the new year budget(s). For the first year of implementation of this new policy, manual files that were reviewed at specified intervals, were kept of all titles not yet published. This was a time-consuming and tedious process. In an effort to make this process much more efficient, and to take advantage of our new library management system's capabilities, our Budget Coordinator worked with a group of individuals' in Acquisitions Services to develop a procedure that was not only automated, but would allow selectors to gain up to the minute information on not yet published requests via the Web with a WebCat (public catalog) view of their titles.

Additional Information

Publication
Against the Grain 15(1): 42-47 (February 2003)
Language: English
Date: 2003
Keywords
Encumbrances, Pennsylvania State University, Purchase orders

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