Procedures for Acquiring and Processing Electronic Resources

Procedures for Acquiring and Processing Electronic Resources

Reviewed/Approved by Dean's Council June 6, 2000,

Purpose: As more of the Libraries' resources become available in electronic format, it is important that appropriate cataloging and documentation be provided to ensure complete access and ability to track these items. The purpose of the following procedures is to outline procedures and assign responsibilities for handling electronic resources.

Title Recommendations and Responsibilities

Final responsibility for recommending titles in electronic format rests with the subject coordinators, the selectors, the Head of Reference Services of the LSU Libraries, and the Heads of other Departments, Branches and Units of the Libraries. The criteria and guidelines for acquiring and providing access to electronic resources are set out in LPM 7. Anyone making recommendations for acquisition of titles in electronic format should follow the criteria and guidelines outlined in LPM 7.

It is the responsibility of staff who select electronic library materials to monitor all relevant reviewing sources to determine the availability of titles in electronic format. (One important source is the publisher's Web page, which identifies new titles or changes in electronic format. Elsevier, for example, does not notify customers who are registered for online access to electronic journals when new titles are added to their Web page. ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) gives subscribers a "calendar" but will not notify them personally when new titles are added to their electronic journals page.)

Periodically, selectors should review the electronic sites they have recommended or that are available in their disciplines to determine whether changes have occurred. If there are changes, they should be reported to the appropriate department head for correction as outlined in these procedures.

When publishers contact library staff to advise them of new titles available in electronic format, staff will confer with the appropriate selector, coordinators, and/or Associate Dean to obtain a decision.

Procedures

I. Acquisition of New Titles

A. Requests

1. Requests for new titles for e-journals, databases, and other electronic media may be made by selectors, Head of Reference Services, and Collection Development (CD) managers.

2. Requestor should complete the form from LPM 7.

B. Ordering

1. Once the completed and signed form from LPM 7 is sent to Serials or CD/Acquisitions for order and retention of the form, staff will verify the information to ensure accuracy.

2. Information to be validated includes:

a. Status - whether the e-journal or database comes free with paper subscription;

b. Charge - if charged, the appropriate fund code, funding information, etc.

c. Licensing agreements -- a copy of the terms and conditions.

3. Staff then register the order online, by phone, or fax recording this action and date:

a. Registration requires the name of institution, address, IP addresses (if applicable), etc.

b. Two names will be provided as contacts:

i. An "account manager" -- Head of Serials or CD/Acquisitions

ii. A technical contact -- Electronic Reference Services Librarian or the LAN Administrator.

II. Processing New Titles

A. NOTIS Responsibilities

1. Once registered, access and/or availability is determined by one of the following:

a. Head of Serials or CD/Acquisitions

b. Electronics Reference Librarian

2. Staff enter the following information in NOTIS:

a. When a print record is available in NOTIS, staff add an additional copy holdings statement for the e-journal or database;

b. The appropriate copy holdings are located and the location is added (i.e., midl,inet);

c. An OPR for general notes applicable to the title is created.

B. Staff to be Notified and Remaining Tasks to be Completed

1. Title/information for cataloging and the URL are forwarded to the Head of Original Cataloging or Database Management (See Guidelines on Single vs Separate Records Decisions);

2. A link is added to the Web Page, (the Electronic Journal Page and/or the Index and Database Page) by the Electronics Reference Librarian.

3. CD/Acquisitions is notified to add the license agreement to the Collection Services License Agreements Web page. (Note: This is a restricted site that can only be accessed by permission of the Serials department head; this is required by some vendors.)

4. The appropriate Head (Head of Serials or CD/Acquisitions) will notify the individual who recommended the title.

III. Maintaining Cataloging Records

A. Aggregated Databases

1. Database Management is responsible for updating, title changes, URL changes, changes in holdings;

2. 2. Reference Librarians, Electronic Reference Service staff, Selectors, Serials, CD/Acquisitions, and/or anyone who notices changes to titles or errors in aggregated databases should complete the E-Journal Link Problem Report Form (see attached).

B. Other Electronic Titles

1. Serials, CD/Acquisitions , Selectors, Reference, or other staff, should notify Database Management of other changes, (e.g.,changes in access-- free to everyone, access limited to campus, etc.; URL change, etc. )

IV. Cancellations/Withdrawals

A. Cancellations

1. When a subscription to an e-journal or database is canceled, Serials or CD/Acquisitions will notify the following units:

a. Database Management to withdraw the electronic copy;

b. Electronic Reference Services to remove all Web page links.

B. Notifications and Final Activities

1. When a CD-ROM title is withdrawn/canceled, the following notifications must occur:

a. The Reference or LAN Administrator (if CD-ROM on LAN) sends the CD-ROM to Database Management to be withdrawn; (the title or the piece, both?)

b. If Reference wishes to retain the piece and is permitted to do so by licensing agreements, Reference notifies Serials.

2. If the piece can be retained, Serials cancels the subscription and the closes the holdings record with the beginning and ending dates for the CD-ROM.