Re: Expected dates vs. actual dates received in Milser

[Sharon Wieczorek <swieczorek@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Dianne,

Your question has valid points but the expected dates are only calculated on the
last issue received and the predicted time period between issues that you entered
into each title. If you have extrapolated at least six months in advance, you won't
have a problem with claiming dates being used for future dates unless it is the
last issue before you have extrapolated your predictions. Extrapolation will set up
your predictions according to the last issues you have in the computer but it only
uses the last received date to calculate future receiving dates. When a title
changes periodicity over the year, the computer cannot calculate receiving dates
with any accuracy and they have to be adjusted manually.

With that said I believe the perfect checkin system would have a box saying that
this issue is expected on this date and also will show the claim date as a separate
item. Ex: Expected 00-00-0000/Claimed 00-00-0000.

Hope this helps.

Sharon Wieczorek
Serials Supervisor
Mercyhurst College
Hammermill Library
Erie, PA 16546

Dianne Schaefer wrote:

> Good morning,
>
> Please excuse any duplication as this message was previously posted to
> the Innovative law list but as I have not received any comments, I am
> sending it to a larger audience. The reason that this was originally
> just sent to the law list is that the topic would appear to be more
> relevant to law materials, but we would appreciate any comments.
>
> We are interested in hearing how other libraries handle the following
> situation in Milser (we are on Release 2002, Phase2). We would like to
> find a way to save the original expected dates in serial checkin cards
> to have for future reference. Presently the system replaces the expected
> date with claimed, late, or arrived dates, and then the original
> expected date is lost.
>
> The reasoning behind this desire to save the expected date is that it is
> not possible to distinguish between those items that arrived later than
> expected because of claiming from those that arrived later than expected
> because of a change in the publisher's schedule. This then causes
> difficulty when predicting when future issues should arrive.
>
> Various options considered include adding the information to the note
> field in the checkin box, but this is visible to patrons; to the message
> field in the checkin record that pops up when viewing the card, but this
> could get lengthy and difficult to decifer; or to create internal
> note(s) in the checkin record, but that requires moving back and forth
> between the card and record tabs and has the same problems as the
> message field in terms of length and difficulty in locating the relevant
> information.
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Dianne
>
> --
> Dianne Schaefer
> Systems Librarian
> Social Law Library
> 1200 Court House
> Boston, MA  02108
> Phone: (617) 226-1318
> Fax:   (617) 523-2458
> Email: dschaefer@xxxxxxxxxx
>
> --
> This message was distributed through the Innovative Users Group INNOPAC list
> Public replies:  INNOPAC@xxxxxxxxxx
> Update your subscription options: http://innopacusers.org/list/listinfo/innopac