Mary C. Grenci

Starting with an Empty Map: Benchmarking Time and Costs for Serials Operations

SUMMARY Nancy Slight-Gibney and Mary Grenci from the University of Oregon Libraries presented the results of a time/cost study conducted during 2002 to measure resource utilization associated with all aspects of technical services operations performed in the University of Oregon Libraries Acquisition and Catalog Departments. This workshop focused on the data gathered regarding serials operations across the departments. The overall goal of the study was to provide a solid research foundation that could be used to support process and budgetary decisions that would best support the mission of the Libraries. The workshop concluded with an audience participation discussion regarding possible interpretations of the research results.

The impact of Web publishing on the organization of cataloging functions

Cataloging rules have long been organized according to the physical format and monograph versus serial nature of publications. This organization of the rules has resulted in the rise of several typical organizational models that make these same delineations. Web publishing is having a profound effect on both the nature of publications and the number of electronic resources being published and selected for inclusion in library catalogs, and is causing a major shift in the type of materials finding their way into cataloging workflows. Institutions that organize their cataloging functions according to one of the traditional models are finding themselves increasingly unable to meet the demands being placed upon them in this new environment. Traditional models of organization can, and must, be modified to successfully deal with this problem.