ABA Statistics (Innovative Users' Meeting)

From: Patricia Callahan (pcallaha@oyez.law.upenn.edu)
Date: 04/07/95


To: ALL LAW LIBRARIANS WHO PLAN TO ATTEND THE INNOVATIVE USERS'
     GROUP MEETING IN APRIL (and anyone else interested in the topic listed
below)

From: Christine Dulaney, Catholic University Law Library
     Pat Callahan, University of Pennsylvania Law Library

Re: ABA STATISTICS AND INNOPAC

In April 1994, many of the law librarians who attended the Innovative Users'
Meeting in Columbus participated in a discussion group. At that meeting, the
topic of retrieving information for the ABA statistics was discussed. It was
suggested that everyone bring information about they code relevant fields on
their systems for the purposes of retrieving information for the ABA
statistics to a future meeting. It was also suggested that we tell Innovative
what kinds of enhancements, etc. they might be able to provide for us that
would make retrieving information for the ABA statistics easier. Their staff
has indicated a willingness to help if we tell them what we need.

There will be time at the law librarians' discussion group (Monday, April 24
from 9:25 to 10:50) at this year's users' meeting In Oakland to talk about the
ABA statistics again. This time we would like to be able to provide
Innovative and each other with some concrete information about
what we need to do, how we do things now and what might make counting for ABA
statistics easier for us in the future.

Celeste Feather, Chair of the Innovative Law Users' Group, has asked us to
coordinate the discussion. But, we need your feedback! We've listed some of
the relevant questions below with some comments about what we and other people
might find problematic when it comes to extracting data from our Innopac
systems.

Please think about all of this before the meeting in April and come prepared
with questions and suggestions. Or, better yet, solutions that others might
benefit from! If you would like to send us anything before the meeting,
please feel free to contact us at:

     Christine Dulaney
          dulaney@law.cua.edu
          (202) 219-5547

     Pat Callahan
          pcallaha@oyez.law.upenn.edu
          (215) 898-0230


1. Amount spent on serial subscriptions
     Do you find that this is relatively easy to do using the Group Funds
            feature?
     Or, depending on how your funds and other codes are set up, do you have
            to do a fairly complicated Boolean search
     Do you do a Boolean search on the status code for serials and the Paid
            Date field?
                                 
2. Amount spent on acquisition of other library information resources (books,
non-serial microforms, audio-visual, CD-ROM not reported in question above
(44) and other formats), last fiscal year
     Same questions as in #1

3. Amount spent on binding and rebinding
     Have a separate fund group for binding if you are able to set your funds
            up this way
     If your funds aren't set up this way, have a separate record for binding
     How do you handle this question if you don't always use the same fund to
          make binding payments?

4. Number of active serial suibscriptions
     Current check-in record for each title can be coded, but this presupposes
          that the code will be deleted when a new check-in record is created
          and the old one isn't deleted. It also presupposes that staff will
            remember to put the code in only one check-in record per title.
      Is there any way to have the system count the number of copies from the
      check-in record?
     Do you have a way to keep track of title changes, merges, etc. so as not
      to double-count or undercount?
     Any other suggestions?

5. Number of active serial titles
      Can this be done any way but a version of the above, counting only
          one copy?
     
______________________________________________________________
Can we assume that volumes added and titles added refers only to those that
have been processed, not those that have been ordered?

6. Volumes (excluding microforms) added/withdrawn during fiscal year, held at
end of fiscal year
     Could keep track of adds by doing a search on item record creation date -
      doesn't work if you are involved in a barcoding project
     Can create a code in the item record that is used for all new volumes
     Has anyone found a way to count withdrawn volumes and titles on the
            system?

7. Microfilm reels/volume equivalent of microfilm reels
     For these and other non-book formats, has anyone found a way to count
      them on Innopac if you are not barcoding each piece?
     Is there a counting feature in the check-in record that Innovative could
            add if libraries input the number of fiche, etc. received when it
            was checked in?

8. Microfiche/ volume equivalent of microfiche (microfiche / 6)
     Same as #7

9. Titles (excluding non-book titles) added/ withdrawn/held
     Search on cat date
          This presupposes that no recon or recatloging is being done
          Would also need a material type for microforms
          Use a BCODE for new cataloging?
     Any other suggestions for this?

10. Microform titles
     Would it be necessary to have a material type or other code for
      microforms in order to count them? Has anyone found another way to
      count?
     
11. Other non-book titles
     Search on material type and cat date?
     Any other suggestions?
          
12. Number of CD-ROM disks held
     Same as #11
     
 



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