Surveying SERHOLD Libraries

by Heidi Sandstrom

This past June, NLM provided information to our Region about the next generation of SERHOLD and asked Region 7 SERHOLD participants to respond to a brief survey about features being considered for this new SERHOLD system. PSRML sent a request for feedback on this survey through our Regional listserv. Although the response rate was low, your opinions and comments were very valuable and were forwarded to NLM in July. Here is a brief summary of Region 7 responses:

• Most libraries plan to submit and maintain their own holdings online with the implementation of the new system.
• Libraries indicated, by a small margin, that they would be interested in maintaining holdings statements that include "issue" information in addition to "volume" information.
• Most respondents indicated a continuing need for union list products, and liked NLM's proposal to establish a Web site, updat-ed annually, where SERHOLD coordinators can get union lists via ftp. Individual member libraries would like an annual listing of their holdings for update purposes and would like product output in ASCII format. Many librarians still prefer the convenience of using printed union lists.
• Most libraries do not have a need to record their own call number along with their holdings.

NLM will share all of the responses to this national survey after they have been compiled and are available. Thank you to those of you in our Region who responded. We all have a lot to gain by making SERHOLD the best it can be!

Latitudes, September/October, 1998 -- Vol. 7, Number 5