From: "Colson, Jeannie" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 14:23:31 +0000

Steve, I appreciate this.

Our setting is like this: when I started 7 or 8 years ago, our
databases were being handled by someone in a public library
consortium, so that we had no branding, no freedom to determine
defaults and so on, so I asked if I could take that on. I've been
handling db admin, negotiating contracts, web services (including
tutorials, designing and maintaining the website), and copyright "go
to person" for the campus.

Only recently did I consider that more and more (in our setting) there
might be a need to merge roles, but there is a serials/gov docs
librarian, and it would be impolitic to suggest taking on her work,
and the reverse would not work for a variety of reasons. Then we had a
<ahem> situation </ahem> where I (as liaison for nursing schools)
researched and made some decisions regarding databases, electronic and
print serials. My decisions saved a lot of money, provided more stuff
for our students, but made our serials jobber very unhappy. And the
"dancing" began. You'd have to see things here to understand how many
steps in that dance. Anyway, I decided in the midst of the dance I
needed to know how others are handling it so I could provide facts
(not just opinions/thoughts/musings) to my director.

I hope to hear from others to help me get a better understanding for
workable options.

~Jeannie


-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Oberg <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, 9 Sep 2013 00:03:19 +0000

My first comment is that I don't think even in "once upon a time" the
distinction was always as clear as you state, between those who
handled databases and those who handled serials.

Second, in my case the answer is yes, those roles are merged, and I am
part of a group that is called Resource Description and Digital
Initiatives that would in other libraries be considered part of tech.
svcs. (an organizational term we no longer use). However, there seems
to be a wide range of approaches libraries choose. Some e-resources
librarians, for example, are on the public services side rather than
in the tech. svcs. side. Some libraries choose to bifurcate
e-resources responsibility between serial e-resources and non-serial.
Then, too, there is the weirdness of having multiple professional
conferences and/or organizations that cover much the same territory
when it comes to electronic resources, not to mention journals,
discussion lists, etc. I personally think serials librarians have a
natural affinity to the work of e-resources since this type of
resource is most like the kinds of things serials librarians have
dealt with for a very long time.

I am teaching a new course on e-resources management this semester
(UIUC GSLIS) and am purposefully not defining this area for my
students, because it is fluid.

Steve

Steve Oberg
Assistant Professor
Electronic Resources and Serials
Buswell Memorial Library
Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL  60187