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


On Sep 8, 2013, at 4:02 PM, LIBLICENSE <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

From: "Colson, Jeannie" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2013 16:10:18 +0000

Colleagues, how is it happening at your institutions? Once upon a
time, serials were (largely) print and databases were electronic, and
different librarians handled the tasks. I’ve had reason to wonder over
the past few months whether that has changed. So many of us subscribe
to e-journal packages…who manages them – serials or electronic
resources, or are those roles now merged?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jeannie Colson
Campus Copyright Advisor/Dist. Ed. Librarian
[log in to unmask]
Lee College
Baytown, TX 77522-0818