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