ebook Call Numbers

[Ranti Junus]

I agree adding a call number on ebooks would help to determine use by
subject and for expenditure assessments. But, how exactly do you work
on figuring out the subject-based expenditure? It is my understanding
the vendor stats do not include specific call number. So, do you (or
somebody in your organization) compare the titles given by the vendors
with your titles in the catalog and then pull out the call number?


thanks,
ranti.


On Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 1:07 PM, Kevil, L H. <KevilL at missouri.edu> wrote:
> IMO the principal reason to add call numbers to ebooks is to be able to
> determine use by subject, just as we do for print books (pbooks.) If ebooks
> did not have call numbers, we would not be able to compare their use with
> the usage data for pbooks. Without those data, we would not know whether our
> expenditures in particular subjects were optimal or even the areas where we
> need more or fewer ebooks. Usage data for ebooks are available from the
> vendors, but the subject categories are typically broad and in any event do
> not have the precision of an LC call number.
>
> Our approval profile is organized by call number or LC classification. As we
> start to receive ebooks via approval, the absence of call numbers would
> introduce an element of complexity in our evaluation of approval
> expenditures.
>
> Perhaps the best way to make the point is this: If you consider a book a
> book, regardless of its format, then there should be a common way to know
> the subjects of all our books. And since we are not going to reclassify our
> stock of books, ebooks need to have the same call numbers as pbooks.
>
>
> L. Hunter Kevil, Ph.D.
> Collection Development Librarian
> University of Missouri Libraries
> kevill at missouri.edu

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2011-11-22