Although print catalogs could be utilized more often, these often seem to be less useful than the corresponding Internet sites. Usually, publishers provide more information on their web sites than they do in their print catalogs. As the arrival of print catalogs rarely matches the acquisitions department's deadlines for collection development, publishers' web sites can be more efficient at finding information about recent publications. Publishers' web sites can also be more effective at verifying suggested titles. Furthermore, publishers' web sites can at times be easier to utilize than print catalogs.
Librarians can access the sites during slow moments at the reference desk.
This accessibility is extremely helpful, because I often discover gaps in the reference collection when assisting patrons. If time allows after discovering such gaps, I tend to search for the needed materials at publishers' web sites and print out the information about the materials while at the reference desk. Using publishers' web sites at the desk during slow moments also allows me to work on collection development activities without carrying catalogs. Publishers' web sites can also be helpful when updating materials being weeded from the collection. The software used for Books in Print in the library does not allow us to limit by publisher.