They provide bibliographic records that can be used for ordering and cataloging. The provision of a bibliographic record at the time of ordering has resulted in some staff realignment and mergers of cataloging and acquisitions. Automation has assisted in claiming in that claims can be generated in the local system. Monographic claims sometimes fall by the wayside as serial claiming is seen as a higher priority. This may occur because publishers don t respond to claims, vendors say the orders were never received, and vendors are ambiguous as to whether an item can be provided.
Vendors vary in their ability to keep up with the capabilities of an individual library s system.
Automation has streamlined the ordering process. Recorders were Rachel Wadham and Colleen Hansen. Participants agreed that roles and relationships within Technical Services and with other library units have been changing. Some changes include mergers of units and reassignment of tasks. An early change was the merging of acquisitions and cataloging.