Fiction_L Archives Favorite Author Club Dates: 1/24/00,11:42 AM  through  1/26/00,4:07 PM  (4 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2011-current     2009-2010     2004-2008    1995-2003    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to January 2000 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: "Valerie Maine" <[removed]@nslsilus.ORG>
REC'D: 1/24/00, 11:42 AM

We started our club two years ago and call it the Vernon Preferred Author
Club. We have a list of 121 authors to pick from plus we allow patrons to
add their own favorite authors and we have a total of 173 authors on that
list. Currently we have 293 members. It's been pretty successful. The
only complaint we've had was when one person said she didn't realize she
would be put on hold for ALL the books by that author. The biggest problem
we've had is when publishers republish books by authors in hardback that
previously were only in paperback, like the recent Sandra Brown book In A
Class by Itself. We just have to make the decision to classify these kinds
of books on a book by book basis. But, otherwise it's been a worthwhile
endeavor. Feel free to email me privately if you have any further
questions.

Valerie Maine
Vernon Area Public Library
Lincolnshire, IL 60069

FROM: "Marla" <[removed]@orion.mtgr.mtlib.org>
REC'D: 1/24/00, 1:24 PM

I've been reading with interest the idea of the automatic reserves for
patrons for their favorite authors, etc.

Maybe I'm alittle dense (or a big dense), or missed it in the original
post, but my questions are: How do the records get marked for
reserves; is it a system generated function or manual? How does
the "operator" determine who gets the copy first; how is the patron
list prioritized?

Although I see great advantages and PR, it just looks so labor
intensive to me -- but I'm a dept. of one for fiction, so it probably
would overwhelm me. Thanks. BYE!

Marla/Great Falls Public Library/Acquisitions
301 2nd Ave N
Great Falls, MT 59401-2593
[removed]@orion.mtgr.mtlib.org

FROM: "Terry Beck" <[removed]@sno-isle.org>
REC'D: 1/24/00, 2:49 PM

Hi Marla (and everyone),
Yes, you are right, this is a labor intensive operation, even when you
automate parts of it. When we did it at Roselle Public Library, the
database of patrons (called the 100 Best Selling Authors) was done in MS
Access. Only Roselle Public Library patrons could register for this
service. The authors were chosen, and each year we'd review the list and
edit it as needed. The process got a lot easier when we used Baker &
Taylor's "Automatically Yours" program in conjunction with our 100 Best.
The books came separate from other BT orders, we could get them processed
quickly, and then they were brought to the Reference Librarian who manages
the program. Then we ran a query in MS Access, printed it, and placed the
holds. We shuffled the list so that the person who was first would move to
the end of the line the next time that his or her author published a book.
It usually wasn't time consuming, unless it was "Grisham or Grafton Time."

And the patrons loved the program! And Marcia Bose (now at Rolling Meadows
Library) deserves a lot of credit for making it work so well!

Terry Beck
[removed]@sno-isle.org
Assistant Managing Librarian
Lynnwood Library
Lynnwood, WA


-----Original Message-----
From: Marla [<A [removed]@orion.mtgr.mtlib.org">mailto:marla@orion.mtgr.mtlib.org</A>]
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2000 11:25 AM
To: [removed]@maillist.nslsilus.org
Subject: Favorite Author club -- further question

I've been reading with interest the idea of the automatic reserves for
patrons for their favorite authors, etc.

Maybe I'm alittle dense (or a big dense), or missed it in the original
post, but my questions are: How do the records get marked for
reserves; is it a system generated function or manual? How does
the "operator" determine who gets the copy first; how is the patron
list prioritized?

Although I see great advantages and PR, it just looks so labor
intensive to me -- but I'm a dept. of one for fiction, so it probably
would overwhelm me. Thanks. BYE!

Marla/Great Falls Public Library/Acquisitions
301 2nd Ave N
Great Falls, MT 59401-2593
[removed]@orion.mtgr.mtlib.org

FROM: "Amal Altoma" <[removed]@monroe.lib.in.us>
REC'D: 1/26/00, 4:07 PM

We have such service (almost 2 years) and we named it AUTHOR ALERT.At this
time the service covers 575 authors and 432 patrons. We don't have have
limits on # of authors per patron or a list of authors to select from.

Patrons LOVE it, it helps us with Collection development decisions, and Yes
it is a GOOD PR tool. Yes it takes some time , but then other service do
too. Also, almost %90 of the selection is for fiction titles and holds are
placed RANDOMLY.

If anyone needs more information, please contact me and I will connect
you with the librarian who coordinates this service.

Amal Altoma
Fiction Services
Monroe County Public Library
Bloomington, Indiana

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