ABSTRACT

My motivation for this case study of comparative print and electronic processing dates back to 2004. Two small groups were charged with identifying my library’s optimal course into digital future. A colleague who interviewed me about the Acquisitions Department asked me what staffs were doing in the free time created by the shift from print to electronic journals (e-journals). My initial answer was a sputter, but I did compose myself enough to point out that print receipts were actually up since 2001, while full-time equivalent (FTE) staffing was down. To my later regret, I neglected to point out that we had continued to maintain twenty-four-hour turnaround time for print receipts. We had also improved service by retaining selected mailing labels, converting Hebrew serials to online check-in, and absorbing Arabic serial receipts and converting them to online. At the same time, it was true that electronic content was being added to the collection, and that this flow had staffing implications as well. With this case study, I will examine the extent of changes in throughput and staffing and how we have coped. I selected the five years from 2001 through 2005 based largely on the availability of statistics, although those years were also a period of dynamic change.