Dear professional colleagues, In response to the messages posted in the forum re. non-receipt of journals issues, I wish to share my experience as the former Head of Library in the National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore, and later in IIT Madras. 1. First of all the systems and procedures for journal subscriptions should be so designed as to ensure that the institution does not suffer any loss financially on account of non-receipt of issues and that the bound volumes of journals are complete in all respects with all the issues in tact, obviating complaints from the users about the missing issues in the bound volumes. If bound volumes are found to be incomplete at a later point of time, the libraries would be helpless and can no nothing in the matter. 2. For subscribing journals published by scholarly societies and professional associations which have students/institutional membership scheme, it is better to enlist the library or the institution as the institutional member by paying the prescribed annual membership fee. Such a membership will ensure that the library not only gets the journal issues in time but also at concessional subscription rates, if any, offered to members. Even if one or two issues are missing during transit, the society/association will make good the missing issues without grumbling. An additional benefit of the membership scheme will be that the library will get regularly all announcements about new books, monographs, conference proceedings etc. published by the society/association and can order selected titles at membership rates. 3. For subscribing journals published by commercial publishers, we at NAL used to deal with the publishers directly rather than through any subscription agents. Now a days, when foreign exchange is no longer a problem, it is easy to get a proforma invoice from the publishers and then obtain a bank draft in foreign currency in favour of the publishers from any scheduled bank. 4. While sending the bank draft to the society/association/publishers, two copies of the covering letter may be mailed with the request that the publishers should record their acknowledgement for receipt of payment in the second copy of the covering letter and return it to the library for record. 5. However, if a library has to use the services of a local subscription agent for whateve reasons, the following procedures could be followed: a. continue with the existing practice followed by many libraries in asking the subscription agent to make advance payment and then claim reimbursement after producing proof of remittance. b. obtain a bank gurantee from the agent as is being done by many libraries c. one additional measure of safeguard can be taken by the library. As and when the agent submits proof of remittance to the publishers, the library must send a documentary copy of the proof of remittance to the publishers and ask them to acknowledge receipt of payment and ensure that any request for the cancellation of the subscription subsequently by the agent should not be agreed to without the prior knowledge and consent of the library 4. All libraries may be maintaining either a computer-based or manual Journal Kardex System for entering the details of issues received and noting down the details of missing issues for follow-up action. The Kardex sheet should be well designed so as to include the following basic information: ===================================================================================================== ABSTRACT OF BASIC INFORMATION 1. Title of Journal. 2. Frequency: 3. Name& Address of Publisher 4. Mode of Delivery (Air/Airfreight/Sea)5. Subscription details: a. Year: ....... b. Vol. No. ------- c. No. of Issues ----- d. Payment details : Cheque/Draft No. --- Date ----- Amount ------ e. Sent to : Publisher/Agent under letter No. ------ date ------ f. Whether receipt of payment acknowledged : Letter No. Date ---- DETAILS OF ISSUES RECEIVED Vol.No. Issue No. Publication Due date Actual date Reminders Initials Remarks Date for receipt of receipt issued i/c of (Date of journals sec. issue) (Add more headings, as necessary) ======================================================================================================== 5. The Kardex must be checked at least once every week (say, every Monday) so that reminders indicating payment details can be issued directly to publishers (with copies to agents) in time to pre-empt the publishers in saying that spare issues are not available because of delays in claiming. 6. Based on actual experience, the systems and procedures may be changed periodically with suitable improvements, as required. 7. This has been my experience in NAL/IIT Madras. May be other libraries are following a better system. The point is whatever be the system that is followed, the end result should be that libraries actually receive all issues of journals subscribed to and paid for. With best wishes, M N Seetharaman

To: bjsane@gmail.com; lis-forum-bounces@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in; lis-forum@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in; mlosc@googlegroups.com From: beenubhalla@yahoo.com Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2011 09:47:18 +0000 CC: omkarlibrary@gmail.com; bhoopsarodia@yahoo.co.in Subject: Re: [LIS-Forum] [MLOSC.12392] if non received the journal aftersent subscription

Dear All,

I am an industry veteran and worked with top Indian and global publishers and best way to safeguard yourself from these subscription agents is

1. Place order and ask them to do advance remittance to publishers and release payment on seeing the documentary proof of same.

2. Not insist on discounts as then they start looking for wrong ways of supply which these days are not many.

Thanks and regards,

Beenu Bhalla General Manager Jones and Bartlett India P Ltd Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

-----Original Message----- From: bhagyashree sane Sender: lis-forum-bounces@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2011 11:49:21 To: ; Cc: Anu Bajaj; Bhoop Singh Subject: Re: [LIS-Forum] [MLOSC.12392] if non received the journal after sent subscription

Dear Friends,

We also have faced similar situation since last few months. One of the hyderabad based publisher has not provided service (as some publications are ceased) and not refunded subscription amount to the institute.

what could be the action point for questions/problems -

1. With whom we should register our complaint? 2. Can subscritpion payment shall be done quarterly/six montlhy? 3. What is the solution for non-receipt of service from agent/publisher when we pay subscription in advance. 4. Librarians preparing 'Black List' for publishers/agents will be little harsh step, but refering to publishers' terms and conditions authors and librarians need to come together.

Our professional friends from Law Libraries are requested in particular to focus on solutions with the help of law experts.

B.J.Sane NIA Library Punebjsane@gmail.com

On 1 February 2011 14:46, Ruchika Sharma wrote:

...

Hi, Very true, I and my library is too suffrer of their services as well, Research India Publications are so very bad with their services. They havent provided the online access as yet for the year 2010, plus they are unable to send missing issues for the year 2010 as yet. Many of calls n mails being send to them, but they dont reply. Two girls at reception always have same reply, "Mr Vivekanand (owner of the publication) will see the matter, n he has not came yet". Be it any time of the day, the same reply will be given by them. Infact 2 times I was made to talk to him, but he too is not responding properly n delaying the matter.

......................................... Mrs Ruchika Sharma Asstt. Librarian KIIT College of Engineering Gurgaon ...........................................

On Tue, Feb 1, 2011 at 12:44 PM, Anu Bajaj wrote:

...

Hi,

Please note that the service from the publisher's like Research India Publications, International Research Publications, Serials Publications and Global Research Publications is very very poor. Please try to avoid subscribing journals only for the sake of low cost. It is my personal recommendation to all the fellow librarians to please cehck the genuinity of the publisher's before placing the orders. Also you can check the credibility with the subscription agents. Normally publisher's does not issue refund for the non supply of issues, in that case you can subscirbe through a subscription agent with writing about the refund of subscription amount.

Regards

Anu Bajaj Librarian Omkar Consultancy Services Mumbai

On Mon, Jan 31, 2011 at 2:53 PM, Bhoop Singh wrote:

...

Dear Professionals Good Afternoon

I have subscribed 4 International Journal for my Engineering College Library by Research India Publication,New Delhi on 22.02.2010 By Demand draft of Rs 11000/-. I had sent many e-mails,reminders and communicated by phone. but they are not giving any response. Now they has send only two issues of two journals till date.

Please tell me what can i do now. Please help me. please

Thanks & regards Bhoop Singh Rajdhani Jaipur Rajasthan

-- Anu Bajaj Librarian Omkar Consultancy Services Mumbai

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