Purchasing continuations from a monograph vendor: some considerations

Originally presented as a talk at the 2001 North Carolina Serials Conference, this paper lays out continuations from a monograph vendor’s perspective, in order to clarify what options libraries have. Types of series that can and cannot be supported by a monograph vendor are enumerated, followed by a discussion of the factors library staff should take into account when considering the use of a monograph vendor for continuations. The paper then outlines the process for transferring standing orders to a monograph vendor. Finally, the use of standing orders is compared and contrasted with including coverage for series on approval plans. Having laid out the library’s monographic options, the author leaves it to the library to weigh the information provided by both monograph vendors and subscription agents and choose the most appropriate course of action.