[Publib] Advance Reader's Copies and Uncorrected Proofs

Wed May 31 15:15:28 EDT 2006

Carrie,

    At my previous library we received a box full of advance readers'
copies from Baker & Taylor every 4-6 weeks.  We created a dummy item
record to allow them to be checked out and added them to the new book
shelf.  We made up a sticker that said "Advance uncorrected reading
copy," or something similar using sheets of peel off labels and slapped
a label on the cover.  There was a group of patrons there who enjoyed
reading things early and understood what they were getting a hold of.
The items were uncataloged, so they wouldn't confuse the reader looking
up the author or title in the catalog, and we withdrew the books after a
couple of months and tossed them in the Friends book sale.   You don't
want to treat an advance copy as the actual book, because it's not; and
you certainly don't want to waste time cataloging it.  But why not stick
them on the shelf uncataloged, gather a little circ, and give your
readers something new to think about.  

Tom Dillie, Assistant Director

Greene County Public Library

76 E. Market St. 

PO Box 520

Xenia OH 45385

937-376-2995, ext. 204

tdillie at gcpl.lib.oh.us

  _____  

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of DeBacher, John K.
DPI
Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 1:42 PM
To: 'Dianne Harmon'; Carrie Haverman; publib at webjunction.org
Subject: RE: [Publib] Advance Reader's Copies and Uncorrected Proofs

I see a couple of problems with adding "advance reader's copies" to the
library collection:

1.	Assuming that these copies are linked in the catalog to
bibliographic records of the final, published works, the practice may be
somewhat disingenuous to library borrowers considering that the
preliminary copies do not necessarily correspond to the final published
edition. In many cases the bound proofs may be neither complete nor
accurate. I have encountered some "pre-pubs" where the work is fully
paginated, bound in a glossy, attractive cover, and even has a
preliminary index, illustrations, table of contents, etc; but in most
cases the publisher has not made final corrections. It may be tempting
to add such copies that come to libraries as donations. Such copies,
bound as paperbacks with facsimiles of the dust jacket graphics on the
cover, may be difficult to tell from trade paperbacks because they look
so authentic. But if they bear an ISBN number, it typically is the same
as the hardcover edition, and often they state on the back cover that
they are "uncorrected page proofs" or "review copy." The works may have
misspellings, information that has not been fully fact-checked,
incomplete frontmatter, or other elements that were left to the final
publication by the editors. I think there are clear ethical problems in
presenting these materials to the public in lieu of published copies. 
2.	The library may not have true rights to make the work available.
Generally speaking, there should be some sort of conveyance of
ownership, or of the owner's rights along with the work. If the book
were published and purchased by by the person who donates such a work to
the library, those rights are conveyed with the work (unless some sort
of limitation of rights or license conditions accompanied the work when
originally purchased). In the case of pre-publication review copies, the
publisher has made an effort to indicate that the work is not the final,
published edition. The reviewer has not obtained the work through a
purchasing arrangement that conveys purchased rights to the work. I
would not recommend that the item be turned over to the Friends group
for a book sale, much less added to the library and presented as a
published work.

If the library were providing a historical perspective or archival
service, there may be reason to hold the editions and make them
available. But they would be properly cataloged, indicating their
pre-publication status. And I suspect that the library would need to
acquire these by someone who had a right to pass them along--perhaps the
author or editor. It's hard for me to imagine such works being truly
useful in a general public library collection.

John DeBacher
Consultant--Public Library Administration
Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
(608)266-7270
http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/ <http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/>   

-----Original Message-----
From: Dianne Harmon [mailto:dharmon at joliet.lib.il.us] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 6:00 PM
To: Carrie Haverman; publib at webjunction.org
Subject: RE: [Publib] Advance Reader's Copies and Uncorrected Proofs

	No, we do not add galleys or uncorrected proofs to our catalog.
Those copies are not the final version for that ISBN and they contain
mistakes.  I asked Random House at one of the conferences recently what
they thought of libraries circulating those uncorrected proofs/galleys.
Their staff member was not in favor of that -- certainly for more than
one reason, I'm sure.  

	Dianne Harmon 
	Associate Director for Public Services 
	Joliet Public Library
	Joliet, IL 
	815-740-2660
	www.joliet.lib.il.us 

  _____  

	From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Carrie
Haverman
	Sent: Tue 5/30/2006 11:01 AM
	To: publib at webjunction.org
	Subject: [Publib] Advance Reader's Copies and Uncorrected Proofs

	When library staff go to a conference or an event like PLA or
BookExpo and pick up Uncorrected Proofs or Advance Reader's Copies, do
you ever choose to catalog the items into your collection?  I'd like to
hear thoughts about this practice either way. 

	Thanks, 

	Carrie Haverman, District Consultant 
	Capital Area Library District 
	101 Walnut St.  Harrisburg, PA 17101 
	phone: 717.234.4961 x106 
	fax: 717.234.7479 
	chaverman at dcls.org 

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