COMPUTERISED REMINDERS FOR NON-RECEIPT OF

PERI00 ICA LS
K Hari Hara Prasad
M Sreenivasa Rao
Regional Research Laboratory
Hyderabad-500009

INTRODUCTION
The system covers all the frequencies of
periodicals received in the library of RRL. Hydera-
Non-receipt of issues of periodicals is a com-
bad. The system is so simple that it can be operat-
mon problem with any library. It is mainly due to
ed even at a lowe r level of the libr ary - staff who are
loss in transit. The other reasons are wrong
trained to handle card punch and verifier.
delivery, despatch of wrong issue number (forming
duplicate), mistakes in accounting by the publisher
Card Design
etc.
In this system three sets of punched cards.
A librarian may probably satisfy the audit by
namely. Publisher Card. Title Card and Receipt
showing letters with 'extension of subscription' or
Card are designed to accommodate the required
'refund of money' but not the user who suffers a gap
data as described below:
in the communication chain created by the missing
issues. Timely effort has to be made to obviate
the break in the information flow. The system de-
veloped helps in simplifying the process of sending
The publisher card contains the name and
reminders promptlv to acquire complete sets.
place of the publ ishe r and a code number.

Analysis of the Problem

Alphabetical lists of Indian and foreign pub-
lishers are prepared. As the number of the Indian
In India most of the periodicals are subscribed
journals will not generally be more than ZOO in a
directly from the publishers or through Indian/
library. they may be allotted three-digit code num-
foreign agents. This means that we have either a
bers starting from 001 to ZOO. The foreign pub-
number of publishers or some agents covering a
lishers may be allotted code numbers from ZO I on-
number of publishers, to whom reminders should be
wards. These code numbers form publisher code
addressed. RRL-Library switched over to direct
numbers and help in sorting out all periodicals from
subscriptions with the publishers since 1975.
the same publisher.

In the context of rni s sing issues, frequency of

the periodical calls for the attention of the designer
of a system. The number of is sues expected to
~No. Field Dat~ ~~2£~~-'~E:2.ns
reach the library should also be considered.
1. 1-60 Name & place of 60
Overview
the publisher

The system employs pre-punching of issue

Z. 74-76 Publisher code 3
numbers based on the previous year's expe rience
and punching the receipt information as and when
Columns 61-73 and 77-80 blank
the issues are received. A comparison of the
receipt fields for non-receipt information and calling
for desired output with a control by the expected If the library subscribes the journals from the
number of issues for each f r e qu encv at the time of agents and if the reminders should be addressed to
send ing re minde r s is pI anne d. them, the agents should be treated as publishers.

66
_'ii
Ann Lib Sci Doc
 COMPUTE RISED REMINDERS

De sign II - Ti!!e C a.!E DESIGN 1II: R>ECEIPT CARD

Design II relates to the Title cards, the scope FIELD DATA No. OF COLUMNS
~ -------------
of which is spelt-out-title of the periodical and the
data as> shown in the design below: 1- 4-5 Year Z

2. 6-9 Volume 4
TITLE CARD DESIGN
3. 11-7U Pre-punched 50
except ilig the Issue Num-
S.No. FIELD DATA NO OF COLUMNS
10 Receipt In- bel'S with
formation col- indication of
l. 1-60 Title 60
urnn s at S.No. Vol Number
2. 74-76 Publisher Code 3 4 below.

3. Title code 3 4. 16,22,28,34,40 Receipt In- 10

77-79
46,52,58,64,70 formation
4. 80 Design code
5. 72 Frequency

Columns 61-73 blank. 6. 74-76 Publisher 3

Code

7. 77-79 Title code 3

1. Title: Col. 1-60
8. 80 Design code
The title of the periodical in full without the
initial article, if any, is given. ------------------------~----------------------
Columns 1-3, 10, 71, >73 blank
2. Publisher Code: Col. 74-76
-----------------------
The corresponding code number of the publtahe r 1. Year: Col. 4-5
for each title is punched in columns 74-76 as decided ------------
in Design 1. The last two digits. of the year are punched in
these columns; e.g. '74', '75' for 1974, 1975.

A th r e e ed igit serial code number (starting from

001) is allotted to each title in an alphabetically
Four columns are allotted to represent the
arranged list of periodicals. In libraries where more
volume. Where the volume number is in less than
than thousand periodicals are received, four columns
4 digits, the same may be shown as 0005,0029.0198
may be allotted. Title code number helps in linking
etc.
relevant card fro m the Design III.

Issue numbers are mostly re pr e s errte d in three

In order to distinguish the Title cards (Design forms: a) Serial Number, b) Name of the month, and
II) from the Receipt cards (Design III), Design II c) Name of the month and date. Four Column unit
is identified with '+'
in Col. 80 while' , in col. 80 is allocated to record issue numbers. The above
is given in De sign III.
mentioned 3 modes may be represented as:

DESIGN III: RECEIPT CARD

a) 0001, 005H, 0139, 3496 etc.
b) JAN, FEB, MAR, APR, MAY, JUN, JUL,
Design III pertains to 'Receipt Cards' and con-
AUG, SEP, OCT, NOV, DEC, leaving the
tains information regarding the receipt of each
first column as blank.
issue of the periodicals.Information such as the date
c) JAOS, FE12, MROl, AP16, MY26, JN19,
of receipt (under the respective issue number and
JL17, AG31, SP18, OT23, NVIO, DC31.
over the 12th zone), number of reminders is su ed
(R , RZ etc with dates between zones 1 and Z under
I 10 issue numbers are accommodated in each
the respective issue number) are registered in the
punched card. These issue numbers are pre-punched
process. All the is sue numbers to be received in
based on the previous year's experience.
the current year are all pre-punched and number of
'Receipt cards' are employed depending on the fre-
If there is no change in volume a blank should
quency of the periodical. Volume number, year,
be left before the issue numbers. In the case of
frequency etc should be incorporated on all the
multiple volumes, blank should be left for the issues
Receipt cards.

Vol 24 No Z June 1977 67

 HARIHARA PRASAD &. SREENIVASARAO

of the volume indicated in columns 6-9 and an indi-

cation should be made about the increase in volume
number by prefixing 1,2,3 etc, for the corresponding See aub-che ad 4 under Design II. '~should be
issue numbers. given in column 80 in all the receipt cards.

E.g. To indicate volumes 6-8 with a change in SYSTEM

volume for every four is sues -
6-0001-0002-0003-0004-10001-
10002-10003-10004-20001-20002-
20003- 20004.
Columns fo r Volume Indication:
ll, 17, .0>,29,35,41,47,53,59, and 65
As in the case of any manual system, the pre-
sent system consists of two parts viz, a) Routine,
and b) Reminders at interval.
The Title Cards and Receipt Cards are filed
together (one after the other for each title) according
to the Title Code to form a Master file.

Columns for Issue Numbers: a) Routine: When the issues of periodicals are r e c e iv ed
12-15, 18-21, 24-27, 30-33, 36-39,42-45,48-51, in the library, they are arranged a Iphabe tlc a lly by
54-57, 60-61, and 66-69. the title. For each title received, relevant Title and
Receipt Cards (Receipt card bearing the issue number
in question) are removed from the Master File. The
date of receipt is recorded under the respective pre-
10 c o lurnn s (from column 16-70 with an incre- punched issue number and above 12th zone in the
ment of 61
have been allocated for punching the Receipt Card and 'R' is marked after the issue number
receipt of issue numbers. As these are chosen next to register its receipt in the library. The punched
to the issue numbers, a punch or non-punch denotes cards so separated are taken to the 'Computer Room'
the receipt or non-receipt of that issue number. 'R' and receipts are punched in the places where 'R' is
is punched to register the receipt of an issue. marked in the earlier step. Required number of
copies of the listings of the daily receipts are taken
us ing the 'printer'. By co mpa r ing the list with
punched cards, the issue numbers received on that
day are underlined before displaying the list on the
'Notice Boards'.
The f r eque ncy of a periodical is coded as
follows:
The Title and Receipt cards are filed back into
the 'Master File' using Title code manually or by
Fre9uen~y Code
using sorter.
4 b) Reminders: When reminders are to be sent,
Quarterly
12 Master File-i; taken to the 'Computer Room'. Title
Bimonthly s: 2 Cards and Receipt Cards are separated by sorting in
12 the Col. 80 using Design code. The Receipt cards
Eight issues L 3 are sorted by publisher.
12
Ten Issues 10 4 A computer Programme in Fortran II has been
12 developed to prepare reminde rs automatically. The
Monthly 12 5 program is designed to process reminders for 35
12 Receipt cards, bearing non-receipt information, at
Fortnightly £1. 6 a time to suit the memory of our computer, viz.
12 IBM 1620. The maximum non-receipt data that can
>24<30 7 be given in the reminder for a title is 10 issues only.
~30< 40 9
Weekly or>40 9 A control card is inserted as the second card
In the data with the expected number of issues, for
each frequency, at the time of processing reminders.
As the number of issues expected to reach the library
See the sub-head 2 under Des ~ •• II. The pub- are diff erent in the case of Indian and for eign journals
lisher code should be incorporated in all the receipt suitable control cards are used while processing
cards. r e speot ive data. Two columns are used for each of
the nine frequencies. The number of receipt infor-
mation fields to be checked is controlled by this card.

See the sub-head 3 under Design II. The Title Provision is made in the computer program to
code should be incorporated in all the receipt cards. identify 'R' itself in the specified receipt fields and
the volume number is also stored along with the
issue number not received.

68 Ann Lib Sci Doc

 COMPU TE RISED REMINDERS

OUTPUT

After running the program Receipt cards are The printed output is planned in the form of
read and ch ec ke d for non= r ec eip t of issues Non- letter, with the following information, ready for
receipt data only is stored in an array. Depending the signature of the librarian and despatch:
on the frequency of the periodical, the program
instructs the computer as to how many more Receipt a) Address of the laboratory with file
cards are to be read and kept in an array. This number and data.
operation is carried for the set of Receipt cards of
each title. A check of the receipt data is made b) Name and place of the publisher.
for the expected number of issues mentioned in the
c) Non-receipt data for each volume unde r
control card for that frequency. The number of
their respective titles for each pub-
issues not received (out of the expected number) are
l i sh e r .
counted and the first 10 issues are transferred into
another array along with the information on Year, d) Request to the Publisher stating 'Above
Volume, Frequency, Publisher, and Title code. mentioned issue numbers have not been
Provision is made to plac e exact volume number with received. Please send them to complete
the co rrespond ing is sue numbers. The operation the supply'.
proceeds to the next set of receipt cards (of the next
e) Senior Librarian at the bottom for signa-
title). The number of Receipt cards need not be 6
ture.
for any frequency though a provision is made to
store Inf o r rna t ion for a maximum of 60 issues in an
The process is repeated for the rematnlng
array. The number of cards are determined by the
receipt data by branching back to origin.
frequency (i. e. the number of issues per year).

The Computer Program used in this system

If the number of receipt data exceeds 35 and a sample reminder are presented in Appendix
titles, a check is provided to end receipt ca rds and I and II respectively.
to load publisher data. A positive value in columns
I and 2 should be kept at the end of the receipt data Acknowledgements
for necessary termination.
We wish to express our sincere thanks to the
The Publisher Cards are loaded with a card Director, Regional Research Laboratory, Hyde ra-
at the end punched with a positive value in column bad for p e rrn itt ing us to send this paper for publica-
61 to denote termination of publisher data. tion. We are grateful to Dr. S. Raghavendar Rao
for his constant encouragement in the completion
The Title Cards are loaded with a card at the of this work. We also wish to thank Shri P. J.
end punched with a positive value in column 61 to Reddy for the facilities offered by him in the Com-
demote termination of title data, .. puter Centre. We also acknowledge the as s istance
rendered by Shri D. S. Chary in the co !lection
information used in this work and in punching part
of the data.

Vol 24 No 2 June 1977

 HARIHARA PRASAD •• SREENIVASARAO

APPENDIX-I

REMINDfR FOR NON-RECEIPT OF I>ERIIIOICALS '" S RAlJ ANO PRA$ALl

·DIMENSiUN IYEAK(35) ,RECT 135,lO),IPB(::;'),lTd35),LlATo:I5)
DIMENSIUNPUBI35,15) ,TITLEI35tlS) ,Nv(35) ,TT(15),kF(60), L(9)=,
lRT(60) ,FILE(3) ,IVI35,1l1 ,IVV(60)
RE Ani ,R , I FI LEI I ) ,I = 1 ,31 ,lOA H: I I ) .r = 1 ,:> 1 , I R T I 1 ) , 1=1, 1 1 1
1 FURMATIAl,3A4,5A4,11A4)
OU Z11 1'1 = 1,35
DO ius MM = 1,11
108 I V I ~I ,riM 1 =0
00 211ML=l.10
211 RECTIM,MLI=RTIML)
READ 3 , I L I I ) , I = 1 ,9 1
3 FORMATI91Z1
NN=O
NN=O
1=1
It REA U7 , IS, lYE AR I I ) , I Vn L ,N V I I ) , I I VV I J) ," T I J) , K F ( J ) , J = 1 , 1 U ) ,
II F RE\J , I P B I I ) ,I T L( I I
7 FORMATIIZ,IX,I2,IZt,11,11ll111,A4,Al))IX,II,IX,213)
IFII$)6,6,5
6 GO TUI17.l7,17,17,32tl6.l6,33,341,IFRtIJ
32 READI8,IIVVIJ) ,RTlJI ,R-FIJ) ,J=ll ,2U)
GO TO 17
16 RtADl/:!,liVVIJ) ,RTlJ) ,RFIJI ,J=ll ,30)
18 FOR MAT 1 lOX, I 1A4A 1 ,I 1 A4A 1 , I 1 A4A 1 ,r 1 A4A 1, I 1 A4 AI, I 1 A4A 1 , 11 A4 AI,
1I1A4A1 ,I 1I\4A1 ,r lA4A1)
GO TO 17
33 READ I/:! ,IIVV(J) ,RTIJ) ,KFIJ) ,J=11 ,40)
GO TO 17
34 READ1/:! ,IIVV(JI ,RTI J) ,PF( J) ,J=11 ,60)
17 LL=LIIFREQ)
61 KK=O
0080K=1,LL
I FIR -R F 1 K) ) 8 1 ,80 ,8 1
111 KK=KK+1
BO .CONTINUE
IF ( KK ) 4 ,4 ,8 2
82IF(KK-10)83,83,B4
84 LL=LL-l
GO TO 61
83 JL=l
DO 63J=1,LL
IF(R-RF(J) )62,63,62
62 RECTII ,JLl=RTIJ)
IV( 1 ,JL )=IVVIJ I
JL=JL+1
63 CONTINUE
PLACING EXCAT VOLUME NUMBERS WITH THE CORESPONDING ISSUES.
DQ200 M =. 1,10
200 IVII ,M)=IVII iM)+IVOL
1=1+1
IFII-3S)4,4,107
107 TYPE130
130 FORMATIS4H RECEIPT FILE FULL LOAU PUBLISHER DATA AND PRESS STA"TI
PAUSE
GO TO 131
S TYPEB6
86 FORMAT(20H END bF RECEIPT DATA)
131 NO=I-l
70 READ8,(TTII),I=I,IS)'IS,IP
8 FORMAT(lSA4,Il,12X,I3)
IF(IS)SI,SO,Sl
SO 0010J=1,NO
IF ( l-~ J) - I P ) 10 ,11 ,10

n DOS2K=1,lS
S2 PUB(J,K)=TTIK)
NN=NN+l
10 CaNT INUE
GO TO 70
51 TYPES3

Ann Llb ici Doc

 COMPUSERISED REMINDERS

53 FORNAT(22H END OF PUtlLISHER DATA)

2 READ 1 3 , ( T T ( I I ,I " 1 , 1 5) ,I S , I T
.13 FORMAT(15A4,ll,ISX,l3)
IF(ISI54,55,S4
55 D014J=I,NO
IF(lTL<J)-ITI 14,15,14
15 D01l5K=.l ,15
115 TITLE(J,KI=TT(KI
NM=NI~+ 1
14 CUNTlNUt
GU TO 2
OUT PUT
54 PRINT71,NO,NN,NM
71 FORI~AT (3151
N=1
NK=l
D023J= 1 ,NO
IF(IPtl(J)-IPB(J+ll )73,74,73
74 NK=NK+l
GO TU 23
73 PRII~T20
20 FORiJiAT (IH 1 ,20X ,2flHREG I (Ii~AL RtSf'AkCH LAI1IlRATLIRY ,/25X, l"tH f1YIJI:kllbAD-
1500009 ,/31X ,5HINlJlil)
P R I NT 21 , (F I LE ( I I ,I = 1 ,31 ,( lJA H: ( I ) ,I = 1 ,':> I
21 FORI~AT(2X,3A4,,:>OX ,~il4)
PRINT22,(PUb(J,K) ,K=1 ,15)
22 FORMAT(III,5X,15A4)
U!J76 J J=i\1 ,I\IK
PkIr,TZ'.,(lITLE(JJ ,K) ,K=1,13)
24 FOkMAT(IIIIX,15A4//)
Kl=1
K 2=1
DO 204 M = 1 ,10
IF ( I V ( JJ ,r-II - I V ( J J ,"'+ 1 ) 1201 ,202 ,203
202 K2=K2+1
GO TO 2U4
201 PR I NT 206 ,I Y E Ak ( J J ) ,I V ( J J ,K 2 ) , ( R t: CT ( J J ,K) ,K = K 1 ,K 2 )
206 FORI~AT(f5H YEARI4,2X6HVtiL.,,1I15,2X,BHISSUE NO'(10(IX,A4)1I
K2=K2+1 .
K I=K2
204 CONTINUE
203 PRINT20b,IYI::AR(JJ) ,~(JJ,K21 '(RECTIJJ,K),K=Kl,K2)
76 CUNTII~UE:
PRINT77
77 FORNATI/115X ,53HAbOVE MENTIONEO ISSUE NUMBERS HAVE NnT BEEN KECEIV
lED. ,
2/5X ~OHPLEASE SEND THEM TU COMPLETE THE SUPPLY.,111111,60X,
317H SENIOR LIBRARIAN)
I~K=NK+l
N=NK
23 CONTINUE
STOP
END

REGIONAL RESEARCH LABORATORY APPENDIX-Z

HYOERABAO-':>00009
INDIA
RRLlLl BJ/REM JONe, 1976

AMER SCIENTIST,USA

AMERICAN SCIENTIST

YEAR 76 VOL.NO 64 ISSOE NO 0001 0002

ABOVE MENTIONED ISSOE NUMBERS HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED.

PLEASE ~END THEM TO COMPLETE THE SUPPLY.
SENIOR LIBRARIAN

Vol 24 No Z June 1977. 71