Inclusion of Specimen copy in the accession register

[MALA.A]

Dear friends

can we include specimen copy in the accession register?

[Amita Goel]

It all  depends upon the no. of speciman copies you have in your library. If these are few, you may add in accession register as you dont need to return it back to anyone. Its also become the resource of information for your library. You may maintain separate register, if you get it on regularly basis and in large number.

Its all upto your choice.

[Manoj Kumar Khator]

No we cant include specimen copy in accession register due to it is provided by Publisher not purchased . It is only include in Gift Register

[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]

Dear Ms. Mala A.

I presume that the books which are specimen copies are not purchased by your institute. [I have put this as a question because many profit making institutions use to buy such books in much lower price from vendors against cash memos or bills. This, as you can well understand, is illegal yet many profit making institutions practice it to cut cost of book purchase.]

In case you have to accommodate such books and keep record thereof (eventually you have to do it because they are part of your ASSET), the easiest way is to maintain a register for  books you have received as gift or on gratis. You can simply put a capital G (to denote gift/gratis) before their numbers so that you can identify them specifically. If your institution is subjected to serious audit, you have to produce them upon demand as a part of your asset. You can discuss with chief of your Accounts and General Administration whether you are supposed to produce them before audit party and plan accordingly. However, it is always advisable to keep record of all of your holdings as it will be helpful for circulation of documents and never-the-less it may help you substantiating your future demand for staff in the Library or up-gradation in your salary. It is a simple logic that bigger libraries require more staff and bigger responsibility simply demands higher rank of officials to look after them.

Good Luck!

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta