A math journal

"Journal of _______ __________" used to be fairly on track with publishing and it even used some creative chronology to get caught up. It appears that they have given up, though, and just are going to publish at their leisure. I just received v. 35 no. 3 2006. No note from the publisher inside or any sort of explanation saying something along the lines of "we are going to do ___X___ and hope to be back on track in the next __x___ months" or anything like that.

I feel badly for any professor awaiting publication of this one....! Can you imagine the CVs and resumes that say "forthcoming publication(s)" and having this journal on your list? A professor might have to wait *years* before being able to change it to the "published article(s)" category.

So, what happens to the next 4 years of chronology? I just sent a query email to the publisher. Stay tuned for further developments...!

Tis the season

Tis the season
to be folly
fa la la la la, la la la la

....
Well, a popular magazine that prints "News" each "week" has decided that it will accept orders for institutional subscriptions through vendors -- beginning again in January. The question is, though, is it too late?

I don't think it would be worth the hassle to order or reorder one title at this date. If most orders aren't in to subscription agents by November 1, serialsters face all sorts of fun problems come January 1st and the new arrival or non-arrival of issues...! And those are for continuing subscriptions. I know it is a wonder to a publishing house, that even though our instition has subscribed to a journal for 25 years that it is going to subscribe for *gasp* year 26...and that explains why I have to claim the first two issues...in January of each year!

***
And a year end note to the genuises in charge of two math journals: Journal of Recreational Mathematics and to Fibonacci Quarterly: enough with the creative numbering and chronology already! 45 pages does not equal two issues, nor does putting each year you're behind on a journal's frontspiece make up for the 2 years you didn't publish anything!

***

Tis the season
to be folly
fa la la la la, la la la la...

Can't wait to read some of the editor's comments in the "new year's" editions of journals in January...Not that they would even take on the unpredictability of resolutions, mind you...

Most Creative Use of Numeration Award goes to...!

I understand that some journals are not doing well financially and that submissions have not kept up with publication schedules. However, I do not think creating bizarre enumeration is the answer.


I have in hand a math journal that was behind in publishing. Instead of just waiting and publishing one issue and creating the cover chronology of v. 46/47 2008-09, which would have been the most sensible thing to do, they came up with a creative (read nightmarish) solution of their own.


Each new issue now says v. 46/47 Jan/Feb 2009 no. 1, v. 46/47 May/Jun 2009 no. 2 and such. I am grateful that I bind this journal and as soon as number 4 is in my hands, off it will go...and I will also change the MARC record to collapse these two volumes into one. Only math geniuses could be this creative in creating enumeration.