Publications are a natural outgrowth of one’s work and experiences. They provide us with an opportunity to share our research and ideas to benefit the profession. We work in a collaborative profession where information is readily shared and exchanged. However, writing and publishing do not come easily to some individuals. During the “Publish with ALCTS!” e-forum, people provided reasons why they have not published, including lack of time, no requirement to publish for one’s position, lack of confidence their topic will interest others, an inability to organize one’s ideas into a paper, and the desire for a mentor to guide them through the peer-review process. ALCTS’ publishing program has been revitalized under the capable leadership of ALCTS Past-President Dina Giambi and provides a number of options for publishing. See their website for more information (www.ala.org/alcts/mgrps/cmtes/ats-pb). In addition, the LRTS editorial board and I are pursuing initiatives to encourage submissions. The process of writing and publishing can indeed be daunting, and the LRTS homepage (www.ala.org/alcts/resources/lrts) provides a wealth of information for potential authors, including a FAQ that addresses how to turn an idea into a paper, how to prepare a paper, how to submit a manuscript, and what happens once a paper has been submitted. If you have an idea for a paper, I encourage you to contact me or any member of the LRTS editorial board (see www.ala.org/alcts/mgrps/cmtes/ats-lrts). The board comprises a diverse group of individuals who represent the various sections and interests of ALCTS. We are available to provide feedback and mentoring.

In closing, I would like to give you a preview of the contents of this issue of LRTS:

• Thomas McMurdo and Birdie MacLennan detail their work on the Vermont Digital Newspaper Project and the National Digital Newspaper Program. The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project is a state partner in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP). The NDNP is a long-term and national effort to build a freely accessible, searchable Internet database of historical US newspapers. McMurdo and MacLennan share their experience with large-scale microfilm-to-digital conversion and preservation efforts.
• Mavis Molto summarizes the results of study she conducted to develop a means for identifying significant subject and function changes in serials with title changes and to provide recommendations on how to recognize new serial works in cataloging. A sample of serials with title changes were considered, and were classified according to subject and function changes. The FRBR (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records) concept of a work and other FRBR guidelines taken into consideration. The sample was divicled into thirty-five categories which were assigned a level (high, medium, or low) according to the results that indicated a need for a new work. Tests determined if multiple medium level changes could also he used as a means to identify the need for a new work. The study provides a recommendation to modify RDA rules for major changes to the title proper for serials, and to require a new access point only when a significant subject or function change occurs in one of four high-level subcategories identified in the study.
• Wen-yin Lu and Mary Beth Chambers detail Colorado University Libraries’ experiences with a consortial patron-driven acquisitions plan for e-books. Their paper discusses how the Colorado University system launched a pilot project for shared purchasing and cataloging between five geographically separate and diverse libraries. Their paper addresses factors that affected editing and record customization, how to accommodate local needs, and best practices for their regional unified catalog.