Serials Review 38 (2012) 1–2

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Serials Review

j ourna l homepage: www.e lsev ie r .com/ locate /ser rev

Editorial

Letters about the Editor, Connie Foster, Editor-in-Chief, 2002–2011

With great excitement and (I'll admit) some trepidation, I wel-come this opportunity to serve as the new Editor-in-Chief for SerialsReview. I would be remiss as an incoming editor if I did not acknowl-edge the accomplishments of the journal's previous editor, ConnieFoster, in recognition of her ten years of service as Editor-in-Chief. Iwould also like to thank Connie for her guidance and support as Ihave worked to learn Elsevier's Editorial System (EES) over the pastyear. Her practical advice has been invaluable.

My first experiences with Connie in her role as editor occurredwhen I submitted one of my first articles to Serials Review. Conniehelped to shape the article providing honest and practical feedback.My experience as an author was not singular; throughout her tenureas editor, Connie served as a mentor and guide to many authors seek-ing to contribute scholarly articles to our academic community. Inaddition, both Connie and Beverley were instrumental in directingthe approach to my work as column editor for the Electronic JournalForum. Connie was forthright in her expectations of excellence forthe column. She shared ideas for column topics from the editorialboard and provided constructive suggestions to better frame columnideas.

As a reader of Serials Review, I have consistently been impressedby the quality of articles included and the range of topics coveredby the journal. Serials Review continues to serve as a leading journalfor library and information science. As the scope of the journal con-tent evolves with the profession, I can envision numerous areas ofgrowth including expanding the international role of the journal,creating a more real-time and interactive presence for the journalthat encourages dialog, and strengthening the journal's alreadystrong focus on scholarly communication.

As I was reflecting on how best to highlight Connie's accomplish-ments, it occurred to me that letters from editorial board membersand colleagues would best illustrate her strong character and thedepth of her contributions as editor. Given that, here are a few letters“about the editor,” Connie Foster, that depict a woman of warmth,someone who is a consummate professional and diligent in her con-tributions to the serials profession.

Letter 1:Tyler Goldberg, Head, Technical Services, University of LouisvilleSR editorial board member

Dear Maria:I have been at the University of Louisville for over thirty years and

have had many opportunities to work with Connie. Over the years,she has been a mentor, colleague and friend.

Connie has been an outstanding leader in the technical servicesworld, with many contributions to the field of serials librarianship. She

0098-7913/$ – see front matter © 2012 Published by Elsevier Inc.doi:10.1016/j.serrev.2012.02.002

worked tirelessly as the editor of Serials Review, and her influence andexpertise in the field of serials is evident in the journal's quality, interna-tional scope, and articles on a wide variety of timely topics. I always ap-preciated the fact that she actively encouraged everyone to submitarticles and was always willing to provide guidance when needed.

Connie nominated Louisville to host the 2007 NASIG conference.Even though she had already been active in NASIG for years, includingserving as President, she was willing to serve on the Conference Plan-ning Committee for this conference, providing practical informationand support to the CPC. She attended meetings in Louisville (BowlingGreen and Louisville are not in the same time zone!) and steered usin the appropriate direction when we needed assistance. We appreciat-ed the opportunity to host the conference, and I amsure that Conniewasinstrumental in recommending Kentucky and Louisville as a location.

Over themany years Connie hasworked atWKU, she has been activein state-wide library organizations, such as the Kentucky SOLINET UsersGroup and theKentucky Library Association. She has served as an officeron multiple state-wide professional organizations and encouraged hercolleagues to become officers in these groups in order to give themmore experience with professional activities. Many of these organiza-tions rotated meetings within Kentucky, and I know she was always awilling planning participant when a meeting was held in BowlingGreen. She often shared her experiences at WKU with her colleaguesin the state, and I could always count on her assistance when we weretrying to consider a new procedure or product for our library.

While Connie has retired as editor of Serials Review, she is still atWKU, and we can all continue to look forward to seeing her at meet-ings. Her kind and gracious manner puts everyone at ease. I look for-ward to many more conversations with her.

Letter 2:Katy Ginanni, Collection Development Librarian, Western CarolinaUniversityColumn Editor for SR Visits

To the Editor:I knewof Connie Foster early inmy career in serials librarianship.My

first mentor and serials boss, Sylvia Martin, told me about Connie whenI was moving from Vanderbilt University to Auburn University in 1988.If I recall correctly, Sylvia told me about Connie because Auburn was aNOTIS library and so was Western Kentucky University (WKU). Sylviathought that Connie would be a good contact if I had questions aboutserials and NOTIS. I don't think I ever did get in touch with Conniewith any NOTIS questions, but I was always aware of her. This was part-ly because she was also an early member—and later, president—ofNASIG, and partly because WKU was a basketball rival of Middle Ten-nessee State University, where my parents taught.

2 Editorial

In 1992, I went to work for EBSCO Subscription Services. Early inmy tenure there, the Kentucky sales representative called one day;he was very excited because he'd gotten a title list from Connie Fosterat WKU. Because I knew that Connie had a personal friendship withthe sales representative from her current vendor (another formerNASIG president, Anne McKee), and, further, that she was happywith that vendor, I suspected that she was not actually interested inchanging vendors. I surmised that she'd given him the list only be-cause she was too nice to say no to his tenacious efforts. I volunteeredto call Connie and discuss details of a possible transitionwith her. Dur-ing the course of that call, I discovered that she had recently purchasedmore computers specifically for use with her current vendor's onlinesystem.We agreed that this made transition from one company to an-other unrealistic for that year and that wemight discuss it again in thefuture.

This is pure speculation, but I think that move endeared me toConnie. It was her next move that endeared her to me.

In 1999, I applied to and was accepted by Peace Corps. I left EBSCOand the U.S. for Zimbabwe in October of that year. I remember that Icommunicated this move to all of my existing customers, but I'mfairly certain I didn't notify Connie. Still, she somehow learned aboutmy departure because in December of that year, I received a Christmascard fromher. I don't knowhowmuch you knowabout Peace Corps ser-vice, but let me tell you right now that getting something in the mailfrom home can really brighten your day. And for that card to comefrom someone who I didn't know very well but who took the time toget my address and send it all the way to Zimbabwe? I loved Conniefrom that moment on. It was one of the most thoughtful things ever.

Is she a good editor? Heck, yes. Since 2004, I've served as a columneditor and de facto member of the Serials Review editorial board, so Ispeak with firsthand knowledge. But it's her kindness and thoughtful-ness that I will always remember and treasure.

Best wishes to you always, Connie Foster!

Letter 3:Vicki WetherellPublisher—Business & Management, Library & Information Science,Elsevier

Volume 38 marks a change in Editor-in-Chief where we sadly saygoodbye to Connie Foster and welcome Maria Collins.

Since 2002 Connie has led a professional teamof individualswho to-gether formed a dynamic and enthusiastic board for Serials Review. Herdrive and enthusiasm helped the journal transition from a paper/e-mailbased system of submission to an online platform for submission andreviewing, which has helped cement the journal's reputation for fastturnaround for editorial decisions. This, together with the constanthigh feedback from authors regarding the quality of reviews makes itone of the premier outlets for the community to submit their work.

The journal has also seen growth in the number of full-text down-loads during Connie's tenure, seeing an almost 6-fold increase—onlypossible by publishing high quality content in the first instance.

I am grateful for Connie's service to the journal and congratulateher on her achievements; I wish her all the best for her futureendeavors. Maria, welcome and enjoy the ride!

Letter 4:Beverley Geer, Collection Development Manager, YBP Library ServicesSR Associate Editor

My, how time does fly at supersonic speed. I find that events thatseem to have occurred only last week are actually fourteen years past.

I took on the role of associate editor of Serials Review (SR) in 1998with vol. 24, no. 1 at the kind (and still to this day, unbelievable)invitation of then-editor, Cindy Hepfer. SR was a print-only journalin 1998; putting an issue together meant receiving manuscripts inthe mail (either printed out or on disks), editing them by hand, send-ing them to Cindy by mail, etc. During that time (and really starting afew years before), I got to know Connie Foster, mainly through ourwork together on the NASIG board, but also because she was a mem-ber of the SR editorial board. When Cindy decided to retire as editor in2001 (after fifteen years), I felt lost and a bit scared. I did not havewhat it took to be editor to fill Cindy's famous shoes. My fears werequickly put to rest during the next SR editorial board meeting duringwhich Cindy's successor was a point of discussion. I was sitting nextto Connie, and as I listened to her present her ideas and perspective,the light dawned: Connie is perfect for the job! After the meeting, Itold her that I hoped she would apply for the position. She did andhere I am ten years later, saying goodbye to her.

Under Connie's guidance, SR has carried on the tradition of pub-lishing excellent scholarship that Cindy began, but she has also lefther own stamp on its history and reputation. Following are highlightsthat stand out in my mind:

• we worked with Elsevier to implement an automated manuscriptsubmission system (no more disks, no more print-outs!!), whichhas stream-lined and expedited the publication process.

• Connie broadened the representation on the editorial board to en-compass international perspectives. The result has been an increasein manuscript submissions from non-North American authors.

• Connie put together three focused issues that were favorablyreceived, as the high number of downloads and citations prove:two issues on open access (vol. 30, no. 4, 2004, and vol. 34, no.1,2008) and one issue on publisher initiatives in developing countries(vol. 31, no. 4, 2005).

• during Connie's tenure, the journal's ISI Impact Factor increased.

I will add that Connie did all this while also working full time as alibrarian whose skills and performance have been rewarded with in-creasing responsibility (she is today the acting dean of her library).Also she expended considerable time and effort serving as chair ofthe Continuing Resources Section. I am out of breath just thinkingabout it.

In the summer of 2007, Connie and I talked about her intention toretire after ten years as editor. Again, I felt that old fear, that lost feel-ing crept into my mind. It took us no time at all to settle on MariaCollins as the perfect candidate to take on the work that Cindy startedand that Connie continued. Maria accepted and this issue (vol. 38,no.1) is her first.

I will miss Connie fiercely. She is the very model of kindness, gen-erosity, intelligence, good humor, while also being firm, resolute, andunwavering in her principles. I am one lucky girl to have worked withand learned from her and Cindy. Many of you who know me knowthat my grandmother was a force in my life. When I assess a situationor a person, I try to imagine what my grandmother would think. It is acertainty that my grandmother would like Connie. She would havesaid that Connie had a “good bringing up,” meaning that she was apolite, well-bred, thoughtful young lady, the highest praise shecould bestow. But my grandmother would also say this on parting:Don't be a stranger!

EditorMaria Collins

Head, Content Acquisitions and Licensing, North Carolina StateUniversity Libraries, 2 Broughton Drive Raleigh, NC 27695-7111

E-mail address: maria_collins@ncsu.edu.