Don't get me wrong; I thoroughly enjoy the multifaceted nature of my teacher-librarian position. It's just that I approached it in a somewhat backwards manner: job first--training afterwards. It's made for an interesting learning curve (a somewhat bumpy, hard-to-traverse-and-often-lost-along-the-way learning path).
I recall sitting at a library table, in the not-so-distant-past, observing as another librarian demonstrated how to process a library book. Eyes glazed over, teeth clenched in consternation, I watched her enter a catalogue record into Follet (our automated system at the time), print off a series of spine labels (after instructing students NOT to hit "print", otherwise their essays would be neatly reproduced onto tiny, white, sticky labels), attach a barcode label to the front of a book, stamp the book with the school's name in four specific locations, and finally cover the book with a sticky protective plastic. Voila! One processed library book.
"Are you kidding me?" (Although I did not repeat this aloud, I thought it, my friends...I thought it!)
Have you ever tried covering a paperback with that sticky protective substance? It's no small feat, let me tell you. And, it's not necessarily an "acquired" skill either. I had to have it demonstrated for me several times before attempting it myself. At the rate that I was progressing, my students would be fortunate to have three newly processed book titles on the shelf by Christmas...
And don't think you can easily pass this job off onto "trained" students (or parents) either. No matter how keenly they stare at you, or how earnestly they declare their desire to "help", do not graduate them to this task before they've passed the "book covering test". Here's what I'd advise: let volunteers practice first on some old, donated books that you don't plan on adding to the collection anytime soon. Once their book-covering attempts no longer resemble a Shar-pei (wrinkly dog), then you may consider their "help" with this processing task.
And as for SHELVING, do not be misled: Shelving does not "resemble housework"; it is housework. Try removing a handful of books from the shelf and just see what collections of dust lurk behind those spines. In my library, no shelving can be accomplished (at least in good conscience) without a feather-duster! On a positive note, teaching students how to reshelve books is a great way to reinforce the Dewey Decimal System!
In terms of Shelving Considerations, I think it's a good idea to have the Reference Collection close to the teacher librarian's desk for close supervision (scrutiny and the "evil eye"). It's amazing how many reference dictionaries can "walk off" with students who are "only using them for a minute" (we don't have a security system in place). I've also learned that graphic novels can present an interesting shelving dilemma. After studying how several public and school libraries shelve this book genre, I've chosen to keep all graphic fiction together as one collection. This, along with attaching graphic fiction spine labels, has helped our students find and identify this specific genre...rather than chasing them around the library shelves. You'll also notice a consistent congregation of young men gravitating to this one area of the library. (Note: if you add manga...the girls will gather too!)
Shelf-reading: a task oft-neglected in my library I'll admit...(there's only so much a TL can do on two days per week without any other library staff). I'd like to try the suggested strategy of tackling sections at a time on a regular basis, recording what has already been completed.
Mending and Repair: I've often thought "if only books could talk, they'd have some strange tales to tell". Mending and repair of books reminds me of the Dr. Seuss title: "Oh the Places You Will Go!" Brace yourself friends--for the brand new hardcover fiction book that meets with the "full bathtub" or the "sink full of water". Then there's the latest paperback that's been submerged in some unidentifiable sticky substance: could it be...molasses? Or the latest and overly loved Guinness Book of World Records that originally featured 350 pages, but now contains hmm...28, 29, 30 pages! Alas, I've since learned that once you've finally mastered how to process a book, you'll need to learn how to fix it (or chase down the student who's returned it in such a sad state...)
Inventory: I still recall being shocked, after completing my first inventory, at the number of books that were just...missing. I've since learned that it's quite a common occurrence at the end of a school year to have books that have just disappeared, without being signed out by a patron. I guess it's a price we pay for not having a security system in our small library... Some trends I've noticed: the extremely popular books--the ones that are consistently circulated--are usually ones that go "walkabout". Take, for example, Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. I was lucky to have two on my shelf at the end of the year. The rest...(poof)...vanished, like some sullen, white-faced vampire! Our course notes didn't provide any guidance as to how frequently inventory should be completed. I've only done it at the end of the year. I'm thinking that perhaps it should be done at the end of each term.
Weeding and Discarding: One thing I've learned is not to discard books and other "reject" library resources into a waste or recycling bin that is open to the "public eye". For some book lovers, seeing a discarded book is a "sacrilege"-- and that book you've only recently removed from your shelves will only end up back on your desk like some little, lost puppy. Sometimes it will be accompanied by a note: "Can you believe it? I found this in the garbage!" It doesn't matter if the book has "DISCARD" stamped all over it. I've also found that I cannot use the majority of the books that are donated to the library by various sources. For example, that entire Encyclopedia Britannica set, dated 1990, that was kindly deposited anonymously on my desk in June will simply have to find a new home...
The Last Word... It's rather ironic that I'm feeling comfortable here, in Chapter 10. Here I am, near the end of this course, and I've finally found some familiar territory. But, as I mentioned previously, I do tend to do things in a backwards manner. :)
Some Thoughts on Chapter 13: "Managing the Catalog Department":
As it's not likely I will ever have a "technical services department" some of the management tips in this chapter were a little lost on me. However, what I did find useful were the tips on developing library policies and procedures.
- It's important to record library cataloguing decisions, policies and procedures in a departmental manual (for reference and for newcomers)
- "The most important goal a department can adopt is to be backlog-free" (YIKES, I almost choked at this statement. I live in a constant state of backlog!)
- If you choose to outsource your cataloguing, evaluate carefully and weigh the costs versus time to catalogue it yourself. I appreciated this point. Prior to this, I hadn't considered outsourcing, in order to save money. However, in trying to accomplish my T-L job on two days per week, it actually makes sense to outsource!
No comments:
Post a Comment