Shelf list -maintained or not (4 messages) Birdie MacLennan 27 Feb 1996 17:24 UTC
4 messages, 91 lines: (1)------------------------- Date: Mon, 26 Feb 1996 15:32:12 -0500 From: Pamela Bluh <pbluh@UMABNET.AB.UMD.EDU> Subject: Re: Shelf list -maintained or not? Here at the University of Maryland Thurgood Marshall Law Library, we closed our shelf a couple of years ago. The only dissenting voice was that of our cataloger. We haven't experienced any major problems and it's saved a lot of staff time in terms of filing and refiling cards. We haven't gotten rid of the drawers of cards yet although I can see that day coming one day in the not too distant future. Pamela Bluh (2)---------------------- Date: Mon, 26 Feb 1996 15:42:27 -0500 From: JUDITH HOPKINS AT SUNY BUFFALO <ULCJH@UBVMS.CC.BUFFALO.EDU> Organization: University at Buffalo Subject: Re: Shelf list -maintained or not? The question of whether libraries are maintaining their shelflists (cards) after getting an online system and converting their old records has been repeatedly discussed on AUTOCAT, the most recent discussion having been within the last month or two. A search of the AUTOCAT archives would retrieve numerous messages on this topic. While a few libraries are clinging to their card shelflists my impression is that most have discarded them. My own library stopped acquiring cards years ago and we are discarding older ones once we are sure that that class has been entirely converted and that the electronic records contain up-to-date holdings information. *************************************************************************** Judith Hopkins 716 - 645-2796 (phone) Technical Services Research and Analysis Officer 716 - 645-5955 (FAX) Lockwood Library Building University at Buffalo ULCJH@UBVM.CC.BUFFALO.EDU Buffalo, NY 14260-2200 Listowner of AUTOCAT@UBVM. ... The opinions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent those of the University at Buffalo Libraries **************************************************************************** (3)---------------------------- Date: Mon, 26 Feb 1996 22:07:50 -0500 From: Craig Fairley <fairley@TAP.NET> Subject: Re: Shelf list -maintained or not? By all means, dump it. My experience is that if there is any resistance to eliminating the shelf list, it is the security blanket syndrome you are dealing with. Staff who resist its loss often cannot give you a rational reson why it should be kept. If this is a problem, move it out of the wayin an awkward place and just see how much it is used. I bet it won't be. I have also seen libraries use the dumping of the shelf list as a publicity tool, emphasizing that the libray is now in the computer age with the rest of the world. A small caveat, though. Check to see if there is hand-written information in it that did not get put into your online database. Put it online if you think it is important, then dump it. _________________________________________________________________ Craig Fairley Information Dynamics 2165 Margot Street Oakville, Ontario Canada L6H 3M5 (905) 842-1406 "Services in Information and Process Management" (4)----------------------- Date: Tue, 27 Feb 1996 08:18:37 EST From: Charles Tremper <CFTREMPE@HAWK.SYR.EDU> Subject: Re: Shelf list -maintained or not? Comments: To: "Randi L. Ashton-Pritting" <pritting@UHAVAX.HARTFORD.EDU> We have not only stopped producing shelflist cards (except for accession number sequences, like microfilms and computer files), but are gradually dismantling the shelflist and discarding cards as titles and holdings are transferred to our online system. We are also discarding serials holdings cards once they are transferred online. Charles Tremper Head, serials unit Syracuse University library