As I really start to hunker down and prepare for the Rural Libraries Conference, I decided that I might have to wax on about my favorite topic of collection quality. I am presenting with my co-worker, Holly Hibner, about physical inventory and how it can help make a library collection more dynamic and useful to both the librarians and patrons who use it.
In a nutshell, physical inventory makes the assumption that every item in the collection, at some time, will be examined by a real person. In doing a physical exam of a collection item by item, you are also tracking the quality of everything collection related: shelving, cataloging, use/circulation activity. Of course this sounds daunting! Who can possibly physically examine every item in the collection? The short answer is you can’t. Like shelf reading or weeding or any other maintenance activity, you must integrate inventory into the regular activity of managing your library collection.
Managing a collection is more than just selection and weeding materials from time to time. That time between selection and weeding is when we need to be paying close attention. Is it meeting the needs and working within the scope of the library’s collection development policy? Is it being used? Are the librarians responsible for that collection making the best use of budget and resources?
As I continue to preach this gospel of physical inventory, let me put a few ideas out there based on my own experience. In examining about one stack of fiction (about 125 books or so), I came across a missing book, an item claims returned by a patron, two books that were still checked out to patrons. In addition, there were some damaged books that needed some attention and a handful that were shelved incorrectly. For those who count, that is about an error rate between 3% and 5% (depending on your inclusion of misshelved or damaged items). Think about the money and time spent overall in collection and before you know it, we are talking about REAL money!
Loleta Fyan Rural Libraries Conference 2009
4/29/09-5/1/09
Grand Traverse Resort
http://rlc2009.ning.com/
I recently switched jobs and now realize how great it was that I spent hours each year doing inventory - when it's done consistently and correctly you don't realize what a mess a collection can be in! I am currently in a larger elementary library, we serve 1,000 students. The problem is there has not been an inventory done in years. It has been so frustrating to search for books that are not there, but still show up in the catalog. I don't even know where to begin, I always had the luxury of closing the library to do the inventory, but do not have that option now. I'd appreciate any advice!
ReplyDeleteWhen looking at a unending sea of stuff to inventory it will overwhelm you! I feel your pain. Draw some parameters around your collection that have definite "limits". For example only inventory (or attempt to inventory) just the Nonfiction materials from 1-100 or only the picture books letter A or however you classify. Make a shelf list and then cross reference. You have to start somewhere and if you can manage small "bites" of your collection you should be on your way! Let me know how you do!
ReplyDeleteMary