(no subject)
I haven't needed to post here in awhile...
So, I am a part of a 20+ branch library system. Our Service Center seems like they are always looking for ways to cut down their time and money, to the detriment of the rest of us.
This time, they have decided they want to do away with most of the labels on books. A run down of some of them:
Genre labels (W, M, SF)
LP (large Print)
Beginning reader
LP isn't too big a deal, because the books have their own section.
And the Genre and LP books are noted on the spine label. But our older readers aren't going to be able to read the spines in the LP section if they are looking for Genre.
And the Beginning Reader books WON'T have the info on the spine. "Most of the books look the same, so it isn't a big deal," was an explanation...not all of the books do.
Our Feature Films and TV shows will no longer have a distinctive label on them, but instead have the borrowing period on the spine label. And that info will wrap around so it won't even be visible unless you turn the DVD to the side. So skimming the shelves to look for things that are out of place won't work.
The kicker is, is that our new books, which are labeled with a piece of orange tape, won't be marked. So the only way to tell if a book is new, is to look in the computer! There will be no physical way to look at the book and see where it needs to be shelved.
There is a discussion online about it, and every time staff questions things, we are given a very vague non-answer. None of these changes were discussed with any of the branch managers. There are no official minutes for the discussions. The talks 'have been going on and off for awhile'. And it will save time and money at our Service Center...
...while making the branches less efficient and causing things to be shelved in the wrong places.
I am OCD enough that I will be able to hunt down anything, even if shelved wrong, but most won't give a crap. Even now, things are getting shelved wrong, that have clear easy-to-read labels.
About five years ago, they tried not putting tape over the spine labels to save time and money. Things didn't circ more than a few times before the label was peeling and looking faded. Thankfully they started putting tape on them again right away.
Okay, rant over. Things are supposed to gradually happen, and officially start in August. Hopefully some minds will change about things.
So, I am a part of a 20+ branch library system. Our Service Center seems like they are always looking for ways to cut down their time and money, to the detriment of the rest of us.
This time, they have decided they want to do away with most of the labels on books. A run down of some of them:
Genre labels (W, M, SF)
LP (large Print)
Beginning reader
LP isn't too big a deal, because the books have their own section.
And the Genre and LP books are noted on the spine label. But our older readers aren't going to be able to read the spines in the LP section if they are looking for Genre.
And the Beginning Reader books WON'T have the info on the spine. "Most of the books look the same, so it isn't a big deal," was an explanation...not all of the books do.
Our Feature Films and TV shows will no longer have a distinctive label on them, but instead have the borrowing period on the spine label. And that info will wrap around so it won't even be visible unless you turn the DVD to the side. So skimming the shelves to look for things that are out of place won't work.
The kicker is, is that our new books, which are labeled with a piece of orange tape, won't be marked. So the only way to tell if a book is new, is to look in the computer! There will be no physical way to look at the book and see where it needs to be shelved.
There is a discussion online about it, and every time staff questions things, we are given a very vague non-answer. None of these changes were discussed with any of the branch managers. There are no official minutes for the discussions. The talks 'have been going on and off for awhile'. And it will save time and money at our Service Center...
...while making the branches less efficient and causing things to be shelved in the wrong places.
I am OCD enough that I will be able to hunt down anything, even if shelved wrong, but most won't give a crap. Even now, things are getting shelved wrong, that have clear easy-to-read labels.
About five years ago, they tried not putting tape over the spine labels to save time and money. Things didn't circ more than a few times before the label was peeling and looking faded. Thankfully they started putting tape on them again right away.
Okay, rant over. Things are supposed to gradually happen, and officially start in August. Hopefully some minds will change about things.