Re: Circulate uncat'd mat'ls???

[Irene Clise <iclise1@MICKEY.ESD113.WEDNET.EDU>]

I don't even know how best to begin on this subject.  I think it's this
"ownership" attitude that has gotten libraries and librarians into real
trouble.  I STRONGLY feel that those items should be lent out as soon as
a request is made.  It can be handled in at least one of two ways (maybe
more).
        1.  Check out the item by giving it a temporary barcode or whatever
            is needed at your site with a promise to have it returned directly
            to you when finished.

        2.  Catalog it within the next hour (yes, it can be done) and get
            it to the person as soon as possible if cataloging it must be
            done before it goes out.

We are in the business of service and not ownership.  Trust is built on
relationships and service.  I'm in a newly opened high school with 14,000
new items, leaving a lot of uncatalogued materials.  I WILL give a
teacher, and even heaven forbid, even a student, uncatalogued material or
promise it within an hour.  This is a priority with me.  Sorry if I am
stepping on toes, but this is a great soapbox to be on!


Irene Clise
Library Media Specialist
River Ridge High School
Olympia, Washington
iclise1@mickey.esd113.wednet.edu

On Sun, 2 Oct 1994, Roselle _ Weiner wrote:

> I hope someone can assist me in answering a query from a department head
> at my school.  He wants to know why the staff cannot borrow uncataloged
> material when they (the staff) are willing to take responsibility for it.
>
> The problem arose when a teacher saw a video tape in my office.  She
> asked to borrow it when it was cataloged as she would need it in two
> weeks time.  I told her that there was a backlog of cataloging and I
> doubted that 2 weeks were enough to process that.
>
> I have, in the past, loaned out uncataloged material temporarily.  Video
> tapes usually don't come back for the longest time @0/if ever and  books
> end up in the libraries without stamps on them or accessP }ion numbers.
> Or they simply get stolen.  I want to defend not distributing uncataloged
> stuff BUT i really do want to get the items out as quickly as possible.
>
> What is the best way to handle this situation?  How have you done it?
> Should I write a memo describing how we do cataloging now?  I'd like to
> be able to respond with a short, sweet memo that acknowledges the problem
> and asks for more feedback but doesn't capitulate to doing extra work and
> splitting up batches of material.
>
> If there is interest, I will post a hit (now that I've learnzH}ed how to
> do that <vbg>
>
> Thanks for any assistance,
>
> Rosellev\
>
>
> American School for the Deaf
> r_weiner@sacam.oren.ortn.edu
>