HIT: Packing a Library Part 2

[Kay Weisman <kweisman@NSLSILUS.ORG>]

More Responses:

We boxed everything up last year for construction of our new
library.  We did it by sections, starting about a week or two
ahead.  We had to leave the computer set up until the last day,
for late checkins, etc., and they were literally knocking walls
down around us.  My computer and counter was a small oasis in a
pile of rubble!  Start at the beginning of a section, put it in
a box about the size of a zerox box, and label it with the
beginning and ending call numbers, and number it #1.  Keep a
separate list of what the box number is and what the call
numbers are in that box.  Comes in handy if something goes
missing!  Also handy to put books back in order!  I'd just ask
the office to designate a place for all incoming orders, maybe
a classroom etc.  Maybe they could keep a basket for you in the
office for mail, etc.  You might also call everyone you order
from, or write a note when you send in orders, to please hold
shipment until September.  Good luck!
--
Kathy Lafferty
klaffert@pen.k12.va.us
Library Media Specialist
Patrick Henry Elementary School
Alexandria, VA

Dear Kay,
We have relocated our entire twice during the last three years to
accommodate a complete remodeling of our building.  Our district
provided uniform sized boxes (purchased from a local canning plant)
and wide tape with dispensers to put boxes together.  Make sure the
boxes aren't so big that they are too heavy to move easily once
loaded with books.  Be sure and tape across the bottoms of each box
in both directions.  It is really impossible to drop books into boxes
in shelf order because of the various sizes of books.  We found it was
better to pack oversized books separately.  Start packing from the end
of the alphabet or numbers and work toward the beginning.  Then when
you unpack, you can work from beginning to end.  Label and number
every box with contents: Box 13 - Everybody Me - My, etc.  Keep a
clipboard to record that information.  We were able to track down
some missing boxes that way.  I did use some volunteers after
training them.  It took us a couple of days to pack up everything.
We did close down some areas to pack first.  Our computers were taken
apart and each component was put in a heavy plastic bag and labeled
with contents.  They were moved by a couple of volunteers who knew
what they were doing.  I have never had access to the library in the
summer anyway, so I am used to taking home anything I need.  All our
orders are held in the central warehouse until school opens in
August.  If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact
me.  Jan Weber  webeja@ksd.org

When we moved our library collection for new carpet we got "egg carton
boxes" -- big corrugated boxes that are about 3 feet by 1 1/2 and deep.
Anyway we numbered each library shelf and then put all the books (or if too
many we made an a and b boxes) into one box.  The box was numbered to
correspond with the shelf the books came off of.  Even if the box had only
3 books in it that is all that went in it.  Didn't matter if the boxes got
mixed up or not.  When it was time to put books back the shelvers only had
to find the correct shelf and put them on the shelf.  Didn't matter if the
ones in front and behind were filled or not.  Good luck.  Sharron.

Sharron L. McElmeel
Library Media Specialist
Harrison Elementary School
1310 11th Street NW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52405

Kay, I had to remove 10,000 items last summer so that the whole library
could be repainted.  We couldn't afford packing, but I finally figured
out a way to do it that worked very well.  I borrowed book carts from
every school in the district.  Maintenance picked them up and delivered
them to my library.  Then I started loading books onto them.  The books
stayed in order on the carts, and they were rolled into the hall and
adjoining rooms.  After the paint had dried and "cured" the books went
back on the shelves in order.  I did about 1/3 of the library by myself,
and the district hired a student teacher to do the other 2/3 of the
reloading.  Good luck.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Donna Cook, library teacher
Raguet Elementary, Nacogdoches ISD, and Douglass ISD, and First Baptist
Nacogdoches, TX                         Douglass, TX      Nacogdoches, TX
<dsc@tenet.edu>         "The best education is caught--not taught"
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Dear Kay,
     Check the LM-Net archives for MOVING because a year or
so ago there was a heavy discussion here about how to move
libraries.  Some schools organized human "fire brigades" to
move books, some organized kids in a huge moving circle
to carry boxes, etc.  I had to remove everything from
my library (12,000 volumes, stacks, tables, chairs,
computers, etc.) because we re-carpeted.  After
investigating costs of boxes ($3 each, 500 needed, and
THEN what do you do with waste?), we decided to use
plastic wrap instead.  Yep, commercial Saran-wrap type
stuff ordered from our cafeteria supplier in big, wide
rolls.  We hired student workers in teams of 3 to
lift shelves WITH BOOKS off the stacks, wrap books to
shelf securely, and then take them on carts to an
empty classroom.  I had pre-labeled each shelf with
stack run letter and shelf number, so when it was time
to replace them, order was not important.  If kid picked
up shelf labeled Q26, he knew to go to stack Q, and
put it on the brackets for shelf 26.  Replacement went
really fast; plastic was simply cut off with box cutters
and tossed.  Plastic and labels cost under $50 for the
whole job.  I think I posted detailed instructions under
MOVING A LIBRARY (moving libraries?) a while back.
     Good luck, and feel free to call me if you have
questions.

                     ||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~||
                     ||        Bonnie | Fulmer       ||
                     ||   Spackenkill | High School  ||
                     ||    112 Spack- | enkill Road  ||
                     || Poughkeepsie, | NY   12603   ||

Hi Kay -- we packed our high school library late last spring -- we were open
up to the last week of school, did inventory and then packed. Kids didn't
seem to miss our being open -- they're busy getting ready for finals and
graduation and summer's on their mind.  We did let kids in to read to paper
and current magazines and packed those items the very last.  It took a week
of hard work -- our collection is about the size of yours plus we have
magazines stored -- some, like Time and other news magazines, going back 25
years.  We packed backwards in shelf order to ensure (although it didn't
always work) that unpackingwould be in the correct order.  I called around
to moving companies in the city near our district and found one who was
happy to loan us book boxes.  It turned out the manager was friends with a
family whose daughter is a student in our district.  We were allowed to
label these boxes and did so carefully.  It is worth it and I can't
emphasize taking time to do that too much. We did use student volunteers
especially in the fall when we had to arrange all the boxes over
again,because the people moving everything out over the summer just did it
in a jumble because of being behind schedule.  They did a good job except
with arranging things on the shelves -- not good, we had to re-do a lot of
their work.  I also called a box factory and got probably 200 boxes that
were printed wrong or cut not quite right but were still usable.  You'll
need way more than you think.  We didn't box our computers but we did wrap
them carefully in trash bags and tape the openings closed.  We also did this
with tvs, vcrs and our two remaining microfiche readers.  You're smart to
think about items needed over the summer -- I didn't and had to hunt for my
desk (our whole school was remodeled).
Elizabeth Letterly, District Librarian  eletterl@abelink.com
Williamsville CUSD #15, Williamsville, IL  USA  62693

   Hi Kay, It is helpful if all the boxes are the same size for non-fiction
we got some from a local box factory (12"wide x 12"high x 18"long) for
fiction I like the photocopy paper boxes(those may be in short supply if
others are moving).  Uniformity in size makes it much easier to arrange them
before putting them back on the shelf.
   Realize the construction firm may want to start before the end of the
school year!!  That is really much better for you than having them not start
work until the second week of July!!
Yes, using computer printed out labels for the boxes will make it a lot
easier for
volunteers to identify where the boxes should be put. Labels of different
colors would be another idea that saves lifting(white for non-fiction,
orange for fiction, etc.)
   I got closed down completely before the very end.
 The mail has to be arriving somewhere and this would be one thing you could
do to speed up things for the fall. The secretaries also might appreciate
getting some of the junk out of the way.  However, if you are in the way
forget it.
 By the way, dust can travel along distance!!
>
            Bob King                K-12 Librarian