Satellite Libraries: Pros & Cons

[Henry Yeager <hyeager@SERVER.DWIGHT.EDU>]

We'll be doubling to tripling the number of volumes in our library.  The
administration suggests housing the additional books in satellite libraries
scattered around the school, each with the electronic equipment to access
the catalogue and control circulation: a math library here, a history
library there, etc.  We on the library staff see all kinds of problems with
this, and much prefer expanding into contiguous space, either horizontally
or vertically. We need talking points and would like to know what have been
the experiences of other librarians with satellites.  What advice would you
give us; please consider among other items relative cost, staffing,
security, and ease of use for patrons and staff. Does anyone know of
published studies of the pros and cons?
Thanks so much, you could be saving us a tremendous amount of grief that
the wrong decision might bring.

Henry Yeager
The Dwight School
291 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024

e-mail  hyeager@server.dwight.edu

212-724-6360   X-219