Re: Shelving Elves

[Melba Tomeo <TOMES1@AOL.COM>]

Libraries are not alone in their struggle with volunteer shelvers.  I used to
work part-time for Waldenbooks and a mentally handicapped woman in the
community believed that she worked there, also.  We would never see her at
it, but would see the evidence of her "labors".  She would "spine" every book
in a section (as opposed to "facing", which displays the covers full frontal,
and of course, sells more books).  Have you ever read about shelving
practices prior to Melvil's innovations?  By size?  By color?  By order of
accession?  Librarians must have truly been the keepers of knowledge at that
time!  You wouldn't be able to find anything without them!

2 cents worth:  I do whatever I need to, including dusting, shelving, windows
and parties, to keep the library working well and looking good!  I think it
is one of the sad realities of our profession (and perhaps life, on a grander
scale), that appearance is important.  Few really grasp what we do--but if
they can find what they want, the chairs are pushed in, and the shelves are
relatively orderly--we are doing it right in their eyes.

Melba Tomeo
Slippery Rock, PA

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