Hit: Inventory procedures

[Bill or Gay Mraz <bgmraz@SAT.NET>]

Hi!

I accidentally lost some of my e-mail and I know that some of it was from
those requesting inventory information.  I also apologize for those who sent
responses that didn't get included here - I must have flunked cut & paste
school.  I attempted to summarize the information, but the information was
so varied that I wasn't sure how.  I also really liked the details that many
included - it was very helpful!! I thought these details would be handy for
others.
I felt it was more polite to send lengthy a-mail privately and was not sure
if LM had limits (Yes they do - my first try was rejected - so I hope it's
OK to make this more than 1 hit
.  I was told by one member that I was being rude not to
post a hit - so...
Here are some of the responses I received at my home address. Thanks to all
who contributed and again I'm really sorry for those I lost.
Gay Mraz, Librarian
Dupree School
Dupree, SD 57623
605-365-5140
mrazg@dupreeschool.org

Inventory Procedures:

Go to the address below and type in: Inventory
There were good discussions in 1997 and 1999

http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.html

Inventory always takes longer than the time given to do it.  If this is
your first year you need to realize that not everything that is missing
came up missing this year.  We are just getting the card catalog cleaned
out of the books thrown away last year in the Middle School.  Our
collection is now contained in 24 drawers where it used to be 33 in the
middle school.  The middle school library is closed a week.  Last year
the H. S. Library was closed three days.  I still have library class in
the MS Library, but I cover the books with silo plastic, newspapers, or
some old hospital divider curtains.
I usually  uncover the books after school is out because we have shades
to block out the summer sun.   Covering the books really signals the
idea that things are winding down.  Start early over 2 weeks from the
end with something not heavily used.
     the H.S. Library won't be closed much.  I have enough computers
that they won't have to disturb things on the shelf.
One of the speech teachers did not come that often, but after they came
two years in a row on the day before school was out for the year.  I
adjusted the closing so it was earlier.  That is not a problem anymore,
because now I just won't let them near any books or magazines of any
kind.
     The more activity you can show the better, because the teachers and
often the principal won't be around when you are working on vacation
time.
      The more you can get students involved the better, but sometimes
it is more work than it is worth.  I have had sixth graders helping me
pull cards out of the cc.  We have done authors, titles, today we are
beginning subjects.  They don't actually pull the cards, but locate
them.  We have cleaned a lot of dead weight out of the library.
      I think spring is the best time.  I picked up some colored paper
clips last year, because we always used silver on the missing books, I
also have used post it notes.   Writing on the cards helps remember more
accurately, but it takes more time.   Good luck.  <:---)
I have a middle school collection of about 11,000 items including non-print.


For years I have always shut the library down before the end of the school
year in order to do inventory.  I like to be able to guarantee the kids that
when they pay for a lost book it is, indeed, lost.  AND for students who
have
paid for lost books during the year...that it has stayed lost ... if it's
found we happily refund their money.  Plus it takes me that long to chase
down all the people who have books out and are too lazy to return them ...
the locker clean outs the last week are a BIG help.  I usually have a list
of
at least ten students who are still delinquent when I leave the bldg in
June.

I am closed 10 days before the end of the year.  Teachers really don't want
to come in and do research, etc that close to the end of the year.  I
happily
loan teachers books, magazines, etc to use in their classrooms if they want
them ... this rarely happens but I always offer.

That ten days gives me enough time to inventory ... whether by the old shelf
list card method, carting every book to the circulation desk via cart (and
dusting the shelves good while they are empty), or using the hand held
device
and then downloading to the computer.  Recently, because of the terrible
mess
in our computer (that's a whole 'nother tale in itself ... we upgraded and
the change to the new software changed shelf locations, titles, you name it,
it did it.)  Our circ/cat system is by a company starting with a W.

Anyway, I did a printout of the entire collection and have had mom
volunteers
going through the entire collection correcting data.  Trying to get back to
the correct place we were before.

Once we get a section "fixed" by making the changes in the computer we
reprint the shelf list BUT wonder of wonders.... this circ/cat system does
NOT print out in shelf list order.  (Call number/author/title)  It may have
six Alcott books then a few by another author that starts with ALC and then
back to Alcott again.  It's a mess.  I've complained to the company ... how
can they possibly not have it sort correctly!!!!

We are going to use the printouts and go through the shelves again ...
making
sure each book found ON the shelf is on the list AND any book on the shelf
NOT on the list is added.  I have some Mom volunteers who will come in and
do
that once more while the library is still open.  (You could always put out
an
SOS for assistance for inventory and maybe get some helpers.  Just explain
how important it is to be right and very clearly what you want done.  Esp
how
you want things marked/not marked, etc.

If you're using shelf list cards .... as I go through a shelf I put a
paperclip on cards that are totally missing and just mark M'00 next to the
barcode number of something that would be missing that has multiple copies.
I don't clip since I wouldn't be deleting the record anyway.  If the book
comes back I just erase the pencil date or remove the paperclip.

When I close this year I intend to get the hand held devices that the
district owns ... we own several ... and with two of us scanning we should
be
able to have the entire room completed in two days of serious scanning.
That
leaves time to reconcile any problems, work on the delinquent overdues, and
delete any items which have been missing for more than one year, and prepare
orders to go in July 1 after the new budget becomes available., etc.  If an
item is missed two inventories in a row ... it is removed from the database.
Since I order preprocessed I do not leave any old records in the system
because I'll get a new MARC with the book.

Sorry I got long winded ... hope this helps.  If you have any more
questions,
free feel to email me.  I have about 31 years of inventories under my belt!
No, I not quite that old... I worked in the library when I was in school and
did inventory with my librarians way back then!!!!

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