LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Dear 'NETters:
Thank you so much for your input as to whether or not keeping an accession=20
book is worth the effort expended in these days of automated circulation=20
systems. You have validated my decision to spend the time with my students=20
and teachers rather than doing paperwork. Sorry it took me so long to get=20
things together. Score, by the way, was: Automated Systems 26, Accession=20
Books 0.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We do not keep an accession book any more.=A0 Every time I add new entries t=
o
the automated system, I print out a list in barcode order of the books that
I have just entered and keep the lists in a notebook.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Can it honey...everything is linked to the barcode record?
If you put everything in you don't even need a shelf list anymore...I know=20
this is stepping on some toes who still keep a shelf - I would rather "play"=
=20
with kids.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NO I have never done one even before automating.=A0 NO TIME.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I haven't had an accession book for 20 years; ever since we automated and
through out card catalog and shelf list file.=A0 Never once missed it.
Everything we need to know is in the automation system including serial
numbers on equipment
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We always accessioned books.=A0 However, with automation, that is the first
thing I would stop doing.=A0 A few of my seasoned colleagues still accession=
,
but can't give me a good reason for doing so - except habit.=A0 A much bette=
r
use of time is interacting with people or computers, not with accession
books.=A0=20
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The barcode number used in automation systems is comparable to the accession
number we used to use.=A0 There is no reason to keep an accession book today=
.
It is VITAL to keep a back-up of your data off site-this provides another
copy of your collection in case something happens to the computer.=A0 Of
course, in order to be accurate, this need to be done often.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For about one year after automating I did keep an accession book.
There is NO reason for keeping the old kind of written record if your
circ/cat system is a good one.
I can sort by date entered, thereby making a printout of the year's
acquisitions and so many other NICE reports.
It's double and needless the way I see it.
I do keep a printed shelflist of the ENTIRE collection.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Even with a card catalog system the accession book info can be put
on the shelf list card.=A0=A0 We do use 6 digit accession numbers rather tha=
n
copy 1 , 2 , 3 etc..=A0 Those are recorded on the shelf list card.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Nope, quit keeping it when I automated in '93 and have never missed it.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I do not keep an accession book.=A0 My Concourse automated system is capable=
=20
of printing out accession records should I need them.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The library that I took over 8 years ago was not automated.=A0 I kept up the=
=20
accession book until we went through a retrospective conversion.=A0 Now the=20
material recordserves the same purpose.=A0 It has the date the book was adde=
d=20
to the collection, a unique number (the barcode) and all of the information=20
about the material (much more than I used to keep with an accession book)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
no!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I keep mine in a desk drawer in my office as an historical document,
especially because my mother established the first middle school library
media center back in 1973.=A0 It's interesting to look back and see what was
ordered and how limited budgets were during those times.
However, I only use the computer anymore for listing new books.=A0 Our time=20=
is
so limited as is, so why duplicate?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
no, the barcode becomes the accession number, and that is all available in
your system.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No, we have not had an accession book in years; since before I started in
the library.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I quit this year.=A0 I really couldn't come up with a good reason to keep on=
e
anymore.=A0 I can get a report on the value of the collection easily through
the automation program and replacement information is as near as the
Internet.=A0 So...I'll be glad to hear from others who differ.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No! I discarded the accession book when I discarded the card catalog & the=20
shelf list...and that was as soon as I cataloged the last book in our=20
collection. I didn't have room for all that stuff and I didn't want to do=20
the work twice. Just keep many backups and get rid of all that stuff! I=20
haven't missed any of it in the 6 or 7 years that we have been automated.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
,=A0=A0 I gave up the accession book when we first automated with just a
circulation program (in the days when a 5 Mb hard drive was a big
deal).=A0 I've never missed it.=A0 Keeping track of an accession number
and a different barcode number would be confusing, and making them
both the same would be a chore except in a new library.
=A0=A0 I continued making catalog cards (including shelf list) until we
got a combined circ/cat program a few years ago.=A0 I consult the old
shelf list (now three years out of date) maybe ten times a year for
some info. not yet on the computer (we're not finished with
retrospective conversion).
=A0=A0 The important thing is to have lots and LOTS of backups of your
automation program's data, preferably kept in more than one building.
My school's server literally burned up a few years ago.=A0 At another
time, I was within one backup of losing three years' work.=A0 I do print
out a shelf list every few years.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No, I do not keep up-to-date accession books.=A0 But I did keep the old ones=
,
the first was painstakingly handwritten in 1917, with the number 1.=A0 So mu=
ch
work, by so many people over the years, I just couldn't throw them away.=A0=20=
Of
course, all OUR work can be erased by a blip of electricity, but that is a
different story.=A0 Number one was LITTLE WOMEN!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
All of our schools stopped using an accession book about two years after
switching to Follett.=A0 We do use a category number for the year of
purchase but have actually found little use even for that.=A0 The Follett
record seems to be adequate for our needs.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NO!=A0 Forget that.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Haven't kept one in thirty years as a librarian.=A0 If I missed something, i=
t=20
was never evident to me.=A0 My secretary insists on keeping a paper shelf-li=
st=20
file, but the minute she retires, I plan to get rid of that, too.=A0 My=20
assumption is that any time spent on clerical matters detracts from time=20
spent with teachers and kids.=A0 Do what's necessary to make the library wor=
k=20
and not a speck more.=A0 My $.02.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We do not keep an accession book any more but I do still put one in the book
and note in the copy information.=A0 I feel it gives me one more way to
identify multiple copies of books.=A0 So often we have to play detective I
thought one more clue maybe helpful.=A0
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I don't keep a book in the traditional manner.=A0=A0 Our automated systems n=
eeds
to updated ( new hardware and software wanted to make it true OPAC) so I
keep a record=A0 of titles added and source of funding ( general fund,
donation etc) for my reports to the administration.=A0 =A0 It helps to have=20=
this
all in one place since the data in the automated is constantly=A0 up-dated
since titles can be easily added or deleted.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I don't keep an accession book anymore but I still have a shelf-list....(I=20
think I may ditch that at the end of this year.) I figure the barcode no#=20
replaces the accession no# ....and the other info we used to add such as=20
$/date/vendor/date discarded can all be added to the automation record.
=A0 =A0 The only reason I keep the shelf list is because it takes a couple y=
ears=20
to work out the automation bugs....for example we still haven't been able to=
=20
get an inventory report from scanning our collection! ....also, there were=20
books on the shelf in June that didn't have records (corrected)....and=20
records for books that don't exist anymore...and the only way I know this is=
=20
because I checked my shelf list. Now (knock on wood) both are accurate enoug=
h=20
for me to suspend the shelf list.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NO!! But I do have excellent backups stored off campus so that in the event
my library is destroyed, there is a record of what was in it.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Robin Boltz, MLS Student, East Carolina University
LMC Creedmoor Elementary, Creedmoor, NC
futuremlsecu@aol.com
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