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Regarding inventory.   Another question is "why do an inventory".   School
libraries are about the only type of library inventorying on an annual
basis, and we tend to have the smallest collections and a (relatively)
captive patron base.  Surely spending hours and hours to find 10 books
missing could be spent in user services, rather than counting.   If we
absolutely must feel like we must honor the past by inventorying, maybe
every 5 years?   or maybe 1/3 to 1/5 of the collection a year,  so that at
the end of the cycle it would have all been touched.   For those who argue
that they want to know what's missing and update the catalog, I would point
out that it will never be 100% accurate, and even continuous inventories
would probably produce different numbers.

And, if it's because someone else makes us, maybe it's time to point out
that the emperor has no clothes.    Just some thoughts.
If  you are trying to serve children in 5 different schools, I don't know
that inventory will make an appreciable difference in their educational
experiences or achievement.

Gail K. Dickinson, PhD
249-6 Dept of Educational Curriculum and Instruction
Darden College of Education
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA 23529
gdickins@odu.edu
757-683-6683

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