The Little Shelvers That Could...

The move of Media material from the First Floor to the Second is nearly complete with the remainder of the music scores being transported to their final location. This constitutes the last phase of the material move and should be completed within the day...Friday at the latest. The last remaining element to be relocated will be the media viewing equipment, bound for the Second Floor sometime next week.

Brace Ourselves to Our Duties...and Our Shelving Ranges...

The move of the Media material to the Second Floor of the USF Tampa Library has begun. All VHS, DVD, and CD material from the first floor has been relocated and signage is being placed on the 2nd floor to help direct patrons to find the material they need during the interim period before all material is placed in its final locations. All of the VHS material from the On-Site Storage area will be coming down starting today and be incorporated into the collection already being built in what was the former Current Periodicals area. The wall shelving from the First Floor will be moved to the 2nd and have the DVDs and CDs placed upon it. More updates will follow as the events unfold continuously. Also, the material in teh Circulating Collection has reached its maximum incoming flow and the process of sorting and shelving all book material can be gin in earnest with full force.

Thanksgiving and Beyond...

A Happy Thanksgiving to all today! Just as a reminder, the USF Tampa Library will be undergoing its semester influx of returned Circulating Material after the holiday break as many patrons prepare for the end of the semester ahead. There is a plan to have Staff involvement to assure that any backlog of material can be dealt with in an efficient and timely manner to ensure greater access to recently returned material. This plan should be implemented in the future during key times of the end of each semester to handle backlog problems throughout the academic year. Simultaneously this upcoming month of December, the move of Media Resources to the 2nd floor, the relocation of Reference on the 1st floor, and the augmentation of the Circulation and Media service desks will be taking place. These events combined with the upcoming 24/5 hours the library will be enacting with a complete renovation of the Information Commons on the 1st floor and relocation of the Ask Desk will provide a newer and more engaging workplace for USF affiliates of all kinds.

Media Move...

The USF Tampa Library has taken the first organizational steps towards the large-scale Media Resources move that will be occurring within the facility over the course of the month of December. The cooperation of all Library Staff is greatly appreciated and should the proposed steps be carried out, the major bulk of the Media Resources collection will be in the proper places by the beginning of the Spring Semester along with the reformed Circulation/Media Resources Desk which will incorporate Staff and Student Assistant in one location between the formerly seperate areas and the introduction of the 24/5 hours that the Library will be operating under. More uppdates will be posted as events continue to occur throughout the remainder of the semester.

Upcoming Undertakings...

The USF Tampa Library will be undergoing some alterations in the placement of its collections soon:

November-The Circulating Collection will be receiving a heavy focus on shelf-reading.
December-The Media Resources material will be moved onto the 2nd Floor, along with the
Media Annex, and On-Site Storage while the current periodicals are combined in with
the bounds
January-The Reference Collection will be distributed into a new Ref. Collection, the Reference
Annex, Circulating Collection

A good deal more updates will be following as these events unfold.

Midterms and the Like...

The USF Tampa Library has been working to keep up with the influx of patrons generate from having all Freshmen living on campus for the first time this year. Large clean-up projects have been undertaken to ensure the best possible service for patrons to find the material they are looking for accurately on the shelves. The passing of Midterms last week has also added to the amount of material coming into the facility and the sorting areas are being focused on heavily to return the texts to their proper place.

Shelf-Reading...

Is back up to par and in full swing again. An updated list of Shelf-Reading Assignments is posted on the USF Tampa Library Stacks Management LibGuide.

Read THIS...

The new Shelf-Reading Assignments are now posted for the USF Tampa Library Stacks Management Student Assistants on the Stacks homepage.

Miniture Shifting in a Macro-Library...

New areas of Circulating material that need to be shifted have been identified and will be dealt with over the coming weeks as this small project wraps-up the gargantuan work done over the summer. Again, great thanks to Jay Scholz for his continued effort in this necessary upkeep.

Turning Shelving on Its Side...

Looking around the Circulating Collection recently, one might notice a good deal of items "spine-up." The purpose of this is to identify which pieces of material have been recently shelved and which books are remaining stationary on the shelves. This method allows Shelf-Readers to be able to focus on material that circulates more frequently and has a greater chance of being located in the wrong area on the shelf while requiring less time scanning over correctly placed material that does not move a great deal. Of course the ever-present issue of material simply being picked-up and misplaced without being checked out will still be paid attention to while the horizontal books are then placed vertically by the Shelf-Readers once the items are confirmed to be in the correct place.

Fall Descends...

Appropriate to the name of the current semester, the ALEPH Circulation System for the State University Libraries of Florida went down for approximately 72 hours, however it appears to be up and running correctly leaving a good deal of physical material in its wake to be back-dated and checked in. Kudos to all of the USF Tampa Library Staff and Student Assistants who worked the Circulation Desk during this period for their incredible patience and effort.

The new shelf-reading assignments for the USF Tampa Library will be posted by the end of the week on the LibGuide Stacks page once all new employees are trained and working by Friday the 4th.

A new policy in the Bookroom goes back to the previous transport schedule of semesters past in that all material will be brought up to the appropriate floors each day. Analysis showed that material was staying within the Bookroom for too long a period of time on the Summer schedule to meet the increased demands of the Fall. More material will be available for patron browsing in the Sorting Areas starting this week than for the first week of Fall.

Also, Circulation Student Assistants finding themselves with down time will be doing work within the Bookroom sorting and loading carts for transports to better utilize available labor and smooth the flow of the Circulating material's return to the shelves.

The Future...The Fad...The Legend...

For those patrons tired with the thousands-of-years-old method of reading:

Click Here

Fall Semester Arrives, as do New Projects...

The beginning of the Fall Semester at USF brings the Tampa Library's Stacks Management area the project of Spatial Analysis for the upcoming months, meaning that the amount of available shelf space is currently being evaluated to determine the possible layout for the inclusion of material purchased in the future.

Archives, France, and Google...

Google takes over French library duties in archiving role:

Click Here

Come on Oxford...Really?

Click here to read.

USF Tampa Library Stacks Management on Lib Guides...

The USF Tampa Library's Stacks Management homepage is being moved to the new Lib Guides setup that the new USF Tampa Library website will be taking in the near future this year. A prototype of the page is still being created, but will be available officially very soon.

Oversize? Cage? Not Just Terms for a Wrestling Match...

Updates are being made to the USF Tampa Library's "Oversize" and "Cage" collections. For those unfamiliar with these two collections they are two sets of material that are contained within the library's Bookroom behind the Circulation Desk and can be requested for from Circulation Staff. The Cage Collection is material that is often stolen or damaged and placed on by-request-only status for the preservation of the items but can be checked out for standard periods of time. The Oversize Collection is comprised of texts too large to be able to fit on the shelving in the Circulating Collection and is also kept in the Bookroom available upon request. There exist a small percentage of items that fit into the "Cage" and "Oversize" categories simultaneously and are located amidst their own space within the Bookroom. All three of these categories of items are currently being reviewed and new notes are planned to be placed in the online library Catalog, embedded in item records, to ensure that patrons know exactly what to ask for when searching and consulting Staff. This project is planned to be completed by the beginning of the Fall 2009 semester.

Updates All Around...

The new Shifting Assessment for the USF Tampa Library has been posted on the USF Tampa Library Stacks Management homepage along with the new Shelf-Reading Assignments for the Stacks Management SAs to keep current with numbers of employees, the Circulating Collection Shifting Project, and anticipation of collection usage prior to the beginning of the Fall Semester.

A Whole New World in Here...

Most of the updates that have been posted to the blog recently have been rather routine, but now there is a break in the cycle.


A list of several new occurrences within the USF Tampa Library:

-The Shifting Project taking place over the course of the Summer Semesters within the 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors is drawing to a close with a large amount of space being opened up in high-density areas while incorporating overly-spacious range sections. The end of the Summer B session will officially close out the semester long collection project, but areas of advanced concentrations will be selected for the Fall in continuing updates to ensure that such a misappropriation of space does not repeat. A great deal of thanks to Jay and Cleo, (Student Assistants in Stacks Management), for their incredibly hard work on this project.

-As a result of the Shifting Project, new signage has been placed at the ends of all ranges on the 3rd floor, (and will continue through the rest of this week and next week on the 4th and 5th floors), indicating the new call number ranges occupying those shelves.

-New signage is now posted in the Sorting Areas on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors. This is now a permanent replacement for the temporary signs that were previously hanging from the sorting tables.

-A new set of Shelf-Reading Assignments is going to be posted to the USF Tampa Library Stacks Management Homepage to accommodate the spacial redistribution of Circulating material and the upcoming transition from the Summer to Fall semesters via the two week Intersession.

And the Shift Goes On...

The weekly update for the USF Tampa Library Circulating Collection shifting project is currently published on the Stacks Management page .

Blogs to Blogs, Dust to Dust...

Below is a link to a fellow blogger's post on the creation of information as a process from data. Interesting from a librarian stand point as books offer such a medium.

Link

New Signs to Guide You on Your Way...

Due to the large amount of work being done on the shifting project in the USF Tampa Library's Circulating Collection on floors 3, 4, and 5, the range listings for the material placed on each set of shelves is currently being updated. Our apologies for any confusion during this time that may result from material being in only the generally correct shelving area rather than the specific. The updates to all of the signage on the ranges should be completed within the next several business days and is expected to be completely wrapped up by the end of next week.

New Update...

The shifting update for the USF Tampa Library Stacks Management homepage has been posted for this week.

Like Clockwork...

The new update of the Shifting project at the USF Tampa Library has been posted on the Stacks Management homepage. The project is approximately half-way completed and should be entirely finished within the month of August. Kudos to all involved in the physical labor of this on-going task.

As Prophesied...

The new Shelf-Reading Assignments are now listed on the USF Tampa Library Stacks Management Homepage.

Shelf Reading...

The new shelf-reading assignments will be coming out shortly to augment the work currently being done.

Wednesday's Information...

The shifting update for this week has been posted the the USF Tampa Library Stacks Management Homepage.

That Time of the Week Again...

The Shifting schedule for the USF Tampa Library has again been updated, so please feel free to take a look at upcoming areas and also to see sections of the collection currently completed to gauge the difference that this project is having.

Seek and Ye Shall Receive...

It may look like there are more signs around the library today, and it is because there are. About 240 to be more exact. New signs have been put up around the USF Tampa Library stacks directing patrons who cannot find the books they want to the Sorting Areas on each floor. Often, if a book is unable to be located initially, it is because it is within the reshelving process and on a sorting table awaiting placement on a cart. These areas are open to the public allowing individuals another area in which to find that oh-so-sought-after item. Also within the sorting areas are three signs directing patrons to the Book Search form in the event that the Sorting Areas yield no results. After filling out this form, Stacks Management employees will continue the search and contact the individual with the results.

Come Get What You Need...

For those in need of an extra bit of help locating that certain special book in the USF Tampa Library, there are directional signs being placed on the ends of many of the rows of book ranges instructing patrons to check the sorting areas located on the east side of the building on each floor. Also, once within the sorting area, if the item remains elusive, there are signs directing individuals to the process of placing a Book Search online and letting the library staff continue the search.

Shifting Update...

The current shifting project occurring within the USF Tampa Library has been updated on the USF Tampa Library Stacks Management Homepage. An area worthy of note is the dreaded "KZD" section on the 3rd floor, having long been a problem area and well within sight of the Sorting Area.

Return of the Periodicals...

After a GREAT deal of wonderful work by everyone that could spare the time, the Periodicals have now begun to make their way back onto the shelves on the Second Floor. There is no word yet as to exactly when the east half of the Second Floor will be fully reopened, but thanks to Jessi Hurd's organizational efforts progress is being made more and more each day.

Feel Shifted?

There has been an update of the shifting progress that is going on within the Circulating Collection at the USF Tampa Library. The update can be found on the USF Tampa Library Stacks Management Homepage.

Get Classified Instruction

The USF Tampa Library Stacks Management Homepage has now posted links to websites showing how to use the Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal Classification Systems. Please feel free to try them out to get more acquainted with the organizational systems used in both public and academic libraries. A Thank You to Jared Hoppenfeld for the input.

F.Y.I....the USF Tampa Library uses both systems!

New Shelf-Reading Assignments...

New Shelf-Reading assignments have been made and posted on the USF Tampa Library Stacks Management webpage. Student Assistants, (SAs), have been given ranges of book stacks which must be viewed and corrected on an assigned basis hinged on need, time available, and staff availability. Each evening the Assistant Stacks Supervisor makes rounds of the library assessing where the most needed areas are for sorting/shelving. This will be modified to also now include areas in the greatest need of shelf-reading and the appropriate individuals will be instructed the following day via the standard in-office schedule to attend to their areas. This is to be an on-going project throughout the Summer 2009 semester(s) to be carried out in compilation with the Shifting Project, the time-frames, collections, and individuals of which are also posted on the Stacks management homepage.

Catchier Updates...

Being in the spirit of appreciating that evolving in one's profession allows that individual, and by proxy that profession, to become positively enhanced, the following are recent updates, items in the works, and planned out agendas made for USF Tampa Library Stacks Management.


Things Put Into Motion:

1.) There will be the inclusion of new signs around the Stacks areas of the library to be placed on the ends of every few rows of book ranges informing patrons of the presence of Sorting Areas, (if they were not previously aware), to assist them if they cannot locate a book on the shelf initially. There will also be signs posted in the Sorting Areas informing patrons of the Book Search Form should the desired item(s) not be located. A special thanks to Jane Duncan for the suggestion.

2) Additional signs may be posted, if space, time, and astrology allows, in the lobby or some public area within the library informing patrons as to which floors are being sorted and shelved on that particular day. The new Sorting/Shelving schedule is posted on the Stacks Management home page. A great thanks to Eileen Thornton for her help with all sign work.

3.) A possible inclusion of the last return date for library items listed as "Available" in the library catalog. The purpose of this is to allow an individual to approximate where in the sorting/shelving process the item would be based on the return time. i.e.: 12 hours ago, probably the Bookroom. 6 days ago, probably the shelf. There are many technological elements and individuals involved in this process so it may take some time to evaluate its reality. Thank you to Ginny Cunningham and Drew Smith for the idea and to Todd Chavez for getting the ball rolling.

4.) Quality Control Student Assistants, (SAs), have been assigned to specific floors to monitor the progress of sorting and shelving and report back to Stacks Management with any issues, concerns, or praise as necessary. There are three such individuals, one for each floor of the Circulating Collection, allowing for a greater sense of ownership of the material being worked on and facilitating a greater flow of communication between Stacks Supervisors and the individuals they are in charge of.


Things Accomplished:

1.) As is evident, there is a blog set up for Stacks Management in which all individuals are invited to participate in questions, comments, etc., to help open a creative flow of ideas and information to assist in making access to the printed texts of the USF Tampa Library as efficient as possible. The peer institutions of USF, (a list of which can be found on the library website while the fellow Stacks/Circulation individuals of these institutions can be located on the Stacks Management home page), have been invited to participate. Upcoming will be an invitation to FSU, UF, and UCF.

2.) The standards to which Stacks Management SAs are held to have been compiled into a singular list and are now available through the Stacks Management home page.

3.) As mentioned, the schedule for transporting material from the Bookroom to the appropriate floors along with the sorting and shelving schedule has been posted to the Stacks management home page.


Things to be Started:

1.) A schedule for the shelf-reading of the Circulating Collection by Stacks SAs is going to be compiled and posted on the Stacks Management home page no later than 6/5.

2.) A plan is being drawn up that is to be put into place to anticipate the large influx of material that follows the end of each semester. The plan is to begin taking effect on the Monday after Spring Break and the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday. It is the goal of Stacks Management to implement this strategy to alleviate a backlog of Circulating material before it ever arises. What this plan will consist of and who will be involved is yet to be determined, but rest assured that updates will follow as events warrant.

Updates...(Catchy Title, huh?)

In conjuncture with this blog, a web-presence has been created for the USF Tampa Library's Stacks Management area in the form of a homepage. The website is linked on the upper-right area of this current webpage and will bring any user to information about USF Tampa Library Stacks Management including schedules, helpful information, personnel, etc. This blog is also linked on the Stacks homepage. Please visit and use this forum as a place to insert feedback or contact the Stacks management supervisors directly at their listed contact information.

The Flood of '09

The librarian's worst nightmare: with minimal staff an emergency occurs involving water, multiple floors, and thousands of volumes of material. Not just a dream any longer. One week ago the USF Tampa Library had the dubious honor of joining the ranks of libraries that prove themselves with a trial by fire. Or in this case, water...and a lot of it. An aspect of building construction that is interesting regarding the USF Tampa Library is that its second floor extends out beyond the exterior walls of the rest of the building to create an effect similar to a four-walled alcove around the perimeter of the mass structure. This creates the need for a second roof to be placed above the small jutting area and it is this roof which played the fateful role in the following events. As is well-known in this part of the country, the summer brings the wet season with rains falling at near clock-like intervals throughout the day and night which is of no hugely negative consequence unless a drainage pipe on the second floor extension detaches itself in the midst of said rain and allows an aw some mass of water to enter, hypothetically, a Periodical section of a large academic library. The water would build at an alarming rate on the ceiling tiles until they collapsed, flooding the second floor with inches of water over a large extent of periodical texts and carpet. This water would then accumulate at such a rate and to such a degree that it collapses the ceiling of the first floor, which might, simply for argument's sake, contain Media Resources items such as VHS and DVDs, with an adjoining area for music scores. This scenario could only possibly be made more catastrophic by the occurrence of water leaking through yet another floor into basement PRESERVATION. Though if one is lucky, the water might not be coming at a continuously alarming rate and stop short of damaging anything already in need of repair. These afore mentioned events are the very real recent history of the USF Tampa Library. Having been literally under the waterfall himself, working with several VERY dedicated employees to save as many bound periodicals as possible and stop the leak, this author is still not privy to give insight as to the exact nature of the cause of the drainage pipe failure, however he can pass on that the work done by USF Tampa Library employees at the time, (most "mere" part-timers), was far above standard job description. In the end, in the past week, and certainly currently, Media Resources is roped-off, being dried with industrial fans and plastic partitions as is Periodicals. It must also be noted that though the periodical texts are shelved by Stacks Management employees, the department has its own staff who handled the relocation, organization, and planning for recovery in a most professional manner to the point that the second floor has been able to operate as an active area of the library despite the entire incident. Though at the moment, a patron may find a few extra texts on carts or out-of-the-way places so please seek an employee and remember that Herman Melville and Melvil Dewey do not mix.

Welcome!

Greetings and welcome to Academic Library Stacks Management, a web presence designed for the communication of ideas, resolution of problems, and overall academic progress of the most intrinsic purpose of libraries: providing unbiased access of information to a population, thoroughly through the text collection of academic libraries. Please feel free to share your experiences in the Stacks, interesting stories, management ideas, and future plans.