Collection Developments @ Sno-Isle

take that Jane Austen!

Wired explores the pervasive impact of manga in Japan including its possible future both in Japan and the U.S.

The Playaway devices have been wildly successful in the short time they’ve been available to patrons of Sno-Isle Libraries. Currently Playaway collections are available in ten Sno-Isle branches (Freeland, Granite Falls, Marysville, Mobile Services, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Oak Harbor, Snohomish, Stanwood, Sultan). As we’ve evaluated this new format two issues have become sources for concern that have slowed the expansion of the collection.

Cases

Since early in 2007 staff have reported that patrons experience problems with the plastic container housing the Playaway device. Patrons expressed difficulty opening the case or having the case break or tear during use. Since March, Collection Development staff have worked with vendors to address the casing issue. Playaway has responded to our concerns by changing the vendor supplying the cases and also by improving the design, which should make them more durable and easier to open. Damaged cases are replaced at the Service Center as they are weeded.

Battery Labels

Patrons are expected to supply their own AAA battery to listen to the Playaway device. Some first time Playaway patrons have been confused by batteries left in the device by the previous patron. Typically a user will begin listening to a Playaway device and as the battery loses charge the device will begin to perform erratically. Patrons often report the device as defective to staff when they return it. This is an excellent opportunity for staff to ask the patron if they tried replacing the battery and explain that a new battery often resolves the problem. Staff should return the item and if there are no holds pending offer to check out the device to the patron again.

Soon branches with Playaway collections will receive labels recommending patrons replace the AAA battery before listening. In order to keep Playaways in the collection and minimize inconvenience to patrons, branch staff will apply labels, as instructed below, to cases that are in good condition.

Battery Label Placement

• Open the case fully and lay it flat so you can see both the front and back of the case.
• Lift the plastic liner and place the label in the white space below the bottom left corner of the cover art.

As Playaways are returned staff should take the following actions to improve the listening experience for patrons.

· Evaluate the case for tears or other damage.

· Do a brief visual inspection of the Playaway device for damage.

· A missing battery cover is the most common damage. Patrons should not be charged lost battery covers. Send the Playaway in to Mending and staff will replace missing battery covers.

· A damaged case or device should receive a green flag indicating the type of damage and be sent in as weeding.

If you have questions, please contact Jim McCluskey or Nancy Messenger.

This article also appeared in Tech News October 22, 2007

from shelfawareness:

Do longer TV commercials increase reading time? USA Today reported that Fox Sports cameras spotted Stephen King reading The Ghost by Robert Harris between innings during the Red Sox-Indians playoff game Friday at Fenway Park. “King told reporter Chris Myers on-air that he ‘could read 18 pages between innings normally. But now that Fox is doing the games, I can read 27 pages between commercial breaks.’ Not a bad idea for home viewers.”

MTV and HarperOne are pairing for Spiritual Windows, on-air features, on MTV, of authors who write spiritual and/or religious titles. now I am an MTV fan, but the irony of ads sandwiched between The Read World Sydney and Spring Break….

in news today of doris lessing winning the nobel prize in literature, it was mentioned that she is only the 11th woman to win the award since its inception in 1901 - how is that possible?!

10 Reasons Why e-Books Suck. I can’t imagine curling up with an e-book, especially after looking at a computer screen all day, but perhaps I am the wrong generation and the technology will morph into something we can’t even imagine.

in thinking about an internal blog, here’s a useful list from ‘The “M” Word,’ Blogging for a Purpose?

There should have been a graphic of the barcode with this, but perhaps if I’d copied directly out of MS Word, it would have worked.

MORE TO EXPLORE

The Explore collection will undergo a slight change in appearance and in the management of circulation, beginning in July. The barcode that is pictured is the new one that will be used for this collection.

In July Technical Services staff will give each Explore book its own unique barcode. The barcode will be linked to a bibliographic record in the catalog. In CARL.Solution, Explore books will show at the end of the list of branch holdings and will be assigned to the branch ~XPLOR. Tilde branches do not show in CARLWeb so these items will be invisible to the public.

The change will enable us to track circulation for each title and to link a specific item to a patron’s record. When the patron checks out an Explore book, the title will appear on the charge receipt. Items that are not returned will go into a lost status and the patron’s record will be blocked until the item is returned. Items assigned to the branch ~XPLOR will float but will not pick up holds.

The reason for the change is to provide us with inventory control over the collection. The current method of checking Explore books out on generic barcodes does not allow us to link the item to a patron or to track on the collection. We know the collection has been popular with patrons and we want to continue to be able to account for the titles that are purchased.

With this change, branch staff will need to return all Explore books in CARL.Solution. It will not be necessary to change the branch to SRV1 when Explore books are sent to the Service Center. All shipments of new Explore titles will be sent to the Service Center, rather than drop shipped to branches from the vendor. When new Explore books arrive in the branch, they will be ready to shelve; it will not be necessary to return these materials before making them available to the public.

If you have questions about this change, please contact Tracy LeRoy or Nancy Messenger.

I wondered what an article from our Tech News might look like in a blog. Just an example to see what sorts of formatting problems might emerge. Jim

BUSINESS not AS USUAL AT NEW CAMANO LIBRARY

by Nancy Messenger

The Camano Island Library will open for the public on June 29, providing Sno-Isle with the opportunity to try a new approach to library service and collections. Rather than looking like a traditional library, Camano will offer patrons a browsing collection that focuses on popular new titles (including an Explore collection), subjects of perennial interest to patrons, and formats that are in demand at all of our libraries. Library services will be slightly different, as well.

How does Camano differ from other Sno-Isle libraries?

• The Camano collection will appear in the catalog but will not pick up holds.
• Camano will not be on router and the collection will not be shared. This practice will help ensure that the browsing collection at Camano is kept intact at that branch. (All copies of high demand titles will be in addition to the number of copies the system purchases to meet our holds-to-copy ratio.)
• Camano Library materials will have the same loan periods as those in other libraries, including the short loan period for POP materials, but Camano materials will not renew. Camano materials check out once, with no renewal. POP materials will have a POP location (that is, short loan). All other items, except for a few reference books, will have a location of BROWSE. Camano is the only branch that will use the BROWSE location.
• Staff in other branches should not refer their patrons to Camano to pick up popular materials that show a shelf status because these materials may not be on the shelf. Also, staff should not call Camano and ask staff to check the shelves for titles their patrons want.
• Staff in other branches should not check out Camano materials that are returned to a branch other than Camano. After returning a Camano item place it in a delivery box for return to Camano. The Camano library is on the North delivery route.

New shelving purchased for the library will enable staff to display the collection in much the same way as a bookstore. Materials will be available in multiple copies and will be shelved face-out. For the first few weeks the library is open, temporary shelving will be in place. This means that part of the collection will not be displayed but will show in the catalog as being on the shelf.

The Camano Library model may serve as a direction for Sno-Isle in managing services and collections at other libraries. Staff involved in planning and implementing this new library are to be commended for taking a risk in providing public service.