As was announced on April 11, 1995, six double-sided ranges will be added to the shelving devoted to the periodical collection in Porter. We estimate that this shelving will provide adequate growth space for the collection for the next five years, assuming that the number of new titles will not exceed the number of titles cancelled. We therefore recommend that no items be removed from the Porter collection at this time with the following exceptions:
Specific Recommendations
That 18 titles be transferred to Davis (see attachment 1).
That 24 titles for which there are duplicate holdings in Davis be discarded, after individual volumes that fill gaps in the Davis collection have been transferred to Davis (see attachment 2).
That the retention of Porter's holdings of Scientific American (the primary subscription is in Davis) be reduced to the current 10 years and that consideration be given to discarding duplicate volumes of Journal of Leisure Research (see attachment 2).
That the periodical collection be shifted to equalize growth space throughout. This shift should be preceded by an announcement to the University community.
As of July 1, 1995, the periodical collection in Davis will occupy 96.5% of the 5.62 kilometres of available shelf space. The unoccupied shelf space would allow for 1 year's growth if it were located directly following growing titles. However, this distribution is not the case, resulting in many areas of overcrowding and weekly shifting to accommodate newly-bound material and new titles. This situation demands an excessive amount of staff time to produce what are merely short-term gains. In order to produce longer-term gains, we see two alternatives: providing additional shelf space or discarding some materials and transferring some items to storage.
Providing Additional Shelf Space
Additional shelf space could be provided by either replacing study tables with ranges of shelving or by installing compact shelving. Both of these solutions have financial implications that are beyond the mandate of this Task Force. However, we do recommend that no study tables be removed as they are already in short supply. In addition, we have provided a review of issues to be addressed if the installation of compact shelving is considered (see attachment 3).
Discarding Material
We recommend that 12 titles which we have identified as being duplicated in two library locations be discarded (see attachment 2). We further recommend that before any other materials be discarded from the main libraries that the storage facility be weeded extensively, primarily of superseded sets of abstracts.
Transferring Material to Storage
We recommend that approximately 20,000 volumes be transferred from the Davis periodical collection to storage, in order to provide growth space for 5 years. Though transferring this material to storage provides an immediate solution to the overcrowding in Davis, this option in turn presents three difficulties: 1) on-campus storage is rapidly reaching its own maximum capacity and a cooperative storage facility will not provide immediate relief; 2) a tremendous amount of staff time is required to physically process periodicals into storage and to update their corresponding records; 3) determining criteria for transfer that are acceptable to both the library and the user community.
Specific Recommendations
That an announcement to the University community be released immediately identifying the issue of overcrowding in the library's periodical collections. Further, this announcement should indicate the solutions proposed by this Task Force and other relevant issues, including compact shelving and cooperative storage.
That titles that ceased publication or were cancelled prior to 1980, for which there is more than 25 cm. of material on the shelf, be considered for transfer to storage.
That titles that ceased publication or were cancelled prior to 1980, for which there is 25 cm. or less of material on the shelf, be considered for discard, in a project that should take place in October or November of 1995.
That lower-use backruns of current titles and of titles that ceased or were cancelled in 1980 or later be considered for transfer to storage. Backruns to be considered for transfer will be targeted according to criteria developed in consultation with Davis liaison librarians.
That liaison librarians consult with Faculty Library Representatives regarding the specific titles that are targeted for consideration for transfer to storage. By the middle of July, 1995, liaison librarians will need to submit to the Task Force lists of specific titles that are approved for transfer to storage.
That the material approved for transfer to storage be removed from the collection by User Services staff as space is needed, taking into consideration the workflow issues related to the Serials Cataloguing Unit so that the records can be changed prior to the physical transfer of the items. In addition, arrangements will need to be made with Facilities to ensure the timely transport of material to storage once it has been removed from the shelves.
That 1 title be transferred from Davis to Optometry (see attachment 1).
That 12 titles for which there are duplicate holdings in Porter be discarded, after individual volumes that fill gaps in the Porter collection have been transferred to Porter (see attachment 2).
That the periodical collection be shifted to equalize growth space throughout after all material has been transferred or discarded.
That the issue of maintenance of the holdings statements on WATCAT serial records be addressed. According to current practice, each time an item is transferred to storage, the holdings statement on the WATCAT serial record must be updated manually by the Serials Cataloguing Unit. This practice has the potential to create serious bottlenecks in the Serials Cataloguing Unit and, hence, in the processing of materials for storage. Options for addressing this problem need to be investigated.
Specific Recommendations
That 1 title for which there are duplicate holdings in Davis and Optometry be discarded from Optometry, after individual volumes that fill gaps in the Davis collection have been transferred to Davis (see attachment 2).
That 2 titles for which there are duplicate holdings in Davis and in storage be discarded from storage, after individual volumes that fill gaps in the Davis collection have been transferred to Davis (see attachment 2).
Sharon Lamont
Johanna Cooper
University of Waterloo Library
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
519 888 4883
contact us | give us feedback | privacy statement | © 2011
University of Waterloo