Attachment 3


Davis Centre Library Compact Shelving:  Review of Issues to be
Addressed

A search of Library Literature, LISA, Eric, UnCover, and
Lexis/Nexis revealed very little literature on the use of compact
shelving for collections that are accessible by users.  Much of
the available literature is of poor quality (unsupported or
questionable conclusions).  Some useful comments were gleaned
from a search of the archives of LIBPLN-L and 5 responses to a
posting on STACKS-L.

When compact shelving is to be implemented, the most important
decision to be made is what material will be housed on the
compact shelving.  This decision will greatly influence the
impact of compact shelving on users (and their acceptance of it). 
In general, it is felt that compact shelving should not be used
for high use materials.  

Impacts on users /concerns expressed by users:  
-    need to wait to get into an aisle 
-    knowing others may be waiting discourages browsing
-    difficulty learning how to operate the compact shelving
-    personal safety  
     
Impacts on staff:
-    increase in volume of materials to be shelved:  users tend
     to remove more material to tables rather than browsing in the
     collection
-    increase in time required for shelving:  interruptions to
     allow users to access an aisle
-    potential increase in time required for collection
     maintenance if materials slide on the shelves when the compact
     shelving is operated (reportedly a problem with some monograph
     collections housed on new or slippery shelving) or if materials
     are damaged by the compact shelving (e.g., by falling into the
     tracks)
-    time to instruct users on how to operate compact shelving

Special considerations for the Davis Centre Library:

-    For ranges longer than 21 feet (7 bays), electrical compact
     shelving is the only option.  As configured in the Lambert
     report, only area E (behind the elevator) could accommodate
     manually operated shelving.  (In addition, Area N (northeast
     corner), which was equipped with shelving after the Lambert
     report, can also accommodate manually operated shelving.) 
     Electrically operated compact shelving is equipped with safety
     features that will prevent injury to users and damage to library
     materials. 
-    Loss of seating space:  If the entire lower level of the
     Davis Centre were converted to compact shelving, 148 seating
     spaces would be eliminated.  Seating capacity lost for each of
     the phases as configured in the Lambert report:
     Phase I (G, H, I):        48
     Phase II (A, B, C):        0
     Phase III (D, E, F):       0
     Phase IV (J, K, L, M):   100
     Total                    148
-    Ventilation is already a problem on the lower level; 
     compact shelving is likely to exacerbate this.  


If the Library were to proceed with the installation of compact
shelving in the Davis Centre Library, the following issues would
need to be considered carefully: 

1.   To minimize the impact on users, compact shelving should be
used to house low use materials, e.g. in the initial phases,
backruns of periodicals.  This will minimize both the need to
wait to access an aisle and the length of the wait.  Browsers
will be least likely to be interrupted if the material housed on
compact shelving is of low use.  This approach will also minimize
the volume of material to be reshelved and the time required for
reshelving.

2.   Since seating capacity in the Davis Centre Library is
already inadequate, implementation of compact shelving should
begin with Phases II and III;  no seating space will be lost in
either of these phases.  When Phases I and IV are implemented, at
least one area in each phase should be retained for study space. 
For successful implementation, it is important that study space
be available nearby.  

3.   Simple, clear instructions posted on the end of each range
will minimize user difficulty in  operating the compact shelving
and the need to ask staff for assistance.

4.   Safety features should be publicized to alleviate user and
staff apprehension.

5.   Measures to improve ventilation on the lower level need to
be investigated and implemented.





Prepared for Transfer & Withdrawal Task Force
Johanna Cooper,  March 31, 1995
Revised:  April 7, 1995