Have you ever wondered how we build our collection?
It all starts with several different people making choices for all the different materials we have. This collection development team reads reviews and articles about upcoming books and audio visual materials to help them make their choices. And, of course, the library always orders the books on the best-sellers lists and popular movies our patrons have been waiting for.
Once the materials are ordered and delivered, they are checked to ensure that the whole order is here and no books have arrived by mistake. Then, the new titles are sent to the Technical Services room, which is where they will get cataloged into the computer.
In the Technical Services room, we check the order slips to see if any of the items have a reserve, and we put those patrons on hold for the requested items.
Once they are properly entered into the computer, the materials will get the appropriate labels and protective covering, if needed. Some soft-covered books already arrive with a protective film to keep the books usable longer. These books get taped on the front and back covers to keep the spine from breaking and the pages from coming out.
After getting all their proper labels and protection, they are ready to go upstairs to be checked in. Any reserve slips are printed, and the remaining items will be shelved, ready for patrons like you to take home and enjoy!
Wendy Contini – Technical Services Manager