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Careful Book Shelving Techniques for Library Patrons

Learn essential steps for efficient book location at the library, avoiding mishelving, misplacement, and muddled call numbers in the process. Discover strategies to find missing books, decode call numbers accurately, and prevent common shelving errors. Enhance your searching skills and enjoy a successful library experience.

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Careful Book Shelving Techniques for Library Patrons

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  1. Book Finding: The Mih Method By Matthew J. O’Brien

  2. Why do we Search for books? • A patron needs a book and can’t find it on the shelves—it maybe mishelved or taken w/o checking out properly How can this be prevented? • Proper Check-In/Out of Items • Properly Shelving books: Both on cart and on shelf

  3. The First Step • Make sure you are looking for the correct book-get at least a title and author • Check the catalogue-is it already checked out or listed as Lost or Missing? • Check to see if the book is in Reserves or on hold for someone at the Desk

  4. And shelves shall be briefly read… • Check the shelf where the book should be • Briefly examine the area around the book • Look in the area with similar numbers for the particular call number • Ex. If the call number begins with BF 4441, you should check the BF 4440 to BF 4449. At the very least check one shelf below and one shelf above as well as the shelf where the book should be.

  5. A falling out… • Check behind the books on the shelf where the book should be—did it fall down? • Check shelves below the shelf where the book should be—did someone misplace it?

  6. The Changing of the Letters… • Since the book isn’t in the area where it should be, the shelver probably made a major mistake • Letter mistakes • The largest mishelving error is made with the second letter at the beginning of a call number. • If a book is mishelved, it will probably be in another section with the same beginning letter while following the order of the rest of the call number

  7. The Changing of the Letters… • Ex. If a call number of a mishelved book is PN 1871.43 G43, then more than likely it will be in either PQ 1871.43 G43, PR 1871.43 G43 or some other P-section that has the same number, with 1871.43 G43 following it

  8. Fun with Numbers… • After checking for a letter mistake, check the number • If the number has a decimal, cut out the decimal • Ex. If the number is TR 1193.68 P49, look at TR 1193 P49 • Next, try different variations using the decimal numbers • Ex. If the number is TR 1193.68 P49, look up TR 1193.6, TR 1193.8, and 1193.86

  9. After Decimals… • If the number has a one or zero, drop it • Ex. If the number is PR 1750, check PR 750 or PR 175 • Move the decimal even if there is no decimal • Ex. If the number is PR 1764, check in PR 176.4, PR 176, PR 17.64, and PR 17

  10. Mix Up Letters & Numbers • Certain letters and numbers have a greater likelihood to be confused with other letters and numbers because they look similar to other letters or numbers • Look in places where the letters would be confused

  11. Continuation of Previous Slide • Ex. B, P, and R often get confused for each other. C, D, and G get confused. E and F get confused. • Replace the letters of the call number with similar looking letters • Ex. If a call number is E 220, then look in F 220.

  12. Continuation of the Previous Slide’s Continuation • The numbers 4 and 9 get confused. 3 and 8 get confused. • Replace numbers of the call number with similar looking numbers • Ex. If the call number is PN 458 G73, then check PN 958 G73, PN 458 G78, or PN 958 G78

  13. Number Merging & Mix and Match • If there are two numbers side by side, then cut one of them • Ex. If the call number is PN 5660, look in PN 560 • The sequence of a number could have been mistaken • Ex. If the call number is PN 2567 R96, check PN 2765 R96, PN 5267 R96, etc.

  14. Less Likely • Combinations of Problems • Ex. If it is a problem with PN 4551 G49 you might want to check, after all other steps have been exhausted, P 451 G94, PG 9551 G94, etc. • Usually there is only one mistake in shelving unless it is put on the shelf randomly

  15. It’s Almost Over!

  16. And the least likely problem is… • Mistake in sound • If two letters or numbers sound alike, there is a slim chance the shelver confused a letter or number with a similar sounding letter or number • The numbers four and five are often mistaken. Sometimes similar sounding letters like B, C, D, and G are sometimes confused

  17. “Once more unto the breach dear friends” • Just because you don’t find a book does not make you a bad person • You may have to look several times before you find the book • And remember: You are good enough, you are smart enough, and doggoneit, people like you

  18. It’sOver

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