This is a problem for us too. Patron’s want to help by putting them back, even though we have lots of signage and places for them to return journals to. I’ve never heard of the practice of scanning the barcode three times. Perhaps this is how some libraries “catch” all the journals that patrons return to shelves.

Sue Gagnon

Head of Periodicals

Geisel Library

Saint Anselm College

100 Saint Anselm Drive

Manchester, NH 03102-1310

603-641-7293

sgagnon@anselm.edu

From: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LISTSERV.NASIG.ORG] On Behalf Of Abbigail C Gregg
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 9:42 AM
To: SERIALST@LISTSERV.NASIG.ORG
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Best option for tracking reshelving stats for non-circulating print periodicals

No good ones. It’s an issue we’ve tossed around for years and there’s just no real way to get patrons to not self-shelve. You just have to have copious places around for them to let stuff lay and signage. :/

From: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LISTSERV.NASIG.ORG] On Behalf Of Michelle Conrad
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 8:52 AM
To: SERIALST@LISTSERV.NASIG.ORG
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Best option for tracking reshelving stats for non-circulating print periodicals

We have a problem in that, despite my signage, patrons return serials to our shelves instead of our return boxes. So I can't get a good count on what actually is being used.

Very nice that they put items back but my stats are very much lower than the reality.

Any ideas?

On Tue, Jul 17, 2018 at 8:44 AM, Abbigail C Gregg <acgregg@geneva.edu> wrote:

We barcode each bound volume and when someone uses it we scan it. We also have a single barcode for all non-bound issues of a title so if someone used three issues of Time, you’d scan the “current issues” barcode three times. We were also putting the little sticky dots on bound volumes. Each color would represent a different year, though it didn’t tell you how many times it was used, just that it was used. It gives you a very general sense of what people are using and what never gets used. Of course, you run into the problem of both the dots falling off and the fact that there’s only so many colors. You tend to run out.

Abbigail Stauber

Library Technician

724.847.6693 | acgreg@geneva.edu

From: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LISTSERV.NASIG.ORG] On Behalf Of Erin Gallagher
Sent: Monday, July 16, 2018 1:42 PM
To: SERIALST@LISTSERV.NASIG.ORG
Subject: [SERIALST] Best option for tracking reshelving stats for non-circulating print periodicals

Good morning, collective wisdom.

For those who maintain a print serials collection (both current and bound back issues) with titles that do not circulate, how do you track usage? Do you keep re-shelving stats? If so, do you equate the reshelving of one title to one "use", or do you use the standard multiply by three method, by which you count three "uses" each time you reshelve a single title (assuming that patrons have done their own reshelving of that title at some point)?

Or are you using a different method entirely?

We have not been tracking reshelving stats at all and are exploring ways to gauge usage of our non-circulating print serials moving forward.

Thank you in advance for sharing your advice and experiences.

Cheers,

Erin

Erin Gallagher

Director of Collection Services

Reed College Library

(503) 777-7552

gallaghere@reed.edu

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