Thanks to all who responded. I appreciate your time and effort! Judy McConnell <jmcconne@PCT.EDU> 7 messages, 214 lines: (1)------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 12:37:10 -0400 From: Steve Black <blacks@MAIL.STROSE.EDU> Subject: Re: Compact Shelving for Serials Judy, We don't have them for serials, just books, but my one bit of advice is to get the hand cranked kind. Don't get the ones with electric motors! Ours have been very trouble prone over the years, and we *really* wish we had the kind that move by turning a wheel. Steve Black Reference,Instruction, and Serials Librarian Neil Hellman Library The College of Saint Rose 392 Western Avenue Albany, NY 12203 blacks@mail.strose.edu (518) 458-5494 (2)------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 18:37:08 +0200 From: Eliane Chaney <Eliane.Chaney@cern.ch> Subject: Re: Compact Shelving for Serials Our Library, 4 years ago, chose the solution of compact shelving for part of the serials collection and we (librarians & readers) are very satisfied. The reading room is open free access, 24 hours a day all year round and not staffed at night. There has been no incident, misuse, or breakdown so far. Our shelves are composed of some 60 elements (double side shelves), 6 shelves high, but not wider than 1m30. We opted for that solution in order to get more shelving space, next to conventional open shelves. Our supplier is Swiss, but surely you find equivalent products in the US. Sincerely, Eliane Chaney Serials Librarian CERN Library CH - 1211 GENEVA 23 Switzerland (3)-------------------------------- Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 13:37:23 -0400 From: Lauren Corbett <lcorbett@ODU.EDU> Subject: Re: Compact Shelving for Serials Judy, We have some compact shelving and on tours I demonstrate using it. Some people have a little fear of something new. I don't think we've had any serious complaints or problems. I once visited another library that was not entirely happy with their electronic compact shelving. We have manual cranks and can easily move multiple units at a time. Also we consider the compact shelving as giving some protection against disasters. It's in our hurricane preparedness plan to close the units together when we are in a hurricane watch. Lauren Corbett Serials Services Librarian Perry Library Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA 23529-0256 Ph: (757) 683-4144 Fax: (757) 683-5954 (4)--------------------------- Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 13:50:49 -0400 From: "Madeline P Windsor" <windsor@EXCHANGE.BNL.GOV> Subject: Re: Compact Shelving for Serials Judy, We used them for a part of the collection that did not have a lot of activity. They were accessable to the Library users as well as staff. It turned out not to be a good idea. The activity was high enough that it became a safety issue when more than one person wanted to access different aisles at the same time. It was a manual system and several times one person tried closing an aisle while someone else was in it? Power driven systems were questionable at the time, that is, what do you do if the power was cut off because of a flood, sprinkler system goes off, etc.? We eventually removed them, and put the material in an Annex not to far from the Library. On the other hand we are still using them for our technical reports, because that collection has limited access (staff only). Hope this helps? Have a great day! Madeline Windsor windsor@bnl.gov 631 344 5069 (5)------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 14:28:54 -0400 From: "David Goodman" <dgoodman@PRINCETON.EDU> Subject: Re: Compact shelving Princeton has done this extensively for many years. I was the first of our librarians to do this: when I was Chemistry Librarian I installed a small range of manually operated moving shelves in a side room for the older parts of the sets. When the Chemistry Library was expanded, the shelving for ALL the bound journals (and chemists use a lot of journals!) was done as compact shelving. The experience was favorable. As a result, most of the ground floor of the lowest floor of the main library (Firestone) is compact shelving: the entire run of some of the LC classifications is entirely compact shelving (serials and monographs). It is also being used in other branch libraries as they afre expanded or reconstructed. One peculiarity is that all of it is manually operated. This was a quirk of a previous University Librarian; though it works, I would not recommend it. The installations are mainly on ground floors; installation on an upper floor usually gives too great a mechanical load on the floor without expensive reinforcement. Any patron unhappiness at the inconvience is more than compensated for by their satisfaction at having all the material on site, rather than in our Annex (which also uses compact shelving). David Goodman (6)----------------------------- Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 14:31:48 -0400 From: "Dolores Coyle" <Coyled@CAMELOT.BEAVER.EDU> Subject: Re: Compact Shelving for Serials At Beaver we have compact shelving for all of our periodicals. Last year, we replaced the thirty-plus-year-old electronic compact shelving with manual shelving. If you are going with compact shelving units, I would suggest avoiding the electronic shelving for two reasons: Manual compacting shelving is less dangerous and does not have the maintenance problems associated with the electronic system. When our old electronic system started to go, there were times when the shelving was inaccessible to anyone. Also, as it broke, the shelving gods would occasionally move the shelving on a whim, and you could not stop it even if you used the safety feature. We just barely avoided a few casualties. Manual shelving moves only if someone is moving it, and therefore can easily be halted so people can get out of the way. Good Luck, Dolores Coyle Serials Atwood Library Beaver College (7)------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 13:42:43 -0500 From: Amy Anderson <andersoa@SOUTHWESTERN.EDU> Subject: Re: Compact Shelving for Serials Hi Judy, We have just put compact shelving in our bound periodical area this summer, so we are just now starting to get a reaction from our students. Did you have any particular questions? So far it seems to be OK. Amy Anderson +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Amy Fuge Anderson email: andersoa@southwestern.edu Head, Periodical Services phone: 512-863-1639 Smith Library Center fax: 512-863-1155 Southwestern University Georgetown, TX 78626 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > -----Original Message----- > From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum > [mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU]On Behalf Of Judy McConnell > Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2000 12:03 PM > Subject: Compact Shelving for Serials > > > Greetings, > > Has anyone had any experience with using compact shelving for serials > accessable to the public? Because of space problems, we are > contemplating using these for storing our back issues of periodicals . > I would like to hear the pros and cons from others who have tried this > type of shelving. > > Thanks in advance, > > Judy F. McConnell > Assistant Professor > Serials Librarian > Penn College Library DIF #69 > One College Avenue > Williamsport, PA 17701-5799 > Phone: 570-320-2400 X7458 > Fax: 570-327-4503 > E-mail: jmcconne@pct.edu
