We are beginning to consider ways to optimize our limited shelving space
for periodicals. Currently we shelve alphabetically, with our collection
divided by date. Older material (published before 1984) is shelved in
the basement and more recently published material is shelved on the main
floor. This arrangement makes the most frequently used material most
easily available to patrons. It appears that we will run out of shelf
space before an addition to the library can be funded.

Two of the options we are beginning to look at are remote storage and
the possibility of digitizing part of our collection. I would like to
pick your collective brain about these options, and any others that work
for other libraries.

If you have a remote storage arrangement, do you have materials on
shelves or keep them in boxes? How did you decide what to store
remotely? What kind of turn around time do you have to fill requests for
materials remotely stored? Do you fill ILL requests for materials stored
remotely? What works well, what is problematic?

If you are digitizing your collection, or part of it, what
considerations did you have to make? Are there copyright issues for
digitizing materials the library owns, if the electronic product is for
the use of the library only? Did you hire additional staff for the
project? How was the project funded? What other questions would I be
asking about this if I knew enough to ask?

Are there any commercially available electronic products that cover
these older periodical materials?

I know we can't be the only ones dealing with these issues; paper
doesn't last forever and shelf space is expensive. What are you doing?

Linda Grooms
Periodicals Supervisor
duPont-Ball Library