We have a very hard working and capable housekeeping staff that takes
care of dusty shelves.  They do a great job despite staff cutbacks.  Our
special collections library also purchased a vacuum cleaner for this
purpose, but I have not seen it in action in the closed stacks.

Guess we'll have to wait for the advent of 'Rosie' from the Jetsons...

-Jennifer

Jennifer van Sickle MLS
Serials Librarian/Sciences Coordinator
Trinity College Library
300 Summit St.
Hartford, CT USA 06106

Phone: 860-297-2250
Fax: 860-297-2251

jennifer.vansickle@trincoll.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Jill Brungardt
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 1:29 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Moving Periodicals Collections/Handling the Dust

Hi Jen,

We have a small staff and a few student workers. We are ALWAYS dusting
and vacuuming our stacks. It is a continual project because it takes a
lot of time and a TON of effort to lug the vacuum upstairs. You can only
do it for an hour at a time before it's just to heavy. We dust more
often, but try to do the dusting when we can vacuum it right up. There
is a lot of information on  the "cleaning of stacks".  I am sure others
will have some great references, but if not, email me directly and I
will send you what I have.

Good luck!

Jill
Jill Brungardt
Collins Library
Baker University
785-594-8427
jbrungardt@bakeru.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Holman Jenifer S
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 11:29 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [SERIALST] Moving Periodicals Collections/Handling the Dust

We're getting ready to move our bound periodicals collection from its
current home on our first floor to the basement.  I was digging around
the shelves the other day doing some shifting (we're low on student help
these days!) and couldn't believe the amount of dust on the shelves and
the volumes.  I worry that when we move the collection, we will stir up
so much dust that staff and library patrons may get sick
(allergies/asthma).

I couldn't find anything in the library literature, but wonder if you
have students/custodians dust the stacks on a regular basis or if you
had recommendations on the best way to clean the collection (vacuums,
wet rags) before it gets moved.

If nothing else, measuring the dust on each title may serve as an
intriguing way to gauge use!

Jen Holman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jenifer Holman
Acquisitions Librarian
Murphy Library
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
1631 Pine St.
La Crosse, WI 54601

phone: 608-785-8395
fax: 608-785-8639
email: holman.jeni@uwlax.edu
http://www.uwlax.edu/murphylibrary/
<http://www.uwlax.edu/murphylibrary/>