Moving Library Collections: A Management Handbook (Greenwood Library Management Collection) - Hardcover

Habich, Elizabeth Chamberlain

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0313293309 ISBN 13: 9780313293306

Publisher: Greenwood, 1998

Synopsis

Moving a library is a mammoth task that requires precise, long-range planning. This book is a comprehensive guide to making that move a smooth one. Filled with practical advice culled from reports on more than a hundred moves, it addresses the needs of libraries planning to use a moving company or moving themselves. Habich gives the library move planner the analytical tools and knowledge of procedures nececessary for carrying out the move effectively and efficiently.

In five informative sections Habich discusses:

•how to assess the size of your library's current collections, project the space needed for collection growth, and develop a collection layout plan.

•the pros and cons of using a moving company, staff, and volunteer resources, and concerns common to all moves.

•how to select and work effectively with a moving company.

•planning and managing operations for libraries moving without a moving company and covers move logistics, using classical operations management techniques, the planning calendar, and practical move management issues: recruiting workers, the pros and cons of various move methods, facilities issues, service, health and safety, and public relations issues.

•special problems in contributed chapers on pest management and control and on cleaning collections, and a chapter on moving from disorganized conditions.

About this title

About the Author

ELIZABETH CHAMBERLAIN HABICH is Administrative Services Officer, Northeastern University Libraries.

Reviews

Habich, an administrative services officer, wrote this book as a result of planning and managing a move for Northeastern University Libraries?a move that brought together a main library, three branches, and a storage facility. In the first section, she details planning for collection space in the new location, with exhaustive details on determining linear measurements of the collection as a whole and its nonhomogeneous parts. Information on planning for growth is also included. Habich considers the collection move from four angles: hiring a moving company (or two?one for materials, the other for furniture) with a consultant, hiring a moving company with staff supervisor, moving using staff only, and moving with staff and volunteers. No matter which of the four options are chosen, Habich outlines the step-by-step procedures for each move. She also discusses other topics such as moving costs, disruption of service, handling special collections, and pest management and cleaning of the collection (both being done before the move). Helpful charts on the average width of library materials and an annotated bibliography are included. Used in conjunction with Ruth Fraley's Library Space Planning (Neal-Schuman, 1990. 2d ed.), Habich's handbook is recommended for medium-sized and large libraries.?Marie Bruni, Huntington Memorial Lib., Oneonta, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Habich offers guidance on the relocation of library collections, whether by library staff and users or by professional movers. Topics covered include determining the size of the collection and its layout in the new space, selecting a moving company and working with it, and planning a self-move. Three chapters cover special topics, including dealing with pests, cleaning the collections, and moving collections currently stored under less-than-ideal conditions. One appendix gives the average width of general materials, reference materials, and government documents, and another reports on 146 moves that were written up between 1929 and 1966. Any library faced with moving some or all of its collection should consult this volume. Edward Swanson

Edition details

• Publisher: Greenwood
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0313293309
• ISBN 13: 9780313293306
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 344