s a t p s s a l

SHELVING BOOKS AT LIBRARYFor Student Assistants

Welcome to our online tutorial.

The aim is to equip you with the basic knowledge to enable you to shelve books accurately.

A Book label consists of:

1. Classification Number ( Call No. )

2. Book number 2 alphabets

String of numbers

Alphabets (& numbers) indicating author/ etc.

Year of Publication

Books are arranged on the shelves based on the Library of Congress ( LC ) classification system

M 1 Tam1990

ML 345 Bar1995

MT 1200 Foo

ML 345 Zio1993

MT 76 Gomv.2

MT 76 Uitv.1

Within the Call nos. section books are firstly arranged alphabetically, according to the letter or letters at the beginning of the call number.

Example: Call numbers beginning with M are followed by MA, MB, MC, etc.

Following the alphabetic arrangement, books are arranged by the number(s) that follow. Notice that these numbers are regarded as whole numbers. For instance, ML 1200 comes after ML 345.

Example: MA 56 before MA 234 before MA 234.57 before MA 234.8

Within the Book no section , the arrangement is alphabetical and for year of publication, it is arranged numerically from the earlier year to the later year.

Example : ML881 Bar 1995 before ML881 Zio 1993

M 1 Tam1990

Call No

Book Number

Arrangement of call nos on the shelf

PG3326Gr * Roz

PN 1993.5O Asi. C

PN 1993.5*Asi.Fi2001

PG3456 Sch . Gar

PA3326Eng . C

Different variations in the book numbers

When you are sorting the books for shelving just ignore the asterisk, dots and signs

PG3326Gr * Roz

PG3326Gr Roz

PN 1993.5*Asi.Fi2001

PN 1993.5 Asi.Fi2001

PG3456 Sch . Gar

PG3456 Sch Gar

BF75Ope

BF76Ope

BF698Gov

BF698Jou

BF1997 Zim

BF1997Zkm

The following simulated call numbers are in the correct order:

PN4129.15Sel

2005

PN4121Jaf 2004

PN4121Luc 2007

A B CPN4121Jaf 2001

D

Try arranging the following call nos. in the correct order

CORRECT ANSWER

PN4129.15Sel

2005

PN4121Jaf 2004

PN4121Luc 2007

AB CPN4121Jaf 2001

D

HG5782.1Zhe2013

DS732Dia2004

TJ216Jam2013

A B CJV1035Mak2001

D

Try arranging the following call nos. in the correct order

CORRECT ANSWER

HG5782.1Zhe2013

DS732Dia2004

TJ216Jam2013

A B CJV1035Mak2001

D

1 Books returned & sensitised. If taken out of the library without being checked out, will sound alarm at library gates.

3 Sorted books placed on trolleys: 1 trolley for each group(statistics taken)

2 Returned books placed on sorting table in 3 groups

4 Books are placed on sorting shelves at Level 3

5 Put into trolleys by call numbers (statistics taken)

Here at Central Library level 3 are sorting shelves where books are sorted

Once sorted the books are

placed on trolley ready to be shelved

Pick up a pile of books from the trolley assigned to you

Shelving Books

Read the call numbers of the books in hand

Look at the end panels of shelves for the call numbers covered

TA351

Go down the bay and locate the correct shelf

B

A

Here is a question for you.

Where will you shelve the bookTA 351 Jib?

A or B – find the answer in the next slide

B

A

All library books, are physically shelved from :

1. Top left to right.

2.Top shelf to the next lower level at the left side of the shelf to the right again.

3.From the bottom level of the bay to the top level of the next bay left side of the shelf.

This section of the shelf is call a bay

Start here

Bottom level

How are books arranged on the shelves ?

TA166Bur

Before slotting the book into the correct location on the shelf, please look at the 5 books on the left and right of the book to be shelved to make sure all the other books are in correct shelf order.

Remove book or books that are not in the correctshelf order ; example TA 166 Ero has been incorrectly shelved. Remove it.

BEFORE LEAVING THE BAY

Look at the yellow shelves and re-shelve books there

Remove and re-shelve mis-shelved books if near current location

PASS TO YOUR SUPERVISOR• Mis-shelved books

(if far from your current location)

• Books from other collections e.g. Chinese Library

• Hidden books behind/below/on top of shelves

• Damaged books

REPORT TO YOUR SUPERVISOR Users tampering with

library books

The shelf is full

This shelf is FULLThis shelf is FULL

BE FAST BUT ACCURATE Users depend on YOU

to find their books

The Library depends on YOU to provide good service to users

The Central Library building houses several major collections :

1. Main Shelf Collection -- housed at Level 3

2. Bound Journal Collection -- housed at Level 5

3. Current Journal Collection -- housed at Level 5

4. Singapore Malaysia Collection -- housed at Level 5

5. RBR books -- housed at Level 4

6. Media Collection -- housed at Level 4

7. CD accompanying book -- housed at Loans Desk Level 4 8. Microfilm collection -- housed at Level 2

9. PH Hochstadt Collection -- housed at Level 5

10. Closed Stacks Collection -- housed at Annexe Building

11. Chinese Library Collection -- housed at the Chinese Library

Books from each collection can be distinguished from another collection by special stickers on the spine of the books or by the Call Nos.

An item belonging to the Bound Journal collection is distinguishable from books from other collection as its Book No alphabets are all in upper case / capital letters.

Books belonging to the Main Shelf Collection can be distinguished from books from other collections by its plain simple white spine Call Number label.

In addition, the first alphabet is always upper case / capital letter followed by lower case / small letters.

Book no. alphabets are in upper case.

If you do not see a Call no. on the front cover, for over 90% of the current journals in the library there is a big barcode label pasted at the back cover of the current journal.

An item belonging to the Current Journal collection is distinguishable from books from other collection through these features:

A book belonging to the Singapore Malaysia Collection has a sticker with the words Singapore Malaysia Collection pasted on the Spine of the book.

A book belonging to the RBR (Reserve Books / Readings ) Collection has a red circular dot sticker pasted on the spine of the book.

A book belonging to the Media Collection has a green sticker pasted on the spine of the dvd, cd or video casette.

A book belonging to the CD accompanying a book is contained in a transparent plastic jacket .

An item belonging to the Microfilm Collection is kept in a 12 cm x 12 cm yellow box.

A book belonging to the PH Hochstadt Collection has a sticker with the words.

Reference pasted on the cover of the book.

A book belonging to the Closed Stacks Collection has a green Stack Number sticker pasted on the spine / cover of the book with the words Closed Stacks.

A book belonging to the Chinese Library Collection has a sticker pasted on the cover / spine of the book with the words Chinese Library.

Please note that when you come across books from other collections ( i.e those not from Main Shelf Collection ) during your shelving duties, please hand them over to the library staff supervisors.

Do not shelf the books from other collections.

SHELVER ATTIRE

Casual smart attire No slippers The work involves bending,

stretching, stepping up on stools etc. Dress appropriately!

Ladies: avoid wearing skirts, & low cut tops.

SHELVER ETIQUETTE Be punctual!

If you need to start work earlier, in order to leave earlier, please inform your supervisor.If you are going to be late, please call L&M.

If you are sick and cannot work, call L&M immediately.

If you cannot work on your rostered day /time, please find a replacement from the team. If no replacement is available, inform L&M.

SHELVER ETIQUETTE Please turn handphone to silent mode.

Avoid chatting when on duty

Inform supervisor when you finish work

Well done.

You have completed the tutorial on shelving.

Please come to see us anytime and we will give you a quick test to assess your knowledge before you start work.

The next section of the tutorial is for student assistants who are assigned to work at the Loans Desk to check out and check in books for library users.

The aim is to equip you with the basic knowledge to enable you to work effectively at the Loans Desk.

How to check out books at the Loans Desk

To start the checkout transaction

First obtain the user’s card.1

User

This person is a student Assistant serving at the Loans Desk

Check the photo on the card to make sure that the user standing in front our you is the same person shown on the photo

If the photo is not the same as the user or the photo is blurred, stop transaction as we do not allow user to use another person’s card for transaction

2

This is how the library computerised loan system Check Out screen looks like.3

Do the following to start the check out transaction:

Select Check Out option from the F key which has the words CHECK OUT pasted on it.

4

Click your mouse here so as to bring the cursor into the box5

Tap the user’s card on the card reader to read the user’s number into the computer.

6

Card reader

After scanning the user card, the card number will appear in this box temporarily and the rest of the user’s particulars will be displayed.

Name of User

User’s card number

User loan quota

7

No of books presently in user’s account

No of reserved books presently in user’s account

Overdue fine owed by user

8

Reader pad

Place the book to be borrowed on the reader pad to checkout the book

Place the book on the cradle of the machine and slide the book up and down the cradle to disable the security tag so that the book will not trigger the security gate.

9

Sensitizer / Desensitizer machine

Make sure that the green button here is highlighted by clicking on it when checking out books.

Make sure you push the spine of the book so that it touches the side wall of the machine when sliding the book up and down.

10 The book barcode , title and due date information will appear on the screen to show that the book has been checked out .

After you have completed the loan transaction, you will need to send an email receipt showing the date due to the user. To do this, press Email Printer on the keyboard

11

You will be shown this message box. Click on Yes in order to send an email receipt to the user

11 To exit the user’s record after the transaction click Close icon here.

You must exit the user’s record once all transactions are completed. Otherwise the next new borrower’s books will be entered into the previous borrower account.

A message box as shown below appears.

1.It means that the user owes the library overdue fines.

2. Press the DO NOT OVERRIDE button

3. Tell the user to settle his fine at the Self Service Fine Payment Booth near to the Loans Desk. Once the fine has been paid, the user can approach the Loans Desk to borrow his books.

1

The following scenarios may appear when you are checking out a book to the user

2 When you see these message boxes, click YES

The computer system is just alerting you that the user is going to reach his loan quota and is allowed to borrow 2 or 1 more items.

This message means that the user has exceeded his loan quota

This message means that the user has a problem with his library account

This message means that the user is using a lost or stolen card

This message means that the user library membership has expired

When you see these message boxes, don’t click anything and check with the library staff immediately3

When you see these message boxes, it means that the book you are checking out is from the CLOSED STACKS COLLECTION.

Just click YES for both

4

Finish your transaction with the user with a big friendly smile

How to check in books at the Loans Desk

When a user wants to check in books, do the following:

Select Check In option from the F key which has the words CHECK IN pasted on it.

1

2

Reader pad

Place the book to be returned on the reader pad to check in the book

Place the book on the cradle of the machine and slide the book up and down the cradle to arm the security tag so that the book will trigger the security gate.

3

Sensitizer / Desensitizer machine

Make sure that the Yellow button here is highlighted by clicking on it when checking in books.

Make sure you push the spine of the book so that it touches the side wall of the machine when sliding the book up and down.

When a book is properly checked in the following screen will appear.

Book Barcode

Call Number

Title of the book

User’s name

This is a screenshot of user who has just returned an overdue book with overdue fineTell the user that he has a fine and the amount of the fine.

The following scenarios may appear when you are checking in books:

1

When you checked in a book and this message box appears.

It means that the book is from Closed Stacks.

Click on the Yes button.

2

When you checked in a book and this message box appears.

It means that the book that is checked in has a hold ( i.e. the book has been reserved by another user ) on it.

Just click on the yes button and place the printed slip into the book like this.

Shelve this book that has a hold onto the holdshelf; if the book is closed stack item, shelve the book onto CLOSED STACKS HOLDSHLF.

3

These are the shelves where all the reserved books ready for pickup by users are kept. They are called the holdshelf and are located behind the Loans Desk.

When you see this message box, it means that the book you have checked in a book belonging to another library.

Click YES and give the book to the library staff

4

What to do when a user comes to collect a reserved book that is ready for his pickup

1 Take the card from the student and check the photo on the card with that of the user to verify that it is the same person.

To start the transaction,tap the user’s card on the card reader to read the user’s number into the computer.

2

Card reader

This prompt box will appear immediately after the patron card is scanned.

Click here to see details of the hold

Get the book call number from here and go to the shelf where the reserved books are kept to collect the book for the user.

Once again please note that these are the shelves where all the reserved books ready for pickup by users are kept. They are called the holdshelf and located behind the Loans Desk.

3

Reader pad

Place the book to be borrowed on the reader pad to checkout the book

Place the book on the cradle of the machine and slide the book up and down the cradle to disable the security tag so that the book will not trigger the security gate.

4

Sensitizer / Desensitizer machine

Make sure that the green button here is highlighted by clicking on it when checking out books.

Make sure you push the spine of the book so that it touches the side wall of the machine when sliding the book up and down.

5 The book barcode , title and due date information will appear on the screen to show that the book has been checked out .

After you have completed the loan transaction, you will need to send an email receipt showing the date due to the user. To do this, press Email Printer key6

You will be shown this prompt box. Click on Yes in order to send an email receipt to the user7

To exit the user’s record after the transaction click Close icon here.

You must exit the user’s record once all transactions are completed. Otherwise the next new borrower’s books will be entered into the previous borrower account.

8

Finish your transaction with the user with a big friendly smile

As mentioned, when you serve a user, he may have already owed the library fines. This message will appear when a user who has overdue fine in his library account tries to check out a book.

Tell the user to settle his fine at the Self Service Fine Payment Booth near to the Loans Desk. Once the fine has been paid, the user can approach the Loans Desk to borrow his books.

Well done.

You have completed the tutorial on loans desk duty.

Please come to see us anytime and we will give you a quick test to assess your knowledge before you start work.

If you have been assigned to work at the Loans Desk, here are important points to pay attention to

As a staff do not look like you are bored when there are no users

Watch out for the length of the queue of waiting users and ask for help from your colleagues

Always maintain a pleasant and smiling appearance when you are on duty at the Loans Desk

THANK YOU!

Join us as we continue our journey of service excellence.