LIS640Exercise 2Reflections on Accessingan Unknown LibraryCHRISTINE ALSTON WOODCOCK

Carlyle Campbell Library

Meredith College

Raleigh, NC

Preparations

CatalogThe catalog is immediately accessible with the opening of the library’s homepage.

Classification SystemDewey Decimal System

Fiction Section?-appears to be juvenile fiction only

Preparations

What special collections do they advertise on their website?

The Visit:

First Impressions

Upon entering the building, I started looking for some sort of signage for direction. If there was something directional in nature, I did not see it. I noted the reference desk (which I later discovered was referred to as the circulation desk…signage did not specify) and a stand-alone computer. I guessed that the computer was the terminal that searches the catalog, based on the signage above and left of the terminal.

I walked over to the circulation desk and explained my presence and purpose. I indicated that I needed to check things out on my own but that I would return later with any unanswered questions.

Catalog --AdvancedSearchEngine

The online catalog was excellent and offered multiple access points.

I typed in a search area (philosophy) and selected a language (French). I could have narrowed the search parameters even more, though, by selecting a location and/or material type as well as searching by year and publisher.

Catalog (cont.)

Results generated indicated on which level of the library the collection is located, call no., author, publication year, permalink, and format.

If needed, there are additional filters to the left of the records.

Hovering over an individual record produces access to a detailed description, series, publisher, pages, date of publication, ISBN, genre, and related subjects.

Clicking on the title itself renders even more information about the resource:

MARC display

Description

OCLC#

Bibliography

Subject

Permalink

Clicking on the call no. produces access to a shelf view of available titles in the same area.

ExplorationAT THIS POINT, I DECIDED TO WANDER IN SEARCH OF SOME OF THE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LISTED ON THE LIBRARY HOMEPAGE.

JUST AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE ONLINE CATALOG TERMINAL, I LOCATED A DVD COLLECTION.

ReferenceSection

Continuing my exploration of the entry level floor, I noted an area where the endcaps of the shelving areas were marked with “R,” indicating a reference section. I did not know that it was a reference section until checking out the call numbers on the endcaps.

Signage

I found it notable that the rooms had signage to indicate use but the collections, for the most part, did not.

DirectionalSignage

As I made my way to the stairwell, I found the first indication of how many floors there were in the library and the contents of each of those floors.

Exploration (cont.)

Special Collections:K-12 Curriculum Materials

Special Collections: Children’s LiteratureWhile there was not signage specifically indicating “Children’s Literature,” “Picture Books,” or “Juvenile Fiction,” there were endcap identifiers for specific types of children’s books.

Special Collections: (Bound)Periodicals

Special Collections: Periodicals (cont.)Upon entry, I discovered two stationary shelves and a movable multi-shelf unit.

Special Collections:MusicNo signage was visible to indicate this area as the music collection, and I was uncertain as to the contents of the music collection. Were those albums on the shelves? No. The online catalog indicates the specific types of holdings, but the actual collection does not. Also, the audio portion of the collection (CDs) is housed in other areas.

ConfusionI determined from the online catalog that “CC” means “curriculum center,” but I can only guess that the other letters are part of a call number.

Ground Floor (cont.) – I was surprised to find that the juvenile collection extended all the way to the area in front of the music collection. I realized that it was juvenile from the call numbers and that it was non-fiction from the content, but there was no signage to that effect.

Special Collections: Archives

Archives was a locked room, but I had no trouble locating it.

Exploration (cont.)

Main Collection

The second floor is where the main collection is located, Dewey Decimal System 000-999.

Signage

There are signs like this one posted throughout, and while the intended user would understand that the circulation desk was the official-looking area on the first floor, I remembered that as a first time user it had not been obvious to me upon entry. Signage above the circulation desk indicating its identity would be helpful. Signs on the endcaps could indicate “at the circulation desk on the 1st floor.”

Remaining Questions

Before leaving I stopped by the circulation desk. I discovered that the area behind the circulation desk contains the actual DVD discs, a CD collection, some genealogy records, and more student papers. However, for the most part, these collections are for reference purposes or for teacher use.

September 22, 2015