We shelve our collection by size in the Frick Fine Arts Lilbrary at
Pitt. The shelving was custom made for our library when it was built.
We shelve in four sizes ranging from flat, rolling shelves for unbound
portfolios and bound folios, to "intermediate" wider shelving to support
larger publications, and shelves that are less wide to support regular
quartos. All of these shelving sizes run through four stack floors. We
shelve our "tiny" books in a spearate area in the library office. They
are too easily lost in between quartos or larger publications, otherwise.
The positive aspect of this shelving practice is that the collection is
better preserved (unbound folios get bent when shelved upright, etc.)and
quartos are not lost when shelved between "intermediate" sized books.
The unfavorable aspect of this shelving is that it WAS custom made and
the company has been long out of business! No other shelving can be
integrated into our system!
We have closed stacks and the books are retrieved for patrons to use in
our Reading Room.
Ray Anne Lockard
Katherine Cowan wrote:
> Jan. 18, 2005
>
> Dear list,
> We are looking for input on practices of shelving books by size.
>
> We have Stacks (less than 12 in. tall) and Quartos (roughly 12-15 in. tall)
> -- shelved separately on opposite sides of the library (I use inches rather
> than centimeters to describe this to the students).
>
> Anticipating the opportunity to install all new shelving, we are wondering
> whether some libraries integrate these sizes, and what advantages they find
> in that arrangement.
>
> I've worked in libraries where the Quartos are housed on shelves at the end
> of each row, but we have so many Quartos that this would probably not work
> for us. I've also seen the different sizes on separate floors of a smaller
> library. I understand that the shelving space is more efficiently used with
> separate shelving by size, and it makes sense - it also seems healthier for
> the books.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Kathy Cowan
> Senior Reference Librarian, Decker Library
> Maryland Institute College of Art
> (410) 225-2714
> [log in to unmask]
>
> __________________________________________________________________
> Mail submissions to [log in to unmask]
> For information about joining ARLIS/NA see:
> http://www.arlisna.org//membership.html
> Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc)
> to [log in to unmask]
> ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance:
> http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html
> Questions may be addressed to list owner (Kerri Scannell) at: [log in to unmask]
--
Ray Anne Lockard, Head Librarian
Frick Fine Arts Library
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Voice: 412-648-2411
Fax: 412-648-7568
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the
citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a
double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the
mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the
blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no
need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry,
infused with fear and blinded with patriotism, will offer up all of
their rights unto the leader, and gladly so. How do I know? For this
is what I have done. And I am Caesar." - William Shakespeare
__________________________________________________________________
Mail submissions to [log in to unmask]
For information about joining ARLIS/NA see:
http://www.arlisna.org//membership.html
Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc)
to [log in to unmask]
ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance:
http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html
Questions may be addressed to list owner (Kerri Scannell) at: [log in to unmask]
