Putting the Puzzle Together:
Managing a Floating Collection
Presenters
• Ann Cress, Deputy Executive Director,
Jefferson County Public Library
• Rhonda Glazier, Collections Manager,
Jefferson County Public Library
• Linda Raymond, Materials Manager,
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
Agenda
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Introductions
Floating Collections
Conversion Process
Break (around 10 AM)
Collection Management
Discussion/Questions
Wrap-up
• 10 Libraries
• Population:
548,000
• County size: 774
square miles
• Floating collection
since 1994
• Collection: 1.2 million items
• 2009 Circulation: 7 million
• 2009 Filled Holds: 1.6 million
• Materials budget: $3.7 million
850,000 residents
24 Library Locations
Linda Raymond
Materials Manager at CML since 2003
•Centralized Selection
•Outsource cataloging and processing with
B&T
•Began Sharing all items 1/2007
•Population size 850,000
2
Elements of a Floating
Collection
• One collection
• Items float freely
• Material remains at the location
where it is checked in
• Materials movement is generated
by hold requests
• Patron-centered collection
management system
Floating Collection
Requirements
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Holds system
Delivery system
ILS partnership
Good communication mechanisms
Issues And Challenges
But what about….
How will I find…
Floating/Sharing ?
Benefits of Sharing
• One system
• Reduced delivery
volume
• Increased volume of
materials at all locations
as a result of materials
not being in transit on a
delivery truck.
• Increased circulation
• Distribution of materials
based on customer
interests in certain
locations.
• Time saving for staff
who check in materials
• Time and budget savings
for Collection
Management
• Customers are minimally
impacted
What we will NOT Share:
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Reference, Docs, NCR
ML materials 5 years and older
Carolina Author collection
Crossroads Cafe, English Tutoring Program
Browsing Magazines
Circulating Encyclopedias
Book Club Kits
Storytimes to Go
CKT print
IMG Parent Teacher Collection
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FIRST DAY INSTRUCTIONS FOR OUR SHARED COLLECTION – January 2, 2008
Be sure you have logged Horizon off and on again before beginning.
Remember starting today, it’s yours!
Watch the screen when you check in an item, Horizon tells you if it needs
to be sent somewhere.
Because: There is no permanent owning branch unless it is on this list:
What NOT to Share
Reference, Government Documents, NCR, ML Stacks, Think College/Career Center
ML materials 5 years and older
Carolina Author collection
World Language Center, Crossroads Cafe, English Tutoring Program
FRL curriculum
Browsing Magazines
Circulating Encyclopedias
Book Club Kits
Storytimes to Go
CKT print
IMG scripts
Professional Library Materials
Adult Outreach / Group Services
Youth Services
Items belong to the system not your branch.
Remember:
You do not have to mark out the location.
Check for condition before you put it on a cart.
Weed if you would not want it in your home.
 Follow established weeding and mending procedures.
When shelving always shift if needed to ensure some shelves are not over-crowded.
ALL staff members are to be aware of what is in the stacks.
Need more info? Check email sent to all staff 12/26/07.
Questions? Check http://intranet.plcmc.lib.nc.us/shared/ / or email share@plcmc.org
Sub-Teams for
Best Practices
Implementation
Re-distribution
Redistribution Spreadsheet
Branch
Holds
Returns
+/-
CD's
Shelving
Needs
+/-
%CKO
Impact
BC
33
38
1.15
402
38
40 +
BFR
35
133
3.80
1969
180
197 +
CA
13
24
1.85
652
27
65 +
30 LOW
COR
13
31
2.38
772
84
77 -
22 OK
D
11
19
1.73
808
42
80 +
19 LOW
FRL
44
47
1.07
1282
8
HG
11
34
3.09
554
27
55 +
26 LOW
IB
46
141
3.07
2025
109
202 +
34 LOW
IMG
27
76
2.81
1143
19
114 ?
43 LOW
MH
55
69
1.25
1903
33
190 ?
38 OK
ML
122
296
2.43
6007
202
600 ?
14 OK
MOR
53
212
4.00
2533
144
253 +
29 MEDIUM
MPK
12
25
2.08
618
12
61 ?
31 LOW
MS
31
76
2.45
1819
59
181 ?
39 LOW
MTI
13
17
1.31
917
40
91 +
NCO
63
118
1.87
3434
165
343 +
30 LOW
PM
47
62
1.32
1138
40
114 ?
37 OK
SC
7
16
2.29
669
42
67 +
30 LOW
SOR
55
252
4.58
3240
156
324 +
49 High
ST
10
34
3.40
1304
66
130 +
39 MEDIUM
SUG
26
37
1.42
1115
123
112 -
24 OK
UC
45
122
2.71
3036
75
304 ?
44 LOW
WBL
34
40
1.18
1345
140
134 -
16 OK
128 ?
16 OK
20 MEDIUM
22 OK
37 OK
Re-Evaluate
Lessons Learned
Articulate Advantages of
Maintaining the Collection
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Facilitates optimal use of the collection
Positively impacts library funding
Create Ownership
• Make all staff responsible
for the collection
• Encourage staff to identify
gaps in the collection
• Change the discussion
Selection Changes
• Policies and guidelines need to reflect a
floating collection
• Copies bought to meet demand, location
irrelevant
Selection Changes
• Budget needs to reflect a
floating collection
• How the money is
allocated may change
• Who is responsible for a
budget line may change
Traditional vs. Floating
Collection Selection
Weeding is Essential
• Find the best weeding
strategy for your library
Know Your Weeding
Philosophy
• Weeding consistent with
service objectives
• Collection weeded in a timely
manner
Be Aware of Road Blocks
• Belief that one method is better than another
• Lack of guidelines for what, how and when
• Lack of training
What Will Work For You?
• ILS reports
• 2-year no circ reports
• Circulated over “x” number of
times
• Customized reports
More Ideas!
• More customizable/useable reports
• Ratio of circulation to number of copies
reports
• Distribution reports – to enable staff to move
materials to other libraries or weed
• Weeding guidelines inserted at time of order
• Weeding location for bestsellers
Traditional vs. Floating
Collection Weeding
Number of copies
dependent on
entire system –
not dependent on
location
Weeding Strategies
• Pull lists
How Pull Lists Work
• Once a week a list of all items with a pull
code is sent to each location
• Staff in the libraries pull items on the list
from the collection
• Front line staff have the authority to override a
pull code
• Materials are stamped weeded and boxed
for the book sale
Using Weeding Lists
Disadvantages of a Weeding List
• Time
• Staff intensive
• System wide approach – doesn’t
respond to individual location’s
collection
Weeding Teams
• Teams that travel between the different
branches – and do the weeding instead of
regular staff in that branch
Weeding Teams…..
Advantage of Weeding Teams
Disadvantage of Weeding Teams
• May cause localized weeding
• Not all locations can be weeded at the same
time
EXPECT THE
UNEXPECTED!!!
CONTACT INFORMATION
Ann Cress
Deputy Executive Director
Jefferson County Public Library
Ann.Cress@jeffcolibrary.org
Linda Raymond
Materials Management Manager
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
lraymond@cmlibrary.org
Rhonda Glazier
Collections Manager
Jefferson County Public Library
Rhonda.Glazier@jeffcolibrary.org
BREAK
Communication is Key
• Transition of staff was longer than initially
thought
• Three stages of transition
• Buy-in at the beginning, tweaking processes and procedures,
ongoing maintenance needs
• Staff need to be able to articulate the advantages
• Staff need to stay connected to the collection
• Maintaining ownership key to collection maintenance
• Advantages need to be articulated to your library
board and community
Moving Forward
• Articulate the patron benefits &
business reasons to…EVERYONE
• Recognize that this is a major
transition and plan accordingly.
• Acknowledge the myths and address
them head on.
• Involve staff leaders/influencers in
the planning
• COMMUNICATE