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The Public Library HelperProcedures Chapter
by Edward J. ElsnerEdward Elsner Library Consulting
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Here is the meat of day-to-day small public library operations -- procedures.Clear, accurate, and up-to-date procedures are extremely important for everylibrary. Procedures give you a place to start when training people, a referenceto refer back to when you have not performed a task recently, and a reminderto everyone of how things are done. Used regularly by everyone, proceduresincrease your consistency and make it easier for everyone using the library. Thenumber one rule of writing procedures is don't assume anything. "The wholepoint of writing policy statements, regulations, procedures, and guidelines is toensure that all library staff members understand the library's priorities, therules that govern the provision of services, and the actual processes that are tobe used when delivering those services."
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The biggest problem areas I find in libraries lie in cataloging and classification.Over time many errors and aberrations enter into the cataloging and the spinelabels, but this can be fixed easily with a decent set of procedures so as times
 
and employees change the library still consistently applies cataloging andclassification rules, the same authorities are used for people and subjects, callnumber assignment does not vary, and local modifications to the DeweyDecimal System remain, such as placing all biographies in 921 instead of in thevarious subject areas (and make sure autobiographies always have the authorlisted as a subject). The process of processing materials needs to be succinctlyand thoroughly written as well to ensure consistent placement and execution.When changes are made, they can be communicated to everyone through anupdated procedure while old items are modified to match new materials. Manygreat staff training resources are available at the Idaho Commission forLibraries ABLE site,http://libraries.idaho.gov/page/alternative-basic-library-education-able. A complete list of excellent training resources, all free, can befound at the Ning Library 2.0 networkhttp://library20.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=515108%3ABlogPost%3A30994.Some alternate training sites are listed by Stephanie Gerding athttp://home.earthlink.net/~stephaniegerding/accidentaltechnologytrainer/id2.html.
Cataloging
When learning cataloging, start with the manual and training for yourautomation system along with the booklet, Understanding MARC Bibliographic,online athttp://www.loc.gov/marc/umb/from the Library of Congress. Thislow cost booklet, often available for free from your automation vendor, isworth its weight in gold. What Understanding MARC Bibliographic doesn't coveris handled at the Library of Congress' MARC 21 Concise Format for BibliographicData site,http://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/.Everyone should be cataloging; if an employee is willing to do it, let them.People besides the director should do the majority of the cataloging and all ofthe copy cataloging, i.e. copying MARC records from a union catalog or largerlibrary's database. The Library of Congress makes their records freely availableto libraries throughout the world and many small public libraries also can copyrecords from a regional system of cooperation maintaining a union catalog. Ifyou can find the same item in a different format (regular print when looking forlarge print, audio cassette when looking for CD, VHS when looking for DVD),you can copy the existing record and then change what is different for the itemyou are holding. Make sure to adjust the 007 field, possibly simply copying thegeneric 007 info listed below. Save the director's or expert cataloger's time fordealing with cataloging problems and making certain all of the staff arecataloging consistently and working from the same procedures to keep yourdatabase clean and well organized.The basic procedure to catalog a new item is:
 
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Find another library that has already catalogued the item and copy theirMARC record.
 
2.Once you have the bibliographic record, just add in your copyinformation and bar code number.
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If you cannot find an existing record for the item, use the basiccataloging information below to create an original record for it.
 
Do not worry if you make a few small mistakes as people being able to find theitem in the library is the most important thing. Upgrade records if you find amore complete or more accurate one to copy at a later date. Write out theexact procedures for finding and loading bibliographic records with yourautomation system, since these vary by the program you're using. Use thisprocedure to help train new cataloguers and as an easy reminder or cheatsheet for everyone.When determining Dewey Decimal Classification numbers you usually can usethe number assigned by the Library of Congress. Double check the number bylooking in the stacks; where would the assigned number place the item, wouldpeople be likely to look for it there, and what other items are already in thatarea? Some titles are better classified with war than in the country where thebattle occurred, i.e. how many people look under Somalia to find Black HawkDown? Basic Dewey Decimal Classification information is available online at:
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Online DDC numbers for various subjects from Appleton Public Library athttp://www.apl.org/libcats/dewey.html.
 
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Summaries for the current version of DDC: 100's, 10's, and 1's, from OCLCathttp://www.oclc.org/dewey/resources/summaries/deweysummaries.pdf.
 
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DDC 100's and specific others in Spanish from Spanish in Our Libraries at http://www.sol-plus.net/plus/survspa/dew.htm.
 
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The DDC22 Introduction is downloadable fromhttp://www.oclc.org/dewey/versions/ddc22print/intro.pdf
Basic Cataloging Information
For complete MARC information visit the Library of Congress athttp://www.lcweb.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/.indicators need to be included in front of the entry for the 245 fieldthe first indicator will be either a 0 or a 1: 1 normally, 0 if no personal authorin 100
 
of 00

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