Student Library Assistant Training Guide: Shelving and Shelf-reading

Shelf-Reading

shelf-reading is an important task in library organizing library books, it ensures that each book is properly shelved and placed in the right place , in order to find it when its needed.

shelf-reading is a daily routine to correct the miss shelved books by patrons.

every week a an assignment sheet placed on the circulation board will be placed , so students assistant will know which shelves are their responsibility , 

after the finish shelf-reading students must declare that the shelf- reading is done , so the supervisor will check after him.

its quite important to take your time while shelf-reading than to rush and make mistakes.

Shelving

 shelving materials is putting out books the places where they belong in the library collection.

shelving is first task students assistant should do after he/she finishes the starting routines.

behind the circulation desk there are two books trolleys. one for the checked-in books that you can immediately start shelving it. the second one is usually books that patrons used it in the library and left it at the tables .

first you star with ordering the books on the cart, so the shelver will not run all over the library collections .

 

 

General Rules

• Reshelve all books on the correct shelf and positions, whether in the Main or Reference area, to ensure the next user can locate them easily.
• Shelving must be performed every day at the start of each shift.
• Always check if there are books to be shelved behind the circulation desk.
• Every month, a list of assigned shelves will be posted on the Circulation board with the name of each student assistant.
• Shelf reading to check proper shelving and position is required regularly and assigned by the staff member.

Library of Congress Classification Principles and Structure

• The Library of Congress Classification (LCC) was invented by Herbert Putnam in 1897.
• LCC Call Numbers are structured in 4 rows:

1. Roman capital letters (A, B.C…) identifying the General subject.
2. Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3…) related to the specific subject.
3. Dot (.) with author identification.
4. Publication year.

Shelving / Shelf Reading

• Call numbers are arranged in 4 rows:

1. Roman capital letters (A, B.C…): Search for the correct stack.
2. Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3…): Follow by the whole number: 42 before 416.
3. Author identification: Place in alphabetical order followed by the whole number: M63 before M163.
4. Publication year: From the oldest to the newest: 1970 before 2021.
5. For multiple copies and volumes: Numerical order: c.1 before c.2 / V.1 before V2.

• Samples:

1^st row by alphabet.

 

H 42    .M623 2001

HA 416 .M518 2002

HB 438 M565 2003

 

 

 

 

 

2nd row by the whole number.

H  42     .M623 2001

HA 416 .M518 2002

HB 438 M565 2003

 

 

 

 

 

3rd row letter followed by the whole number.

H  42    .M63 2001

HA 416 .M163 2002

HB 438 .M375 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 4th row by year, oldest to the newest.

H  42    .M63 2001

HA 416 .M163 2002

HB 438 .M375 2003

https://www.library.kent.edu/library-congress-tutorial-page-2-tests

https://www.library.kent.edu/library-congress-tutorial-page-3-tests

https://www.library.kent.edu/library-congress-tutorial-page-4-tests