Shelf-reading is an essential part of stacks maintenance. There are three main purposes to shelf reading:
1. Making sure each book/material is properly shelved in the correct location. It is easy for a mistake to be made and for a book to end up in the incorrect location, and shelf-reading identifies and fixes these errors. When shelf-reading using the digital inventory tool (described in the below module), shelf-reading has the additional benefit of checking Alma records to identify a variety of errors that can appear in the system.
2. Identifying any preservation issues. While shelf-reading, you may find damaged pieces, such as missing a label, label falling off, torn or otherwise in need of repair books. We must be especially alert for mold, mildew, or insect damage, as it is important to catch these issues early before they spread. Remove any damaged books to be sent to the library's book repair unit.
3. Keep the shelves themselves in order. For the neatness of our patrons and the proper preservation of our books, it is important that we keep the shelves in top condition, with the books stored properly (vertical, spine down, or flat--never warped or leaning).
Guidelines for Shelf-reading:
