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Here are more responses to the question as how to sign out a book when the librarian is not present in an automated library. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I would just leave a sign out sheet - a made up form in Word - with lines on it and columns for date, student or staff name, and bar code # of the books signed out. If you teach them all how to do this, and leave an example on the first line - 2/1 Jane Doe # 4149872 they should be OK. All the person has to do the next day is sign out by patron name and input the bar codes. I used to do this whenever the network crashed at my old school. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As far as teacher check-out goes, I keep a notebook on my desk, and ask the teachers to write their names and the material numbers of the books that they take. I then enter the information when I am next in the library. I have not offered this service to the students, but I suppose that you could use the same set-up for the kids. MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO NOT WRITE THE TITLE OF THE BOOK, AS THAT WILL NOT LET YOU KNOW WHICH COPY (OF MULTIPLE COPIES) THAT THEY BORROWED. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ There are two of us that work full time, grades P1-8. We check out books to the classrooms for preschool, and we do the check out for Kindergarten and Grade one to the students. Grades 2 through 8 check out their own books, using print outs of their bar codes kept in a book, and arranged by class. We also monitor closely the number of books checked out to K and Grade 1 and limit the number of books out to Grades 2&3. If the number seems high, it's because in 2&3 they tend to read short chapter books and some children read two a day. I've included the instructions from our Library manual to give you a better idea of our procedure. Since, I assume, your librarians will be there when younger children have library classes, this method could work for you. Our parents of Preschool through grade one students also have their own bar codes and may take out books for their children above the limit for the grade, since they will be personally responsible for the books. We use Spectrum. You may actually find that you can keep more control of the books with this system. We did. Good luck. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It takes a lot of initial work, but teachers (and parent volunteers) can be taught to use the automated system. Our patron barcodes are kept at the circulation desk in a binder by class. The teachers all have their barcode on their staff ID, but they used to just be on the same page with their class's. --- This is what we do for after school checkouts or when the system is shut down (intentionally or because of trouble). We have a rolodex on the checkout desk. Each child has a rolodex card with his/her name and library checkout number on it. This was time consuming the first time we did it, but then each year after that we just delete the fifth grade and add the Pre-school and every one else just moves up. Kids have the same number from Pre-school to Grade 5 and so they eventually all learn their numbers. The rolodex cards are divided into grades and all the names of the children in each grade are filed alphabetically. We leave a paper on a clip board on the desk. On the paper are 2 columns Patron Number and Book Number. The patron just has to write down his/her library number from the rolodex card and the book number (not the Dewey number). When we get back to the library or the system is up again, we type in the info from the handwritten sheet. Let me know if you have questions. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am at ************** High School, and when I'm out they do not hire a sub. I've asked my "regulars" (mostly English teachers) to write down the student's name and the 6 digit barcode of the book so that I can enter it myself when I return and check it out to the student. Because my server is not backed up, I do not want anyone turning it on when I am not there! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Generally speaking, we really don't allow signing out books when no librarian is present,--- however if I'm out and a teacher is in with his/her students, I make them responsible. I have shown some of them how to check the books out. Another option was to have them leave a list of the students' names with the corresponding barcode of the book they took out. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I have one elementary school in our district that is automated (with Alexandria), but the librarian is only at the school every other week (alternating with tech teacher). Volunteers staff the library on off weeks. It requires a massive training effort. I would be in favor of self check out. Each classroom would have a sheet of id barcodes with names or maybe a photo (from school pictures), for young ones, Student would scan their id barcode and their book check out barcode and voila! Children are very interested in learning and doing this type of activity like a real librarian. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am sorry I don't have any concrete suggestions related to your problem . . . just a thought which may not be that helpful. I wonder if we should try that hard to make it "work," with so few staff. At some point our administrations will have to realize that libraries just do not run by themselves and they do need librarians and staff. We had major budget cuts here at **** last year. It resulted in a reduction in the hours the library was open. Despite some pressure to keep it open extended hours (by staggering staff hours), it would have meant reduced services for classes during the day when students really need help. Finally, after not having the library open until 4 each day, the administration did find some money to pay staff a few additional hours a week. I guess what I'm trying to say, is let them know that lack of staffing is going to be a problem in one way or another. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Yea...ah.... This causes a lot of problems -- mostly missing books. My library is automated and my books walk all the time (mostly teachers who feel they're entitled). I now have a "leave me a note" policy for teachers, with the book, and I will deliver ASAP. They always get their materials within a day and that helps keep track of materials. I have found that, mostly in the past, my time has been wasted searching for an item that a teacher has but hasn't left me any word about. Personally, I like full control. I have one teacher who knows how to use my system (Winnebago) and she's pretty good at it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I left detailed instructions with screen captures next to the computer that is attached to the scanner so teachers can do it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We do not sign out books when the librarians are not there. It would be a night mare to keep track of materials. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------i just started a new job as a school librarian for the **************** Public Schools. I'm also running two school libraries during each week. I put together a checkout sheet using Excel with the date, homeroom teacher, etc. The teachers can use the sheets to fill out and I have a binder for them to store them away. When the students bring them back, they cross out their names or the teachers help out by collecting them for me. When I'm there teaching, I have a little bit different system. Hopefully, this will help you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hi Dorothy, My suggestion is to simply turn off the lights and close the library when there is not a trained person there to check out books. The district will never hire a fulltime person if we make these types of things work with volunteers. In addition, an automated system is only as good as the info that gets put into it. Without trained personnel, you jeopardize the integrity of your system. Good luck. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am in an elementary school with an automated circulation system (CIRC/CAT by Follett). I have all the students' barcodes in a notebook by class by the day of the week they come to the library for class. Within each class, the student barcodes are arranged by alphabetical order. In the front of the book, the staff barcodes are listed in alphabetical order. When they use the system, whether I am there or not, they scan their barcode and then the barcode of each item borrowed. My students use this system by themselves. We don't check out their books for them. We only check the books in ... in order not to loose Reserved books, etc. It has worked well for us these past 6 1/2 years. Please feel free to call if you have any questions. (Also each teacher has a key to the school so my circulation system is available 24/7 for staff.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----I have two elementary libraries (k-5). I am at one, two days a week, and three days at the other. The students do not check out books when I am not there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -I came into a similar problem a couple of years ago. I started a job where I was their first librarian, It involved consolidating lower and upper school libraries as well as automating the existing combined collection. What I did was to leave cards and pockets in the books so that all anybody has to do is sign the card and leave it on the circulation desk. New items are ordered with cards and pockets and an extra barcode. All of the circulation cards have the book's barcode or barcode number on them, so I can either enter the numbers or scan them into the computer at a later time. Processing is more work, but it has solved the problem of students and faculty being able to sign out books when there's nobody here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We have a clipboard where the students sign their names and book barcode numbers. Could the teacher supervise this? Then when we return we can input the data quickly. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking for earth-friendly autos? Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center. DeleteReplyForwardSpamMove... 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