I went through this about five years ago--for budgetary reasons also. All music CDs were cataloged LC (they had been in accession number) and put in lock boxes and put out in browsable CD cabinets. All DVDs and VHS tapes were also cataloged LC and either secured with donut strips or put in security boxes and put out on open shelving. All laptops were brought to the Regular Circulation Desk as well as all media reserve items, keys to viewing rooms, headphones and standardized tests.
There wasn't room for everything either in the open stacks or at the Circulation Desk, so the following items remained at the former media desk (shown in the OPAC as "closed stacks"): kits, slides, realia, models, LPs, cassettes, cassette recorders, VCRs. Patrons need to go to the Information Desk to request anything in the "closed stacks". The Information Desk personnel retrieve the item(s) and take it to the Circulation Desk for check-out. It was a bumpy beginning-- mostly because of additional training for the students at the Circulation Desk, and hard for the students and faculty who had been used to going to the Media Desk for service. However, the change dramatically increased our circulation numbers for both CDs and videos, and now everyone is used to the fact that there is only one service desk for checking things out and returning them. Let me know if you have any questions-- thanks! Beth Williams Circulation Supervisor North Hall Library Mansfield University 570-662-4690 [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Maureen Tripp Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2010 10:43 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [Videolib] media circulation at same desk as regular circ? There's talk here of getting rid of the media desk, and merging it with the regular circulation desk, in an attempt to same money on the staff budget. I don't like this, but I'm not sure why. We have two collections--one which circulates to students, and I'm sure that could be handled at the circ desk. But we also have a teaching collection, which is booked for faculty in advance--or, which happens often, faculty can call us and book titles on the spot. These videos don't circulate outside of the Library, except for use by faculty in classes, or for faculty preview. It seems to me that having two service desks is a good idea, to relieve stress and congestion. But I don't have any evidence for this, and I'm a committee of one, the only Media Librarian here, and thus, I have a vested interest in keeping a separate media desk. Has anyone gone through this? Does anyone have any ideas pro or con for merging media operations with the print circulation desk? Any help/feedback would be much appreciated! VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors. VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
