Fig. 78.—Tier Guide showing Lettering of Front
([Section 244]).
In addition, a series of bold class labels at the top of each class, and plenty of topic labels on the shelves, together with the progressive class numbers boldly printed, and fixed to the end of each shelf, will be found a great help to understanding the classification and finding the books. Shelf topic and number labels can be printed by the staff with an ordinary rubber-printing or sign-writing apparatus, and they can be fixed to the shelves by means of the label-holders mentioned in [Section 249]. For class numbers on the shelf-ends xylonite label-holders will be found economical and convenient, as they can be cut into inch widths. The above figure ([Fig. 76]) of a shelf-front with labels will give some idea of the application of these marks. The class number of the first or last topic only need be given. A method of guiding by tiers instead of by shelves is described in The Library World (Nov. 1904) and is one of many experiments which have been made with shelf guiding. The illustrations ([Figs. 77], [78]) will show much better than words the appearance and possibilities of this system. Another form is illustrated below ([Fig. 79]) and shows a class label for indicating the chief contents of a main class. The illustration of an open access lending library given opposite ([Fig. 80]) shows the system of press guides used at the North Islington Library, which in practice has been found very effective.
| A | |||
| GENERALIA. | |||
| 000 | GENERAL | 500 | GEOMETRY |
| 100 | EDUCATION | 600 | GRAPHIC AND PLASTIC ARTS |
| 300 | LOGIC | 900 | GENERAL SCIENCE |
| 400 | MATHEMATICS | ||
| For Special Subjects see Index to Subject Classification. | |||
Fig. 79.—Class Guide ([Section 244]).
245. Shelf Register.
245. Shelf Register.—The shelf register is a record of the books as they stand on the shelves, and is the main guide used in stock-taking and otherwise checking the books. Cards are sometimes used for this purpose, each work being entered on a separate card, the whole being arranged in trays in the order of the classification.
Fig. 80.—Bookcase with Classification Guides and Shelf Labels ([Section 244]).
Another method is to use shelf-register sheets, which occupy very little space, a single sheet being used for each class division or subdivision. The sheet is headed, as [shown] in the subjoined ruling, with the class letter and number, and the books in the section are entered in author-alphabetical order to begin with, afterwards just as books are added ([Fig. 81]). The narrow columns are reserved for checking the shelves. The date of check is written at the top, and the presence of the book indicated by a tick. In some open access libraries stock is taken of the shelves twice a year by means of these sheets. Missing books are not ticked, but noted in order that further search may be made in the charging system and other records. When they turn up they are ticked off. The sheets are collated periodically, and any books which continue to be unaccounted for are noted and entered in a special book ruled to show author and title, date missing, and having a column for the record of any subsequent facts, such as its finding, replacement, or other means of recovery.
| 7″ | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ac- ces- sion No. | Author | Title. | Vols. | Mar. 6, 1900. | E 100·3 | 91⁄2″ | ||||||||||||
| Dates of Check. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 5,216 | Balfour | Manual of Botany | 1 | ✓ | ||||||||||||||
| 15,621 | Henfrey | „ „ | 1 | ✓ | ||||||||||||||
| 5,111 | Lindley | Elements of Botany | 1 | ✓ | ||||||||||||||