The obsession with date stamping is a curiously British (English?)
phenomenon; many libraries in other parts of the world don't do it and
haven't done it for years, without any obviously detrimental effects on
their users' perceptions of the service or their ability to manage
bookstocks.
Dan Holmes
Geac Library Systems
-----Original Message-----
From: Liz Brain [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2002 9:10 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Date stamps
I should like to endorse Andrew's comment and add that in Suffolk we are
encouraging use of self service issue facilities which provides users with a
print out listing each title issued and the date for return. As the use of
self service facilities grows the date label is increasingly misleading as a
guide to the history of the book.
Liz Brain
Stock Manager
Suffolk County Council
Libraries and Heritage
Chantry Library
Hawthorn Drive
IPSWICH
IP1 0QY
Tel: 01473 686117
Fax: 01473 601996
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew Sandeman [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 17 January 2002 09:02
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Date stamps
>
> I would just like to point out that using date stamps as a record of
> issues
> can lose a a considerable number of remote renewals. It was not until we
> were able to make use of Business Objects reports from our 'Talis' system
> that we realised the extent to which date labels were under-recording use.
> Andrew Sandeman
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Sumsion" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: 16 January 2002 16:03
> Subject: Re: Date stamps
>
>
> > Dear Rob,
> >
> > My work (at PLR and at Loughborough) has given me the opportunity over
> the
> > past twenty years to visit many public libraries both large and small -
> but
> > on an informal basis, and with a particular interest in bookstock
> > provision.
> >
> > In about 10 per cent of cases the practice of date stamping had been
> > discontinued, and the lack of an easy obvious record of issues was
> usually
> > felt to be a definite handicap in assessing practical stock performance
> and
> > making decisions on withdrawing or transferring stock. The book's
> location
> > and transfer history needs to be apparent also. In conversations with
> > staff I can remember few instances where they approved what had
> happened.
> >
> > In theory the data is all on the computer for reference: in practice it
> is
> > so time consuming to get at that it is often ignored. My conclusion is
> > that well managed libraries make good use of date stamp information for
> > stock control. It will be interesting to see whether or not this
> > represents a consensus.
> >
> > How important it is to the borrower is a different question on which I
> have
> > no evidence or view.
> >
> > Best wishes,
> >
> > John Sumsion
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > >In Lincolnshire, our Group Management Team have been having a
> fascintating
> > >discussion on the merits or otherwise of date stamping books. Is it
> > >necessary? Does it cause bad public relations if we don't do it?
> > >
> > >Has anyone abandoned it, and if so have you found it problematic?
> > >
> > >Rob McInroy
> > >Operations Manager
> > >Library Support Services
> > >Lincolnshire County Council
> > >Brayford House
> > >Lucy Tower Street
> > >LINCOLN
> > >LN1 1YL
> > >
> > >tel 01522 552851
> > >[log in to unmask]
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
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