3.9 Processing

The processing of library materials should be consistent. It is a good idea to document how each stage of the processing is carried out so that all members of the library staff know how it should be done.

The order in which the items should be processed should be established. Shelves in the workroom can be identified and labelled for each stage. e.g. "New Items", "To be covered" or "Needs Spine Labels".

Decisions need to be made about how different materials should be prepared such as kits, AV materials and CDROMs. How they are processed also depends on where and how they will be shelved.

All items should:

• Be stamped with the school stamp in a number of places. For a book the most usual places are on the title page or inside cover, halfway through the book, and once more towards the end.
• Be barcoded (if the library is automated) with a barcode that should be attached in the same place on each item (note: consider future inventory procedures when making the decision about the placement of barcodes). TALIS school libraries should purchase their barcodes from State Purchasing and Sales.
• Have cards, pockets, date due slips typed and attached if using a manual circulation system.
• Have a tattle-tag placed in them if an electronic security system exists. The types of tattle tag you use will vary depending on the particular format you are tagging. Videorecordings and electronic resources cannot be tagged with security tape that requires sensitizing and desensitising as information stored on the disc will be erased. (Refer to the manual for your security system or check with your supplier).
• Be covered if they are books or housed in suitable storage boxes or bags if they are other materials that need protection.
• Have a spine label with the Dewey number or location prefix on it attached once it has been catalogued. Spine labels can be printed off from the automated library system.

Useful website

Simple Book Repair Manual

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