Circulation Department
Annual Report 2006-2007
I. Achievements for 2006-2007
v Circulation Operation Activities
o Provided access to 313,474 patrons in FY 2006-2007, 44,466 fewer patrons than in FY 2005–2006, which represents a 12.4% drop in traffic.
o Processed 89,661 circulation transactions for all items borrowed (excluding Reserves) in FY 2006-2007, 17,456 fewer transactions than in FY 2005-2006, which represents a 16.3% drop in the number of circulation transactions.
o Handled 32,555 staff-assisted transactions at the Circulation Desk in FY 2006-2007, 8,492 fewer transactions than in FY 2006-2007, which represents a 20.7% drop in the number of staff-assisted transactions.
o Maintained the 3M 6210 Self-Check System unit installed at the Circulation Desk in FY 2004-2005; identified problems arising from patron use of this equipment and proactively sought solutions to specific problems to improve the delivery of self-service options for patrons.
o Publicized borrowing privileges for individuals 18 years of age or older who reside in municipalities within Essex and Passaic counties by contacting the Directors of 38 public libraries via email.
o Implemented the use of print and online versions of a form to identify books that may be missing from the Stacks: Missing Book Request Form.
o Increased access to the book drop (located in the vestibule of Sprague Library) by making it available 24/7.
o Updated the Closing Procedures document to include a provision for locking the door between the Reference Department and Café Diem at closing.
o Updated the job descriptions of full-time staff during the annual Performance Evaluation System (PES) review period.
o Upgraded the Sirsi Unicorn System Circulation Workflows client from version 2003.1.4.5 to GL3.1; tested and approved patron data migration.
o Updated the content of the following Circulation Policy and Services brochures to reflect current Library policies:
§ Circulation Policy and Services: MSU Faculty, Staff, Graduate Assistants & Doctoral Students;
§ Circulation Policy and Services: MSU Students.
o Updated the content of the following web pages to reflect current Library policies:
§ Circulation Policy and Services: Electronic Reserves (http://library.montclair.edu/circulation/CircEReserve.html);
§ Circulation Policy and Services: Print Reserves (http://library.montclair.edu/circulation/CircReserve.html).
o Responded to numerous patron inquiries:
§ 69 messages were received from patrons via the Sirsi Unicorn System Request Workflows client;
§ 113 messages were received from patrons responding to Library Book Renewals message via email;
§ 177 messages were received from patrons responding to Library Notice messages via email;
§ 132 messages were received from MSU faculty about Reserves via email.
v Reserves Operation Activities
o Print Reserves
§ Fall 2006:
Ø 223 instructors placed items on Reserve, an increase of 104 instructors, which represents 87.4% more than in Fall 2005;
Ø 1,716 items were placed on Reserve, an increase of 468 items, which represents 37.5% more than in Fall 2005.
§ Spring 2007:
Ø 140 instructors placed items on Reserve, an increase 14 instructors, which represents 11.1% more than in Spring 2006;
Ø 1,263 items were placed on Reserve, a decrease of 84 items, which represents 6.2% less than in Spring 2006.
o Electronic Reserves
§ Fall 2006:
Ø 100 instructors placed items on Reserve, a decrease of 42 instructors, which represents 29.6% less than in Fall 2005;
Ø 913 items were placed on Reserve, a decrease of 402 items, which represents 30.6% less than in Fall 2005.
§ Spring 2007:
Ø 68 instructors placed items on Reserve, a decrease of 80 instructors, which represents 54.1% less than in Spring 2006;
Ø In Spring 2007, 684 items were placed on Reserve, a decrease of 1,614 items, which represents 70.2% less than in Spring 2006.
v Stacks Operation Activities
o Shelved 77,652 books in FY 2006-2007, 14,307 fewer books than in FY 2005–2006, which represents a 15.6% drop in the number of books shelved.
o Collected 28,564 books during Stacks Area Pick-Ups in FY 2006-2007, 5,276 fewer books than in FY 2005-2006, which represents a 15.6% drop in the number of books picked-up.
o Shifted circulating books in the following Library of Congress (LC) classifications:
§ BF1.T65 – BF2050.D43 1998;
§ HG4517.Z45 – HQ759.48.C76 1991;
§ JK1.L8 1970 – JK6325 1971.U3;
§ JZ6.5.C6 1965 – JZ6422.5.U55F4 1974;
§ LC191.C48 – LT101.C6;
§ RA1224.2.G46 1999 – RC467.N49;
§ RC827.G55 2000 – RT49.D43 1986.
o Shelf-read circulating books in the following Library of Congress (LC) classifications:
§ J10.B74 – PQ6426.A1 1922;
§ PQ6427.E 56 1966 – RT49.D43 1986;
§ RT49.H36 1996 – ZA5180.U6 2004;
§ AC1.A4 1937 – ML113.G4 1986;
§ Juvenile Books AG5. R24 1991 – Z733.U6L54 2000 (shelf read twice);
§ Oversized Books AP20.F535 no. 1097-1105 – Z250.S935 1968 (shelf read twice).
v Technical Services Activities
o Prepared for the upgrade of the Sirsi Unicorn System Circulation Workflows C client to the Sirsi Unicorn System Circulation Workflows Java client (original implementation date September 2007; rescheduled for January 2008).
o Improved the quality of the Sirsi Unicorn System patron database:
§ Identified and manually deleted 513 duplicate patron records that were created by running the Load Users Report.
o Improved the quality of the Sirsi Unicorn System bibliographic and item databases:
§ Declared 20 items missing;
§ Declared 114 items lost.
v Library-Wide Activities
o Assisted in updating the Library Strategic Plan for the period 2007-2008 and developed Project Plans for implementing the Library Strategic Plan during this period.
o Served as a member of the Web Usability Task Force. Assisted in developing a Web Usability Survey instrument. Assisted in conducting the Web Usability Pilot Project. Administered the Web Usability Survey instrument to survey participants.
o Assisted in improving Library services to patrons by serving at the Reference Desk.
v University-Wide Activities
o Served as liaison to the following academic units:
§ Department of Family and Child Studies (CEHS -- College of Education and Human Services);
§ Department of Communication Studies (CART -- College of the Arts).
II. Trends
v Introduction
FY 2006-2007 began on a somewhat chaotic note, with construction of the Library café continuing through Summer and Fall 2006. During this period, Circulation Department staff continued to be stationed as needed at the Library temporary entrance and assumed additional responsibilities for maintaining a record of the number of patrons entering the Library (i.e., the Gate Count) and for providing security for library materials. Nevertheless, it was a productive year and Department operations continued to run smoothly, as always, thanks to the competence, energy and dedication of Circulation Department staff: full-time employees -- Lillian Allen, Barbara Fingerhut, Arthur Hudson, Christine Mims, Paul Nauer, Paul Stec, and John Zieleniewski, and Temporary Service Employees (TSE) -- Jeff Cole and Aron Nemeth. Their efforts warrant recognition and I would like to take this opportunity to commend them and say how much I appreciate their hard work.
The following narrative provides some context for the achievements and events of FY 2006-2007 and offers a brief discussion of some concerns and plans for the year ahead.
v Circulation Operation Activities
The decrease in the number of patrons using the Library may be explained in part by the increased use of Internet resources and other materials in electronic formats (e.g., items in Sprague’s netLibrary collection, e-journals, and online resources) as well as the shutdown of the 3M Detection System gate at the main entrance, which necessitated maintaining a manual record of the number of patrons entering the building (i.e., Gate Count), and the disruption to the normal traffic flow caused by the relocation of the entrance to the building during construction of the Library café.
The reduced number of circulation transactions may be explained in part by increased patron use of Internet resources and other materials in electronic formats (e.g., items in Sprague’s netLibrary collection, e-journals, and online resources).
The drop in the number of staff-assisted transactions at the Circulation Desk may be explained in part by the increased use of self-service options (i.e., use of the 3M 6210 Self-Check System unit) as well as patron awareness and use of online services. Patrons, however, continue to report that they appreciate the prompt service provided by Circulation Department staff. The Department continues to provide a high quality of service, as indicated by the appreciation expressed by our patrons while continuing to process a large number of transactions.
Reserves Operation Activities
The increase in the number of instructors submitting Reserves requests for Print Reserves in Fall 2006 over that in Fall 2005 and the subsequent increase in the number of instructors submitting Reserves requests for Print Reserves in Spring 2007 over that in Spring 2006 confirms that Print Reserves is still regarded as an important and valued service.
The decrease in the number of instructors submitting Reserves requests for E-Reserves in Fall 2006 over that in Fall 2005 and the subsequent decrease in the number of instructors submitting Reserves requests for E-Reserves in Spring 2007 over that in Spring 2006 should not lead, however, to the conclusion that E-Reserves is not an important and valued service. Rather, the drop in the number of instructors submitting Reserves requests for E-Reserves in Fall 2006 and Spring 2007 may indicate that some faculty members are posting course-related materials directly to their own Course Web pages via the Blackboard (Bb) Content Management System, completely circumventing Library E-Reserves services.
Stacks Operation Activities
The decrease in the number of books shelved may be explained in part by increased patron use of Internet resources and other materials in electronic formats (e.g., items in Sprague’s netLibrary collection, e-journals, and online resources).
The drop in the number of books collected during Stacks Area Pick-Ups may be explained in part by increased patron use of Internet resources and other materials in electronic formats (e.g., items in Sprague’s netLibrary collection, e-journals, and online databases).
v Personnel
During FY 2006-2007, the Circulation Department experienced a couple of periods of moderate staffing shortages. From January 24, 2007 to February 22, 2007, the Department temporarily lost the services a valuable member of the full-time staff when Paul Stec requested time off to care for his family after the birth of his son. From August 13, 2007 to August 31, 2007, the Department temporarily lost the services of another valuable member of the full-time staff when Barbara Fingerhut requested time off to care for her ailing mother. Coping with these staffing shortages was somewhat difficult because the former occurred at a normally hectic time of the academic year and the latter coincided with other staff requests for vacation. Despite the challenges posed by the almost constant need to juggle staff work schedules during this period, Department operations hummed along. The fact that the Department survived this somewhat chaotic period is due in large measure to the competence, energy and perseverance of Circulation Department staff. Their efforts and hard work are recognized and appreciated.
v Budget
In FY 2006-2007, the Library continued to face the financial realities of a less than generous budget, necessitating the careful and diligent spending of resources. On a Department level, this situation has continued to limit the number of Temporary Service Employees (TSE) to two (2). Furthermore, the number of hours TSEs can work over the course of a year continues at a reduced level. For the Circulation Department, this situation has adversely affected our ability to provide adequate coverage at the Circulation Desk during evenings and on weekends in the coming year. Over time, this unfortunate state of affairs cannot help but have a deleterious effect on the ability of the Library to fulfill its mission. Hopefully, sufficient financial resources will be provided in FY 2007-2008 to fully restore the Library’s capability to provide appropriate levels of service commensurate with its stated mission, vision, and core values.
v Conclusion
The Circulation Department accomplished a great deal during FY 2006-2007. There’s a lot more work to do next year. One thing that the statistics highlighted in this report don’t reveal is the level of complexity of Circulation Department operations. The work of the Circulation Department is never done; we are continually trying to improve service to patrons and perpetually fine-tuning Department operations. One thing is certain at Sprague Library, change is the new constant.
III. Objectives for 2007-2008
v Department Activities
o Continue to provide Circulation services to students, faculty and other members of the academic community.
o Continue to provide Print and E-Reserves services to students, faculty and other members of the academic community.
o Improve current and implement new marketing strategies to promote Circulation Department services.
o Redesign Circulation Policy and Services brochures to publicize Department services.
o Publish new brochure to publicize Circulation Department Print and Electronic Reserves policies and services.
o Continue to revise documented Circulation Department procedures.
o Develop and implement a new procedure for analyzing the condition of the shelves (i.e., shelf-reading) in the Circulating Books Collection Stacks Areas using the Sirsi PocketCirc PDA with Sirsi Unicorn System software.
o Develop and implement new procedure for evaluating the state of the Library’s collections (i.e., performing an inventory) using the Sirsi PocketCirc PDA with Sirsi Unicorn System software; conduct Inventory Pilot Projects of the Juvenile Books and Reference collections.
o Upgrade the Sirsi Unicorn System Circulation Workflows client from the current version (GL3.1) to the latest version available at the time of the upgrade; test and approve patron data migration.
o Transfer from Windows to the Sirsi Unicorn System Java client; plan for, install, test and implement the Sirsi Unicorn System’s Workflows Java client.
o Continue to improve the quality of the Sirsi Unicorn System patron database.
o Continue to improve the quality of the Sirsi Unicorn System bibliographic and item databases.
o Purchase new 3M Self-Check System V-Series unit.
o Investigate the feasibility of increasing the number and size of group study rooms to accommodate intermediate-sized and large-sized groups to improve Group Study Room services offered by the Department.
o Investigate the feasibility of purchasing a new Public Address System.