Help for my home library

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I have an extensive home library, which is growing like crazy, since I'm an info-junkie and have a great love of juvenlie literature. When we build our house, a library will be included. I would like to have it "operational" as a lending-library.

So, I need sources for library supplies - cards, pockets, rebinding materials - all at the lowest cost, since it will be "privately funded". Anyone have any links to try?

I also need basic information on Dewy Decimal organization. The newer NF books have the Library of Congress info printed in the front, but what about self-published and older books? My local library cooperative only helps so much!

-- Becky M. (beckymom@kjsl.com), February 17, 2000

Answers

I can't help you a bit, but would like to say what a great project you have in the works. It is so nice that you are willing to share openly with others. For a free catalog on books for country living, order one from Under the Oak Books at 1-480-888-8802 or write Under the Oak Books, 19501 East Camina Plata, Queen Creek, AZ, 85242. I received their catalog from a friend, and it really has a lot of good books listed in it at discount prices.

-- greenbeanman (greenbeanman@ourtownusa.net), February 17, 2000.

I have seen the pockets at teacher's supply stores. I once had a catalog for library and archival supplies, I can't think of the company offhand, but if I do I will post it. I did not order from them because of the cost and quanities! I, too have a large library at home - and just keep buying/building bookcases! Wish we had a library room! A dream... I will also (someday) catalog all our books on computer file. Jean

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), February 17, 2000.

Hi Becky

I work in a University Library. Part of my job is to repair, mend, and send books and periodicals to get rebound. A couple of catalogs that we order supplies from have websites. They are Highsmith (www.highsmith.com)and Demco (www.demco.com). The supplies that these catalogs sell are not cheap, but you may get some good ideas from seeing some of their products.

Hope this helps

Scott

-- Scott (spiress@hotmail.com), February 17, 2000.


Becky these ideas aren't as pretty as buying real library supplies but they work.

Start opening envelopes by slitting at one end instead of either tearing or slitting the top. Cut the envelope roughly in half and use the unslit end as the pocket. If you want, you could make a tiny nick in the middle of the envelope then carefully cut around the contents to get two pockets per envelope. Glue them into the books with the stamp/address side against the book. Not quite as pretty as they'll still look like envelope pieces, but they work. Also you can cut any unused envelopes you have that have gotten accidently sealed. those you can put plain side out, they'll look nicer.

Scraps of heavy paper, especially manila envelopes and old file folders also make a nice type of pocket. Cut strips say 1 1/2" wide or wider, cut the ends on a diagonal, paste them across the lower corner of the inside front cover. The cards just slide underneath the strips. You can cut a full triangle to fit into the corner also.

Again using very heavy paper, draw the size rectangle you want your pocket to be. Then on the sides and across the bottom add a "seam allowance" of about 1/4". Nick out the 2 lower corners. Use that pattern to cut out the pockets. To use, fold the 3 wings under, apply glue and paste in.

The cards themselves can be nothing more than unlined index cards. You can write due dates in or buy date stamps cheaply at office supply stores. Purchase a rubber stamp with "Please return" and your name and address at or through many office supply stores. For a return by date card to send with the book, buy bundles of cheap scratch paper (the little pads with the rubbery glued tops) or cut scraps of paper roughly the same size as the index cards. Keep them in the books behind the cards. When you pull out the front card to put borrowers' names and return dates on, just stamp the piece of paper.

Dewey Decimal is a big can of worms. Most libraries have an in-house reference that they use to assign numbers to books. Probably won't be able to get one via inter-library loan. You may, however, be allowed access to it in the library. Do you have to have it? A rough way to start would be to assign older books the general number of like books you know the numbers for. Some large, especially college, libraries have handouts for new patrons that give a broad overview of what is found in each group of numbers ie if you're looking for woodworking books, go to the 600 shelves rather than the 000 shelves. If you do decide to go with Dewey, PICK ONE AND STAY WITH IT. Dewey Decimal changes frequently, and you'll spend a lot time trying to update the books you've already processed. Pain in the tail. If you try just in-processing new books according to the latest Dewey numbers, you'll end up with some strange shelf mates.

Basically you need Dewey for the non-fiction. Call adult fiction F with the first few letters of the author's last name underneath. Call kids' nonfiction JN/dewey, kids' fiction JF. If you want to get fancy on the really little kids' books, get some colored dots (a little larger than a "o") and put on the spines-say blue for the read to the very young, green for the raw beginners, red for slightly more advanced. Biographies are B/first letters, and JB/first letters. Mysteries M/, Westerns W/, large print books either LP/ or identified with larger round stickers on their spines if you want to keep them shelved with the general collection.

If you can use any of these ideas, at least at first, it will help you free up money for binding, repairs and the most important and fun, new acquisitions! Gerbil (who hates reading shelves)

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), February 17, 2000.


I dont know if this will help but my homeschooling group has a library and they use 3x5 cards. When someone checks out a book they go to the box and look in alphabetical order for the book title the they write there name phone number and date on the card and file it in another box in alphabetical order. Then the person over the library knows who and when the booked was checked out and can call when it becomes overdue. Dont know if this will help but it is a pretty good system for us. It serves around 70 families.

Sarah

-- Sarah (CBE@Dellnet.com), February 17, 2000.



Thanks, all, for all the suggestions! I've ordered the catalogs from the supply companies, and will probably start on some homemade card pockets in the meantime. I like the ideas for color-coding the children's books, and it looks as though I'll have to continue with my previous method of dewy system - look them up in the library cooperative database, and find something similar if not availible.

Thanks for all your help, folks!

-- Becky M. (beckymom@kjsl.com), February 17, 2000.


I just had a thought on your use of the Dewey Decimal System. You could access the system from my local library's web site at: http://www.hplsck.org/ While the library may not have every book title that you have, they do have a pretty extensive collection.

-- greenbeanman (greenbeanman@ourtownusa.net), February 17, 2000.

Becky, this might be useful. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~preserve/repair/repairindex.htm

Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), February 18, 2000.


Becky, A company called Brodart has library supplies and repair supplies. May I suggest that you use your computer database and an inexpensive bar code wand and software for inventory control. This allows you to keep track of who has the book without marking up the book. You can print a receipt with the due date for the customer. This is much easier and less time consuming. I use this for inventory control in my bookstore.

-- Linda Havrilla (bookhome1@yahoo.com), February 23, 2000.

Becky, you're AWESOME! Congratulations for what you are doing.

I am probably just being conservative, but I don't care much for the Dewey system. Part of it might be that almost all the libraries I've ever been in use the Library of Congress filing system. Not that that's perfect.

Just a suggestion: why not just number the books you get consecutively? If you have them all on file in your computer, you can do a "find" command (at least I can on my Mac, and can't imagine that a PC could be THAT retarded :) When the computer finds the book, it would tell you what its number is. If they are put in the stacks in numerical order, they'd be simple to locate, and to file away. If you want the Dewey number, or any other system for that matter, for ordering, interlibrary loans, or whatever, you could have those numbers filed on the same computer entry.

I'm planning to file all my tools, screws, nails, paint, plumbing supplies, etc that way, as I have a 22x40 foot garage/shop and am too disorganized to organize things where I can find half the stuff. (I'll do this as soon as I finish all my other projects, maybe in this or the next lifetime)

I hope you'll let us know how you end up doing this!

-- jumpoff joe (jumpoff@echoweb.net), February 23, 2000.



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