May 6, 2005
Purdue library uses retail technology to make books easier to find
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Thanks to the novel use of handheld scanners, all 500,000 books in Purdue University's Humanities, Social Science and Education Library now are exactly where they belong.
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That feat required the completion of an inventory of every book in the library, which is located in Stewart Center. The new inventory method allows two-member student teams to sweep an entire shelf clear of books and scan the barcodes with a device identical to those used to create gift registries at department stores. The process replaces a boring, arduous and nearly impossible task that required library assistants to read the call number of each item and relocate it if necessary.
"The scanners are far more accurate," said Brenda Meagher, library circulation assistant. "Your eyes can play tricks on you, especially as you get older."
The data collected by each scanner is downloaded into a personal computer to compare what is on the shelves to the online catalogue of books. A report is generated that tells the team if an item is on the wrong shelf or should not be on a shelf at all. An additional report tells whether any books are missing. If the students can't find a particular book, it is removed from the online catalogue.
Missing books were located in the library attic and in off-site storage and returned to the shelves. Books found on the shelves that belonged to other Purdue libraries were returned to their rightful owners.
"The result of the project is that when you go to the library looking for a book listed in the catalogue, you should find it easily – in its right place," said Judy Nixon, the interim librarian at HSSE.
Nixon didn't expect to complete the project until the fall. Still, even with the computerized assistance, the inventory of Purdue's largest library took a year to complete. Scanning continues on a daily basis to keep the shelves in proper order.
Library users are being encouraged to notify staff if a book in the catalogue is not in its proper place so that disordered shelves can be scanned and put back in order. Missing books can be labeled as such in the catalogue, and an interlibrary loan request can be made to get a copy of a requested book.
Other Purdue libraries, including the one at the Krannert School of Management, are considering the use of scanning technology to inventory their collections.
Writer: Jim Schenke, (765) 494-6262, jschenke@purdue.edu
Sources: Judith Nixon, (765) 494-2922, jnixon@purdue.edu
Brenda Meagher, (765) 494-2823, bmeaghe2@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Related Web sites:
Purdue Libraries
PHOTO CAPTION:
Library assistants Becky Sosby, at left, and Diana Sutantyo use a new hand-held scanner to quickly and accurately order shelves at Purdue's Humanities, Social Science and Education Library. The scanners are similar to ones used at department stores to compile gift registries. (Purdue News Service photo/David Umberger)
A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2005/HSSE-scanning.jpg
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