LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Factors affecting shelf reading I was very interested in Wayne Pedersen's recent article, "Statistical Measures for Shelf Reading in an Academic Health Sciences Center Library" (Bull Med Libr Assoc 1989 Apr;77(2):219-22). Mr. Pedersen suggests that the larger average number of volumes read per person/hour (ca. 900) compared to my and Bookstein's ca. 600 results from the greater motivation and experience of University of Texas Health Science Center library staff than the students I measured. May I take the liberty of suggesting two other relevant factors: size of volume and percentage of shelf occupied. If a volume is not thick enough to have a call number on the spine, the shelf reader must partially remove the item in order to confirm the location, slowing down the work. While the average number of volumes per foot was 10.7 in my study, the range was from 3 to 23.7 per foot. It would be very useful to know the average thickness of volumes at Pedersen's library. Shelf reading can also be affected by the amount of free space available. The library in my study was at 86% of capacity (85% is usually considered full). I noted the extreme example of having to shift forty-seven full shelves in order to replace one volume; however, we ran into many less extreme cases of the same problem. Again, it would be very useful to know the percentage of free space Pederstaff had to work with. I found the paper to be very informative and am delighted that we now have a detailed time series on shelf reading of an entire library. While this topic is not the most earthshaking, I would hope other librarians will continue the work. After all, we've had the codex format for over 1,500 years. It would be nice if we could get some solid data on its storage requiresen's
Bull Med Libr Assoc 78(1) January 1990
ments before it's replaced by some- Using rare books thing else. and preservation I read with great interest Dr. C. James H. Sweetland Miller Fisher's letter in the January The University of Wisconsin1989 issue of the Bulletin of the MedMilwaukee ical Library Association. It was inP.O. Box 413 deed heartening to find a library Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201 user showing such care and concern for library materials. As one dealing with issues of library preservation, however, I would like to Poster Sessions-Detroit suggest alternatives to using a Annual Meeting, 1990 metal ruler across the text block to I read with interest the letter from hold pages open. While it is true Antonija Prelec in the April Bul- that the metal ruler is less intrusive letin concerning Poster Sessions at than human hands (or what is the annual meeting of the Medical worse, forearms and elbows), Library Association. The 1990 NPC which will transfer natural oils also felt that the Poster Session was onto the pages of the book, a metal an important and valuable mech- ruler has sharp edges that cause anism for our members to use to creasing in the paper. This is parconvey information. Consequent- ticularly evident on brittle paper, ly, we will have an expanded ca- which is in danger of breaking pability for posters at the 1990 apart where creased. meeting in Detroit. The Poster SesA better alternative is to drape sion will be held from 8:00 A.M. to velvet snakes at the upper corners 10:00 A.M. in Cobo Hall (the con- of the text or to lay round-edged vention center) and will immedi- plexiglass rods along the vertical ately precede the programming for edges. The snakes, which are about the rest of that day. We can accom- an inch wide and ten inches in modate a large number of posters, length, are easily constructed by and we are encouraging members machine-sewing along two sides, to send in their submissions. filling loosely with lead shot, and The call for presentations, which sewing the remaining width by provides information about sub- hand. Plexiglass rods can be purmitting posters, was distributed chased through a conservation with the registration materials at supply distributor. the Boston meeting. Copies are also Of course, providing such presavailable from MLA headquarters. ervation aids does not solve the Poster proposals or questions con- problem of controlling the hancerning the Poster Session can be dling of library materials by users addressed to Marie Reidelbach, outside the library, and therefore, McGoogan Library of Medicine, librarians need to consider their 42d & Dewey Avenue, Omaha, NE circulation policies with preser68105; 402/559-7088. vation in mind.
Robert M. Braude, Ph.D. Chair, 1990 National Program Committee Samuel J. Wood Library C. V. Starr Biomedical Information Center Cornell University Medical College 1300 York Avenue New York, New York 10021
Melinda K. Hayes Hancock Library of Biology & Oceanography University of Southern California Los Angeles, California 90089-0372
71
Bull Med Libr Assoc 78(1) January 1990
ments before it's replaced by some- Using rare books thing else. and preservation I read with great interest Dr. C. James H. Sweetland Miller Fisher's letter in the January The University of Wisconsin1989 issue of the Bulletin of the MedMilwaukee ical Library Association. It was inP.O. Box 413 deed heartening to find a library Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201 user showing such care and concern for library materials. As one dealing with issues of library preservation, however, I would like to Poster Sessions-Detroit suggest alternatives to using a Annual Meeting, 1990 metal ruler across the text block to I read with interest the letter from hold pages open. While it is true Antonija Prelec in the April Bul- that the metal ruler is less intrusive letin concerning Poster Sessions at than human hands (or what is the annual meeting of the Medical worse, forearms and elbows), Library Association. The 1990 NPC which will transfer natural oils also felt that the Poster Session was onto the pages of the book, a metal an important and valuable mech- ruler has sharp edges that cause anism for our members to use to creasing in the paper. This is parconvey information. Consequent- ticularly evident on brittle paper, ly, we will have an expanded ca- which is in danger of breaking pability for posters at the 1990 apart where creased. meeting in Detroit. The Poster SesA better alternative is to drape sion will be held from 8:00 A.M. to velvet snakes at the upper corners 10:00 A.M. in Cobo Hall (the con- of the text or to lay round-edged vention center) and will immedi- plexiglass rods along the vertical ately precede the programming for edges. The snakes, which are about the rest of that day. We can accom- an inch wide and ten inches in modate a large number of posters, length, are easily constructed by and we are encouraging members machine-sewing along two sides, to send in their submissions. filling loosely with lead shot, and The call for presentations, which sewing the remaining width by provides information about sub- hand. Plexiglass rods can be purmitting posters, was distributed chased through a conservation with the registration materials at supply distributor. the Boston meeting. Copies are also Of course, providing such presavailable from MLA headquarters. ervation aids does not solve the Poster proposals or questions con- problem of controlling the hancerning the Poster Session can be dling of library materials by users addressed to Marie Reidelbach, outside the library, and therefore, McGoogan Library of Medicine, librarians need to consider their 42d & Dewey Avenue, Omaha, NE circulation policies with preser68105; 402/559-7088. vation in mind.
Robert M. Braude, Ph.D. Chair, 1990 National Program Committee Samuel J. Wood Library C. V. Starr Biomedical Information Center Cornell University Medical College 1300 York Avenue New York, New York 10021
Melinda K. Hayes Hancock Library of Biology & Oceanography University of Southern California Los Angeles, California 90089-0372
71
