Split Collection…

…means confusion for the library user. That is a given. When you have part of your collection in Dewey and part in LC, there are going to be problems. Everyone seems to agree that it is not a good thing but no one has done anything about it. Yes, there is some re-class that happens sporadically with no real rhyme or reason, in dribs and drabs. But the majority of the collection is split in location so users cannot effectively browse for topics of interest and they must go to disparate locations to get books on the same topic depending on when they were added to the collection.
It is an abomination from the perspective of librarianship and no one seems to care!!! There is a pervasive sense of powerlessness, real or imagined? Or is it a malaise or is it indifference or is it a lack of understanding or what?? I have heard said that if we don’t outsource this now there won’t be anyone to outsource to in the near future – everyone who had this issue has resolved it?

The Key is Mightier

We all have keys to almost everywhere in Library. What trust! What power! But you may find papers mysteriously left on your chair or desk and wonder who left them or you may find your office door suddenly unlocked and opened by a fellow faculty member who didn’t know you were within. I choose to keep my door wide open at all times so this hasn’t happened to me but I’ve heard tell.

There is just one portion of the realm that is off limits – special key required – and that is the realm of Bully-boy.

And they’re locked!

They are everywhere. It impedes the flow of faculty and staff when it was maybe only meant to stop students from walking out with books? You must carry the key everywhere:

• to the mail room
• to get a cup of coffee
• to go to the bathroom
• to enter the offices of faculty members who don’t want to get up to answer their always-locked doors and just yell “Come in” assuming that you have your key but if you don’t, you have to yell back “I can’t!” and wait to see if that will disqualify you from entering at all.

This is annoying at the most basic level and disturbing at another.