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A list of Instructional Technology and the Technology Department and who does what (specifically).

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Objectives and Responsibilities

The primary function of our library is to implement, enrich and support the educational program of . The library provides a wide range of materials at various levels of sophistication with a diversity of appeal and different points of view.

The primary objectives of library material selection are:

To place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials of the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive collection appropriate for the users of the library media center.

The school library provides comprehensive services related to the use of all types of materials and equipment to support the instructional program. Opportunities are provided in the library for students and teachers to read, listen and view; to prepare materials; to work individually, in small groups or in class groups.

The library staff works collaboratively with 's principal and staff to:

Enhance instruction and provide comprehensive instructional materials to engage all students at in a meaningful, rigorous learning experience.

Specifically, the librarian:

Teaches each PreK-5 class at at least once every 6 school days during teachers' planning times.

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Library / Library's Objectives and Responsibilities

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Objectives and Responsibilities The primary function of our library is to implement, enrich and support the educational program of . The library provides a wide range of materials at various levels of sophistication with a diversity of appeal and different points of view.

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GLMA as Future-Ready Leaders by Sarah Sansbury Four years ago, when I switched careers from ELA teacher to media specialist, I exchanged my classroom of thirty students for a new classroom, the entire school. As a school librarian, I found myself situated to be highly influential in the area of school improvement.

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The teacher librarian must maintain an accurate inventory of all items associated with the library media program including hardware, software, and furnishings. In some cases this includes holdings in other areas of the school building such as televisions and computers.

I've heard about school libraries that have been destroyed by tornado, fire, or flood. How would we rebuild after a disaster?

Last night someone broke the window in the library and stole eight of our computers including our circulation system. What do we do?

It seems like other high schol libraries have many more resources than we do. How do I justify additional materials, computers, and other resources?

The situations above are troubling, but realistic. A contingency plan, along with a comprehensive inventory are essential when facing a wide range of potential concerns from natural disasters to external audits.

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What is inventory?

Computers, books, tables, chairs, globes, overhead projectors, and stuffed toys are just a few of the items in your school library media center. Each of these items is listed in your inventory. An inventory is an accounting of each of these items. In many cases, the media specialist is in charge of the inventory of equipment in the entire building including everything from copies to computer printers.

The word inventory is also used to describe a process by which items and information in the holdings record are verified and the physical condition of each item is assessed.

It's possible to generate an "inventory" report from most automated circulation systems, however this is not a complete view of what is actually in the building. An inventory for the purposes of accounting requires that someone physically account for each item.

Theoretically, this means examining every book, computer, and videotape in your collection. Practically, this is unrealistic. A compromise would provide the required data for decision making, yet still maintain the sanity of the library professional.

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What is the purpose of inventory?

An inventory has many purposes. For example, let's say you're writing a grant and want to recommend additional computers in the library. Use your inventory to provide data about the numbers, types, and ages of computers to justify purchases.

Inventory is used for the following purposes:

assist in collection development and facilities planning

identify items that should be repaired, replaced, or removed

identify loss

have records for emergencies

have records for budget justification

make more effective use of facilities as a whole

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What should be inventoried?

The items on an inventory vary from school to school. In general, the library media specialist maintains an inventory of the library's collection including items such as books, videos, audios, kits, maps, etc.

The media specialist may also be in charge of the equipment in the center as well as the building. For example, you may be in charge of checking the location of all computer equipment, television monitors, VCRs, and overhead projectors in the building.

Some schools require an accounting of all furnishing such as desks, tables, and chairs.

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What is involved with conducting inventory?

Before the time of automated library systems, library media specialists did the inventory by hand. This meant matching each item to a master shelf list card. Missing books were indicated on the card.

Times have changed. Today, technology is used to facilitate the inventory process. Many teacher librarians now use digital camera or video cameras to record a quick view of the different areas of the library. They also use an automated library system to speed up inventory.

Inventory involves the following ten elements:

most commonly at the end of the school year

scheduled when the center is not busy, when school is closed

arrange materials in the correct order

develop a strategy for moving through the collection

remove items that need to be purged or repaired

check are for missing items

prepare inventory report

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When should inventory be conducted?

Most schools require an inventory once per year. Although some people view inventory as something that is done at the end of the school year, there are other options. In some case, the school administration has particular needs. In districts with multiple buildings, inventory is sometimes rotated among buildings. Some schools have never had a detailed inventory conducted.

It is recommended that you conduct inventory once per year to identify lost materials and get materials into their proper place.

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Check Your Understanding

Information Power - Information Access and Delivery: Principle 2.

The library media program provides physical access to information and resources for learning. (p. 83, 86)

In order for you to provide good access to materials, you need to know their location. Conducting an inventory can be overwhelming. Where would you start? Would you do it alone or get help? Develop a plan for conducting an inventory.

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Make It Real

Interview a teacher librarian about their experiences with conducting inventory. Be sure to ask about what items are inventoried, what records are maintained, and how the library automation system works.

Are they responsible for items throughout the building or just in the library media center?

Ask them to share their concerns, frustrations, and experiences.

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The School Library Media Specialist: Library Media Program: Introduction

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The teacher librarian must maintain an accurate inventory of all items associated with the library media program including hardware, software, and furnishings. In some cases this includes holdings in other areas of the school building such as televisions and computers. I've heard about school libraries that have been destroyed by tornado, fire, or flood.

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Weeding Guidelines

1.  Weeding by Appearance
* Worn-out volumes: dirty, brittle, yellow pages; missing pages; tattered covers; etc.
* Badly bound volumes: soft, pulpy paper and/or shoddy binding
* Badly printed works
* Books of antiquated appearance which might discourage use
* Audio-visual materials with missing or broken pieces

* Material type--(Outdated technology)

* Technical aspects - sound, equipment needed

2.  Weeding of Duplicate Volumes
* Un-needed duplicate titles
* Older editions
* Highly specialized books (when library holds more general or up-to-date volumes on the same subject)
* Books on subjects of little interest to the local community
* Books which no longer relate to the curriculum (if specialized)

3.  Weeding Based on Poor Content
* Information is dated
* Information is inaccurate
* Stereotypes are present
* Book is poorly written

4.  Weeding According to Use
* Nonfiction:  Book has not been checked out within last 3 years + 10 years old or older
* Fiction:  Book has not been checked out within last 5 years (classics excluded)

Additional considerations:

Curriculum - does the work support the curriculum taught at the school?

Interest level - does it fit the grade, reading and interest levels of students?

Categories of Books which may be quickly outdated:
* 000s: General:  Replace at least one set of encyclopedias every five years. Circulate older sets for no more than eight years. Try to get an encyclopedia yearbook every year. Materials on computers are seldom useful after three years.

* 100s: Psychology: (especially popular literature) More scholarly works on psychology should be replaced after five to eight years.

* 300s: Social Sciences: Replace almanacs in the reference collection after two years. Circulate older volumes no more than three to five years. Law, government and education materials are often used for school reports and debates, so they may have historical value. However, it is very important to remove outdated statute information. Be sure the collection is balanced and current, especially for controversial topics.

* 400s: Languages: Foreign language and English as a Second Language materials may wear out very quickly; there may be a need to replace books in this category frequently.

* 500s: Astronomy, Chemistry, Physics, Biology: New science discoveries, theories and techniques can make an outdated collection look very strange and will destroy credibility.  Scientific materials are continuously being updated.

* 600s: Electronics, Engineering, Health, Technology:  Medical discoveries are constantly being announced and older materials may be very misleading or even dangerous. Popular culture thrives on fads. Try to keep up to date on what's "hot" and toss what's "not." Materials on collector's items should be kept.

* 900s: Popular biographies: Keep up with new releases on enduring personalities (especially political and historical figures) and keep biographies with literary value.

Categories of Books which are not quickly outdated:
* dictionaries
* biographical sources
* literary criticism
* classics of literature
* foreign language literature
* art books
* local history/geography
* books providing general principles of a subject or discipline

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From Header Tag in Adv Settings: Looking Backwards-No Sweat Library Lessons & Management That Works

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Weeding Dewey Books: a 6-Step Plan for School Librarians

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Are you intimidated by the thought of weeding your Dewey Decimal books? I discovered that a substantially decreased collection dramatically increases circulation of what’s left. Here’s …

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Weeding Dewey Books: a 6-Step Plan for School Librarians

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Never lend books, for no one ever returns them; the only books I have in my library are the ones that other folks have lent me.

Anatole France (1844-1924)

What is inventory?
Inventory is:
* a standard business procedure
* a survey of goods and materials in stock

In a library this primarily involves checking the library collection on the shelves against the catalogue records, but it could also involve an equipment and supplies inventory.

Why do libraries conduct inventories?
1. To ensure the accuracy of their catalogue records
Over time missing books, replacements, withdrawals, human error and changes in cataloguing practices contribute to inconsistencies between a library's actual holdings and its official records. Often theses inconsistencies are inconsequential. There are occasions, however, when a patron and/or staff member can spend a substantial amount of time searching for an item listed in the catalogue, which, in fact has been lost, misplaced or withdrawn from the collection. Not only do such instances cause frustration and confusion, they also erode library users' confidence to deliver information in a timely and efficient manner. If the number of searches for items not on shelves rises, this is a prime indicator that an inventory of the library's holdings is needed.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1. 2. 3.4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. A library may just keep gross inventory statistics:
To estimate loss rates and costs in order to evaluate the success of current security systems and procedures, and if necessary, to make a business case for a new security system.
There are two types of losses, known and unknown. If a user tells you that they have lost or damaged an item, at least you are aware of the loss and can take immediate steps to replace it and recover its cost. If the item has been stolen, damaged or misplaced and you have not been informed, then the loss becomes a potential embarassment and frustration as well. It will not be there when you are asked for it. A well-run library or business needs to know the degree of such losses and an inventory is the only way to find out.

To replace or withdraw all missing items and to indicate such information on the catalogue record by withdrawing or flagging the record to alert the patron.
Libraries must not only discover the fact a loss has taken place. They must do something about it. At the very least the catalogue record must be flagged in some way to warn the user. Secondly a search or trace procedure should be initiated. Finally the library must decide whether to withdraw or replace the item in question, eitehr immediately or after a predetermined interval of searching for the item. Some libraries search for wayward items for up to three years.

To evaluate the condition of materials on the shelves. Depending on the thoroughness of the invenetory and the skill level of the staff doing the inventory, libraries can also use the inventory to look for any damaged or worn items on the shelves at the same time as they are doing a simple inventory. If an item is obviously damaged and unusuable, it should be brought to the immediate attention of the person in the library who makes the decision to withdraw or replace missing items. Many damaged items can only be discovered by a more time consuming, evaluative process so some libraries will not perform this inventory function except for obvious candidates. The removal of damaged items is called weeding.

While comparing the item in hand to the cataloguing record, all kinds of discrepenancies and inconsistiences may be discovered, mostly due to human error (an error rate of 1-5% is typical), but also due to changing cataloguing rules over time. All such errors discovered in the process of inventorying should be reported and evaluated for possible remedial action. Most libraries will not spend the time or use the qualified saff to review the catalogue records during an inventory. However, accidental discoveries may be recorded to assess any cataloguing problem statistically and give feedback to the cataloguing staff or agency. To evaluate the quality of the cataloguing record.

To analyze a collection's strengths and weaknesses
Libraries try to order quality materials by using various selection tools on a day to day basis. The inventory process offers the systematic opportunity to run some checks on how well this process is working. The analysis can be done at a minimal level by doing a statistical count of the number of items held under each call number level (e.g. 100's, 110's, 111's, etc.). Obvious gaps and over ordering in certain areas can be discovered in this way. At the next level, the circulation record of each item can be examined. How often did this item go out in the past year? Some items may never have circulated at all. At the very highest level of analysis, a thorough examination of each item will be done by a qualified or experienced selector to evaluate if the item is dated. The removal of any dated, underused or low value items is called weeding.

When to inventory?
How often, when and whether an inventory is conducted depends on the types and size of the library, the library's budget, and the nature of the collection. Taking inventory is not only time-consuming, but also detailed, involved and repetitious. Staff concerntration and enthuisasm wanes after more than two hours. The more thorough and analytical the inventory, the more staff time and expertise and expense is involved. There are also logistical problems. If the library cannot be closed during the inventory, the materials on the shelves may change from day to day and hour to hour. The first priority of the staff is to serve the user. This will cause necessary interruptions in taking inventory. Staff may also feel that the inventory, being a special project, is taking them away from their more important regular duties.

The most important criterion in determining whether an inventory should be conducted is the magnitude of discrepencacies between the library's actual holdings and its official records and the cost in time and public relations, if an inventory is not done. The library may not be able to avoid delay and embarassment in serving the user when it does not inventory its collection regularly. Staff, in these circumstances should react quickly and strongly to reported incidents by either purchasing or borrowing a replacement copy from another library, or finding a suitable substitute to meet the client's information need.

It is much easier to conduct an inventory in small libraries. Library staff working in teams of two may complete an inventory of an entire collection in one or two weeks. School and college libraries can use periods of low user demand and circulation during a semester break or during the summer. Most libraries have varying usage over the course of the year and they should choose the period of lowest usage/circulation to do their inventory. In this way, staff will have more free time and disruptions will be minimized.
Type and size of library
Large libraries can seldom afford to inventory their entire collection at one time. They have to decide whether to do a rotating inventory over a span of three to five years or to do a partial inventory of those sections which receive the greatest use or wrhere the losses are particularly accute, e.g. videos. Libraries may also decide to conduct randomly generated periodic sample inventories.

Some libraries may not do an inventory at all. They may only have enough staff to perform regular day to day functions. The number of users and volumes and the constant circulation can make an inventory too daunting and expensive to justify. These libraries should, at the very least, have strong procedures in place for investigating and remedying all missing item incident reports. The volume and type of material should be monitored as well, in order to detect any patterns of loss and the degree of loss. Patterns may indicate a change in security procedures. Certain items or classes of items may need to be protected in closed stacks or reserve collections.

Budget
If the collection is secure and well protected and preserved, the need for an inventory will be far less. If the collection dates quickly and the users focus on more recent acquisitions, the loss of older items may not be a problem.

Nature of the collection The minute an item is reported missing a search procedure should be initiated by an experienced staff using a form to check for all the likely places/files that an missing item may be. Automated libraries will have a lot fewer files to check as most of this information can be flagged on the on-line catalogue record.

Here is a list of the most likely possibiliites to check:
1) Does the catalogue record (in automated systems) or the circulation file (in manual systems) show it to as circulating to someone else? Offer to put it on hold. Incident report/search/trace procedures
2) Is it in process or transit somewhere (in bindery, in repair, waiting to be shelved/discharged, on display, on reserve, in cataloguing, in storage, on ome staff member's office or in use in the library)?
3) Is the item misshelved in any other collection that the library has: Reference, Rare Books, Reserve, Oversize Books, Juvenile/Young Adult/Adult, etc.?

If an item still cannot be found a trace procedure may be initiated to search for the item again at intervals in case it turns up. In a manual environment, a special search form/file will have to be created or the shelf list card flagged in some way. In an automated library a missing items list can probably be generated on demand. For critical items, the library may search more diligently but missing items are usually checked for at monthly, quarterly or even yearly intervals until such time as the library decides to give up.

Since this process is so labor intensive and since materials vary widely in demand and value, the library may decide to abort the trace procedure and simply replace the item if it is still in print and not too expensive, or interlibrary loan it for the patron. If it is not a valuable item, the library may simply decide to witihdraw the item and remove all cataloguing records. This decision is usually made by the head of the library or the person(s) in charge of selecting library materials. They may decide to replace the item exactly or to purchase a newer item. In a manual catalogue card environmentn, the decision to withdraw the last copy of an item or give up the search for it also involves pulling all catalogue cards in the set: author(s), title(s), series and subject. The shelf list or main entry cards lists all the other added entries in the card catalogue. In an automated item, the record can be deleted in one step.

Notify your staff and users so that as many materials as possible can be returned and the users are forewarned of possible disruptions. Decide whether the library is to be closed temporarily or a specified range of stacks will be unavailable.

Before you start, make sure all materials are shelved, not waiting on carts or lying on desks and tables in the library.
Conducting an inventory
Each library will follow most of the steps below but each inventory will be unique to its own environment in some way.
Notify
"Read" the shelves to make sure the section to be inventoried is in correct call number order.

Schedule
Schedule and train the necessary staff. The collection can be apportioned according to staff interest, time and expertise. Unless goals and responsibilities are assigned the inventory will not be completed. If the library uses volunteers or hires staff for the project, training and supervision will have to be provided. A systematic project like this is an ideal introduction for new staff to a library. Prepare an inventory list for the section to be inventoried. The library may already have a shelf list created as a byproduct of the cataloguing process. It is a file of cards or slips containing a catalogue record for each item in the collection. At a minimum the shelflist record must contain enough information to uniquely identify the item including:
Shelve
* the call number, title
* first author of the item, and
* a brief physical description of the item catalogued (e.g. number of pages, volumes, pieces, etc.) Shelfread

* If there is more than one copy this should be indicated by a copy or accession number.

* If there is more than one edition or version (paperback, hardcover, large print, audio), there should be a separate shelf list card or listing for each version/edition with distinguishing edition, features and physical description noted sufficient enough to distingush one from another. Inventory/shelf list

Make sure the shelf list is arranged in exact call number order so that an efficient comparison can be made to the same order on the shelves. Most automated systems can generate an inventory list for a designated call number range. In fact large libraries may wish to further refine this list to show only those items which have not circulated in the last year or so. Such items may be missing. If not, they are prime candidates for weeding.

Each item inventoried that presents no problem should be ticked/checked and/or dated in pencil on the inventory list and in manual environments the item itself should be ticked and/or dated on the circulation card and/or its pocket. Some libraries may use a stamp to save time on the dating process but the humble light lead pencil enables the user to quickly erase any mistakes. Some libraries may use a coloured pen to tick each year (e.g. blue 1996, yellow 1997, etc.)

If a library is fully automated and uses barcodes for circulation, the inventory may be taken with a portable barcode scanner. Each item on the shelf can then be scanned and then the information scanned can be run against the library holdings file in the main database to generate missing item lists, error lists and statistical reports.

For any item not found on the shelf, the inventory list is marked and dated in pencil with an M or some other appropriate symbol. If it is in shelf list format, the card/slip may be upended or paper clipped or flagged in some way for later review. If the missing item is one of several copies, it is important to mark the appropriate copy and/or accession number.

While handling the item on the shelf, the condition of the material is examined in at least a cursory fashion. Does the item just need mending? Obviously defective or damaged items should be pulled for evaluation. Should the item be replaced or discarded? The more a library wants to keep its stock in good condition, the more thorough the revie of the physical condition will be and the more trained to spot common condition errors the staff must be. A mending slip/form for such evaluation greatly helps this procedure.

If there are any discrepencacies between the catalogue record and the item in hand, the staff should flag the item or the record for correction. Common errors, usually of a clerical nature, are:
Matching
For the actual matching of the inventory list against the shelves, a team of two is most efficient and effective. One member of the team concerntrates on the inventory list while the other looks for the item on the shelves. They must be careful not to lose their place. Two pairs of eyes are more likely to notice errors while one individual alone must move back and forth from one file to another and this can break concerntration. If a library is performing an analytical inventory involving the evaluation of materials, one of the team members need to be qualified or trained in making the evaluative judgments involved ias to the quality and condition of the material and the cataloguing record. The team will need a library truck to provide a working surface to make any notes on the inventory list or to hold items designated for repair, correction, weeding, etc. * call numbers
* typos
* accession numbers
* copy numbers

A correction slip for such minor errors greatly helps this procedure. The mending and corrections slip/form are often combined. Missing items

If either the catalogue record or the item itself (circulation card, due date slip) indicates that the item itself has not circulated in over a year, the library may decide to weed the item, especially if there are many copies of the same item. Public libraries often have multiple copies of best sellers to meet the initial demand and then are stuck with too many copies to keep permanently. School libraries may be driven by similar curriculum and assignment fashions that change from year to year. If there are too many items on the same subject already on the shelves, the decision to weed is reinforced, especially if the library has a space problem.
Condition check

The easiest quality check to make is to check the date of the item. Many fields of knowledge are quickly outdated and dated items may contain misinformation rather than quality information. Sophiscated library users should know enough to be wary of the currency of the material. Some library material is classic and should be kept indefinitely. You would not weed the Bible or the Consitituiton of the country. The ultimate judgement to weed or not to weed is based on a high level of knowledge of the collection, the library clientele, and the state of knowledge and publishing in that particular field so it is not easy for junior level staff to do but a library may set guidelines for the staff to execute during the inventorying process, e.g. in the computer science field, pull all books more than three years old for consideration for weeding. A weeding consideration form greatly expedites and guides this process.

Catalogue record check

* number of items misshelved or misplaced
* number of items missing
* number of missing items subsequently located and why/how
* number of missing items replaced
* number of items mended
* number of items corrected
* number of items weeded/discarded and reason
* time spent

A more detailed multi-factor analysis including comparisions with automated system reports on circulation may reveal the cause of the problems identified so remedial procedures can be put in place. A cost analysis shows the Library whether the time spent in inventorying is justified for the benefit created. Junior library staff will just be trained and required to fill out the statistical forms provided by the library. Inventories are primarilly designed to check the stock in hand but any systematic evaluation may have side benefits. If the library refines its statistical analysis to identify inventory at a more detialed level of classification in the call number (analyze the above factors in the statisical analysis by each ten numbers in the Dewey Classification (e.g. 110's, 120's, 130's, etc.)), patterns of usage and gaps in holdings may be revealed. Circulation check

To some people, inventories are pure drudge work and not worth the effort. To others, inventories are wonderful learning and evaluation tools. The truth probably lies between these two extremes and each library must decide whether to do a systematic, partial, selective or sample inventory depending on their own unique situation. How great is the problem and are the resources available to do the job? Even if your library does not do a full inventory, it must maintain minimal inventory control by tracking all missing, lost, misplaced, and damaged library materials through an incident reporting trace system. Library staff can help greatly by remaining alert to the problems discussed in this list and applying such inventory control checks as they work in the library. Quality check Statistical analysis
* number of bays/items inventoried Conclusion

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Basic library procedures: Inventory control systems and procedures

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Never lend books, for no one ever returns them; the only books I have in my library are the ones that other folks have lent me. Anatole France (1844-1924) What is inventory?

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Looking Backward - No Sweat Library Lessons & Management That Works

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School Librarian, can we talk?

Let's face it: our most dreaded task is having to inventory the School Library collection.

My first one was unimaginably time-consuming and tedious, but afterward I formulated a set of procedures that streamlined the process, and I can attest that inventory needn't be the ominous undertaking that many fear.

We can better appreciate a school library inventory if we understand why it's important for us to do it.

WHY DO A SCHOOL LIBRARY INVENTORY

I rather enjoyed doing inventory because when finished I knew exactly what was on the shelf and what was in the online catalog...and that they agreed with each other-an important consideration when dealing with students (and teachers) who insist they "returned that book" ...which, occasionally, I'd find they actually had! That, then, is the most important reason for doing a physical inventory: to guarantee agreement between the physical collection and its documented status.

No matter why, items go missing from our collection each year. It's very discouraging to a patron and to a School Librarian to look for a needed item that's listed in the catalog, is supposed to be there, but just isn't. The item may truly be missing, but it may also just be mislabeled or cataloged incorrectly-no matter how careful we try to be, human error happens. Whatever the case, an inventory allows us to reconcile discrepancies. That's another reason to do an inventory: to correct cataloging and labeling errors between an item and its MARC record.

When we have consistency between catalog and collection, we will generate accurate reports from the automation system:

A bibliographic and item record report reveals duplicate records and "empty" titles. If we purchase from multiple vendors, their records may not consolidate in our automation system. When we delete (for whatever reason) all copies of a title, our system may not eliminate the title record. These types of catalog entries confuse our students and frustrate us, so we want to find and correct them by aggregating multiple copies into one title and eliminating titles for which there is no item.

Finally, and not least important, we do inventory as accountability for public funds that are invested in our school library collection. We owe our taxpayers an accurate record of how we are spending their money each year, and how much the School Library is "worth." Some states even require this type of transparency for schools by law, and we need to comply if that's the case for us. Moreover, each year schools and school libraries are suddenly destroyed by fire, flood, or weather. An accurate inventory of a school's library collection is the only way to assess the catastrophic loss replacement for insurance or federal/state funding.

WHEN TO DO A SCHOOL LIBRARY INVENTORY

Unless you are fortunate enough to have permanent adult aides, the school library inventory falls on your shoulders alone. I have one suggestion to make the prospect of doing inventory less daunting: create a schedule of mini-inventories over a period of several years! It makes so much more sense to do a small selective inventory every year than to tackle a huge one every 4 or 5. Mini-inventories are quicker and easier, you're less likely to make mistakes, you don't have to shut down the library, and your catalog and collection have a higher degree of ongoing agreement.

This is the layout of bookcases in my school library, containing some 15,000 items. With 8 aisles of books, I inventory by aisle, both sides of one Dewey and one Fiction each year over a 4 year period. Year 5 I do Professional and equipment. With far fewer items to scan, I can complete it alone in 2 days.

My library shelving is continuous, but if your library layout isn't conducive to my method, you could instead use a by-Dewey-number schedule. At right is one I found online from the Harlingen, TX school district.

If you've read about my Fiction by Subject arrangement or my Special Collections, you'll know that this is also a great way to do mini-inventories. By choosing to do just one or two subjects or collections each year, we can spread the fiction inventory over 4 or 5 years.

HOW TO DO A SCHOOL LIBRARY INVENTORY

Here are pre-inventory tasks you'll want to take care of:

1. Repair and shelve any damaged books.
You want to be able to scan your way down your chosen section of bookshelves, knowing you have everything on the shelf that belongs there. It's too easy to forget to scan piles of books set elsewhere.
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2. "Read" and weed each section before taking inventory.
It's just so much easier to have the shelves in order before scanning barcodes, and there's no point in tallying and reporting books that need to be cleared out of the collection. If you weed regularly, you may just need a quick look over the shelves as you read them to pull out damaged or old books. If you've put off weeding read my post onWeeding Dewey Books: a 6-Step Plan to simplify the task.
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3. Inventory all checked out items.
This is especially important when you do mini-inventories; trying to piecemeal inventory as you check-in books from the chosen inventory section is asking for errors.(If your system allows you to inventory a specific range of call numbers that are checked out, certainly do that instead of the entire collection.)

During the mini-inventory I used 3 different methods to tally the books in the chosen sections:

Run a Shelf List report and print out, going down the shelves, highlighting books on the shelf with one color and missing books in a different color. I know it seems old school, but this method is reasonably fast for a mini-inventory and it became my preferred method after doing enough inventories to have a well-reconciled catalog and collection. (I'd scoot leisurely down the aisle in my rolling chair.) I could catch the few cataloging errors from new purchases and since the list also had current location, I use a 3rd highlighter to mark titles of still-checked-out books and check them back in later.

Here are post-inventory tasks to complete from your inventory reports:

1. Charge out missing books according to your school district policy and then run a report listing these missing books to reorder desired titles. (Ours were checked out to MISSING and at the end of the following school year, after allowing for reports and being found, we deleted them completely, including the bibliographic record if it was the only copy.)
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2. If using the Shelf List method, do a global/batch inventory of the call numbers on your shelf list after it's otherwise cleared up!
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3. Record the inventory completion date on whatever you use to keep track of it, and be sure to include the mini-inventory in your next Report to Principal!

As you can see, performing a School Library inventory doesn't have to be "the thing you hate most." In fact, the satisfaction of knowing your collection and catalog are in order makes curating resources for projects, creating Special Collections for reading promotion, and collection development more productive and also more pleasurable. So, take a look around your School Library and decide which aisle or Dewey number most needs a mini-inventory and start the process, letting the rest go until another year.

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How to Inventory the School Library Collection

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Are you avoiding a School Library collection inventory because it seems like such an overwhelming task? Understand why we inventory our collection and how to do a series of mini-inventories over time so it's a satisfying undertaking instead of a dreaded one.

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 7 Outstanding Web Resources for Teachers and Students to Learn about Copyright Issues

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 7 Outstanding Web Resources for Teachers and Students to Learn about Copyright Issues

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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1- Teach Copyright

Teach Copyright is a great website where teachers and students can learn about interesting questions about copyright, technology, and law.

2- Copyright Advisory Network

This website is a way for librarians to learn about copyright and see feedback and advice from fellow librarians and copyright specialists.

3- Center for Social Media

Center for Social Media has a great document entitled The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education where you can learn a great deal of tips about copyright issues.

4- Copyright Confusion

This is an awesome wiki that is teeming with tips and guidelines on the fair use of online resources and copyrighted materials .

5- Creative Commons

This is where you can learn everything about Creative Commons and how you can share and also protect your online resources using the CCs.

6- WVTI

This is a must read page about the implications of copyright issues when using technology in the classroom with our students.

7- Teachers First

Teachers First has compiled several great resources on copyright links and articles. Check them out they are really useful.

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7 Outstanding Web Resources for Teachers and Students to Learn about Copyright Issues

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
1- Teach Copyright Teach Copyright is a great website where teachers and students can learn about interesting questions about copyright, technology, and law. 2- Copyright Advisory Network This website is a way for librarians to learn about copyright and see feedback and advice from fellow librarians and copyright specialists.

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The Common Sense Research Program provides parents, educators, health organizations, and policymakers with reliable, independent data on children's use of media and technology and the impact it has on their physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development. For further inquiries, contact us at [email protected] .

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Common Sense conducts independent research about children's use of media and technology and the impact it has on their development. Read our latest reports.

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Searchable databases, fee schedules, historical documents, and educational resources are available here.

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Index of Copyright's Resources and Education

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Designed for academic institutions, this guide helps answer questions ranging from basic copyright law to the more complex topics of ILL and e-reserves.

Use it. Share it. And stay compliant with Copyright Clearance Center.

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Welcome to the Campus Guide to Copyright Compliance. Designed for academic institutions, this guide helps answer questions ranging from basic copyright law to the more complex topics of ILL and e-reserves.

Use it. Share it. And stay compliant with Copyright Clearance Center.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Campus Guide to Copyright Compliance

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to the Campus Guide to Copyright Compliance. Designed for academic institutions, this guide helps answer questions ranging from basic copyright law to the more complex topics of ILL and e-reserves. Use it. Share it. And stay compliant with Copyright Clearance Center.