{"id":1170,"date":"2016-03-11T18:13:04","date_gmt":"2016-03-11T18:13:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/?p=1170"},"modified":"2016-03-11T18:13:04","modified_gmt":"2016-03-11T18:13:04","slug":"prepping-for-a-shift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/2016\/03\/prepping-for-a-shift","title":{"rendered":"Prepping for a Shift"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stack shifts and moves are an inevitability in libraries.\u00a0 Collections change.\u00a0 Spaces change, more often than not becoming too small for the collection(s).\u00a0 And in the end a shift of collections is imminent.\u00a0 For most collections these stack shifts do not require the intervention of a conservation lab.\u00a0 Periodical bindings moving to another floor?\u00a0 It happens all the time and that\u2019s that.\u00a0 But when special collection items are shifted or moved, the Preservation Lab generally plays a part.\u00a0 So when UC\u2019s Archives and Rare Books Library decided to move and shift the bulk of their oversized special collections between stack levels the Lab was contacted to play a part in the prep work.
\nThe plan? To measure and box as many unstable or unwieldy oversized books that will be moving between floors or shifting within narrow, restrictive shelving stacks before the move in April.\u00a0 In order to keep our current workflow of treatments (both general circulating and special collections) for both institutions going, it was decided that a couple of lab staff would measure the books on-site (ARB Library), have corrugated enclosures created through our commercial bindery vendor, and then as the boxes were received the staff would match up the books with the boxes.\u00a0 Three staff members, Holly Prochaska (librarian), Veronica Sorcher (technician), and myself, took on the duty of assessing the books and taking measurements for those we felt could easily hinder the move or be damaged further by handling and moving.
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\"MeasuringSetup\"

Measuring in the stacks and making do with the space you have.<\/p><\/div>
\nAt this point we are about half way through the process.\u00a0 We\u2019ve measured over 750 books for enclosures!\u00a0 We enlisted one of our trusty student assistants to record all the data so that we could send it off to the commercial binder.\u00a0 The first batch of 150 boxes arrived and were matched up with the books earlier this week.\u00a0 And luckily, our error rate was actually very low, even with that first batch where we were still figuring out the kinks of measuring in confined spaces and often dim lighting!
\nWhat\u2019s the workflow like?\u00a0 Each person has list of numbers that correspond to the number the binder prints on the inside of the enclosure, per our request.\u00a0 For each number, the staff member records the call number (to be printed on the spine of the box), along with the height, width and thickness of the book.\u00a0 A flag with that number written on it (in pencil, of course) is then placed in the book so that it is visible on the shelf and clearly recognizable when matching the boxes to the books.\u00a0 So far, the process has worked pretty well.
\nWhat kinds of things are we prepping for storage and handling? \u00a0Prime candidates for move-prep housing include\u2026<\/p>\n