July 23, 2005

  • Tell you what, the Fort Worth library system is really burning my bacon recently.

    Today I was at the Seminary South branch where, according to the
    hot-shot, fancy-schmancy online catalog the FWPL has, I ought to have
    been able to lay hands on four Betty Neels books I've yet to read.

    Not. One. There. 

    Had the librarian (actually, she wasn't a true librarian....more just a
    woman manning the check-out desk) check the computer but though they
    were listed as "checked in" on the computer, they were no where to be
    found.

    Yesterday I was at Ridglea, hoping to snag "Hilltop Tryst" only it wasn't where it was
    supposed to be.  This time there WAS a librarian present and she
    helpfully looked to see the last time that book had been checked out.

    1995.

    TEN YEARS AGO!

    Don't they ever run a physical inventory?  I've heard they do but how they can, and leave a book on the system no one's seen nor smelled in ten blinking years absolutely beats me. 

Comments (4)

  • Gee, that's weird.  Do they have bar codes on the book covers?  Ours do, but they only just did that two years ago.

  • I'll send you some - I think I have a spare copy of that one, Anne.

    What others would you like to read? I think I have an inventory list of those books I have in duplicate - I'll email it to you if you like.

    me<><

  • You're sweet, but another branch has one, so I'll be able to get hold of it.

    I'd love your duplicate list, however. ;^)

  • If they scan it in, but then mis-shelve it, you'll never see it again. I actually came across a child's book I'd been looking for for the longest time, two shelves away from where it was supposed to be -- who knows how long it just kept getting overlooked?

    When I was in high school and was a library volunteer at the school library, one of the things we did was just walk the stacks and make sure that all the books were in order. I don't know whether public libraries don't have the volunteer staff to do that anymore, or what -- but if you don't do that, books get lost until someone gets "lucky" and finds them.

    A couple of years ago, I returned a book and got a way-overdue notice (you know, they don't mail them unless it's been months) so I called them up, and they just walked over the shelf and there it was. It had been physically returned, but not properly scanned in, I guess. If they had done than and mis-shelved it, then what? I would have been stuck for the cost of the book, I guess.

    With those Betty Neel books, is it possible that the system is schizoid over whether they're mysteries or fiction? Our library separates the two, but I suppose it's possible that they could be placed in the one section, when they belong in the other.

    Frankly, I'm glad they don't purge in ten years. If they did, all the classics would be gone. (Rolls eyes.)

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