[Genealib] Ways of treating genealogical periodicals?

[Nancy Maxwell]

Barbara:

>From the beginning, Grapevine Public Library has shelved genealogical periodical articles separately in the genealogy room, arranged alphabetically by title. They are not cataloged and are publicly accessible. We are a medium-sized library with a respectable number of periodicals, 99.9% donated.

We created two lists we keep in a publically accessible binder - one is alphabetical by title and the other is alphabetical by state, with separate listings for surname, foreign, and general genealogical interest titles.  We also include the date range alongside the title, e.g., V. 4-9 (1993-1998). When complete volumes come back to us from the bindery, I update the list. This list is also available on our web site.

We keep a separate binder for incomplete issues, which are kept in labeled Princeton files, utilizing the same listing pattern as the bound issues, indicating which issues are available. For space reasons, the incomplete issues are kept in compact shelving in the library workroom, and would have to be retrieved by staff. Incomplete issues are not currently on the web site.

Considering the current size of this collection, my opinion is that things are fine as they stand. Since we have a hard-copy list and a list on the web site, determining what we have  - before or after a patron comes in - isn't an issue.

As a side note, I've been trying to generate more interest in periodical usage lately. I can't say whether shelving them alongside the books would increase usage. Unless a patron knows exactly which issue has the information he/she is looking for, they would still have to browse - in some cases - several volumes, or check indexes.  It's not like a single book, where a patron is looking at just one volume. I know that some societies have put contents and/or indexes of their periodicals on their web sites.  

You asked some very good questions! I'm interested to see how other listmembers respond.




Nancy Maxwell, Genealogy Librarian
Frances Pittman Malcolm Genealogy Room
Grapevine Public Library
1201 Municipal Way
Grapevine, TX 76051
Voice: 817-410-3429
Fax: 817-410-3084
E-mail: nmaxwell at ci.grapevine.tx.us

>>> Barbara Hill <bhill at calmail.berkeley.edu> 8/1/2007 1:01 AM >>>
Dear List,

A question has come up at our genealogical society library regarding 
how periodicals are treated in other genealogical collections.  It's 
my impression that many public libraries segregate their periodicals 
on different shelving, usually arranged in alphabetical order by 
title.  If so, how come?  Does this have anything to do with the 
Dewey Decimal system?

Our library uses LC call numbers, and the periodicals all have LC 
numbers assigned to them and are interfiled with the books.  Unbound 
issues are shelved in pamphlet boxes next to the bound volumes.  It 
seems to me that the LC call number system lends itself very well to 
a geographic shelving arrangement and facilitates browsing.  Is there 
any logical reason to remove the periodicals and shelve them separately?

Some of our members who have been to the Allen County Library in Fort 
Wayne report that their periodicals are shelved separately but 
arranged geographically, probably because they get so many 
titles.  Does this work well?  What is done with titles which cut 
across geographic boundaries to concentrate on (for example) an 
ethnic group?  I have some dim recollection that Allen County 
possibly used to have closed stacks - would this have any influence 
on how periodicals are shelved?

For those who choose to reply, either directly to me or to the list, 
my specific questions would be:

1) your type of library - public? academic? genealogical/historical 
society? other?
2) how your periodicals are shelved, and your opinion of it?
3) whether your library uses Dewey or LC, and whether you think this 
has any bearing?
4) whether you have closed or open stacks, and whether this has any bearing?
5) (optional)  If you had to start over from scratch, what would you 
do differently?

Thank you all very much!

Barbara Hill
Library Committee member
California Genealogical Society


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