Welcome to Snell Library!

As a Stacks Assistant, it is your job to make sure that everything the library owns goes back to where it belongs once it's returned. Your role is essential to keeping the library in good working order because with a collection this large, it's very easy for a misplaced item to become permanently lost. This increases the burden on staff and student workers who have to hunt down missing items and can delay our community members getting the materials they need to do their work. 

This guide will walk you through the physical layout of the building, so you know where various materials belong, and introduce you to Library of Congress call numbers, which is the system of organization we use to put items in order on the shelves. We'll also walk you through the various tasks you'll be responsible for, so you know what to expect during a typical shift. 

Where will I be working?

All materials get shelved in one of two places:

Lower Level (Basement)

Everything that doesn't belong in the Workroom is located in the lower level or basement which contains the general stacks, Reference, oversize, and Favat (children's and young adult). 

You'll also be responsible for collecting discarded materials (aka "sweeping") from every floor of the building. 

 If you look at the map, we've highlighted the major areas for shelving:

  • The Stacks - this is where most of the books live. You can also see where the various call number ranges belong.
  • Oversize- where materials too big for the regular shelves go.
  • Reference- which cannot be checked out, but frequently move around as people use them.
  • Favat- also known as the children's and young adult collection.
  • Faculty Publications- publications authored by university faculty.
  • Journals- periodical publications of scholarly research on a specific topic.

 

The Workroom

Room 150 (aka the workroom) is located behind the Help and Information Desk. It is a shared space between library staff and ITS. 

  • Board Games- This circulating collection is expanded yearly to include newly released, critically acclaimed, or award-winning games. Games can be checked out for 3 days.
  • Hold Shelf- Items that have been requested by a patron which are “held for” and shelved by last name.
  • Media (DVDs)- A small collection of DVDs that can be checked out for 7 days. 
  • Reserve Shelf- Physical materials that the library temporarily sets aside for class reading and viewing at a faculty member's request. These materials have shortened loan periods and are often restricted to in-library use. PLEASE NOTE: Shelved by course code, then LC call number.

Daily Workflow

Depending on who has worked before you and what the state of the workroom is when you arrive for your shift, you may be starting your day at any point in this process. So, take a look around and see what needs to be done first. If you're unsure, just ask your supervisor.

Here are the most common tasks for the daily workflow:

Sorting 

  • Before getting books to the shelf, we need to do some basic sorting. Books coming back from the Help and Information Desk will have a "Needs to be Sorted" slip on them. Put the slip back with the others on the back wall and sort the books in the pre-shelving area by the first 2 letters of the call number.

Making Trucks

  • The next step involves taking the books from the pre-shelving area and moving them to book trucks in proper call number order. Start with whatever section has the most materials ready to be shelved, since this will clear up space for more incoming stuff. The top 2 shelves of the truck should have 2 rows of books on them (one side, organized left to right, top to bottom, and then the other side the same). Once the truck is ready, grab a "Needs to be Shelved" slip from the back wall and leave it on top.

Shelving

  • Book trucks that are ready to be shelved will have a "Needs to be Shelved" slip on them. When you're ready to take a truck out to shelve, put the slip back with the others on the back wall.

Sweeps

  • Walk the floors and collect books and materials left behind. 
  • Books can be on tables, in study rooms, and randomly left on the shelves. Sometimes you also find things that don't belong to Snell library - if people have left things behind for some time, they can also be brought downstairs for lost and found. 
  • Sweeps are just as essential as shelving and should be part of your routine. When you return from shelving a truck don't come empty-handed. Take the truck you brought upstairs (which is now empty) and collect all the loose materials you find lying around. Once you fill up a truck, bring it down to the workroom and put a "Needs to be Scanned" slip on it from the back wall.

Shelf Reading

  • Verifying that all the materials on a given shelf are in the correct order. Aside from the stacks, the Hold Shelf and Board Games collection are two other areas to shelf check. 

Basement Floor

 

First Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

UNDER RENOVATION

 

Fourth Floor

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. I just came in for my shift. What do I do first?

A. Getting books onto the shelves should be your first priority. If a truck is ready to go out, start there. If none are ready, make one. If there isn't much in the pre-shelving area, sort the trucks labeled "Need to be sorted." If the workroom is generally pretty empty, start with sweeping the building. You can also look for areas in the stacks that need straightening. 

Q. I have to shelve a book and there's no space left on the shelf. What do I do?

A. The collection is constantly fluctuating so it's not unusual to come across a completely full shelf. If this happens all you have to do is shift the books (making sure to keep them in order) onto adjoining shelves until you have enough room for the book(s) on your cart. If an entire section is getting full, let your supervisor know.

Q. I've found a mistake. What do I do?

A. If you find a book that's out of order your first instinct may be to just fix it, but depending on how out of order it is, the book may actually be missing. A good rule of thumb is that if a book is out of order but on the correct shelf, just fix it. If it's not on the correct shelf bring it downstairs to be scanned. If you're finding more than one mistake in a small area, see below.  

Q. The area where I'm shelving is a mess. What do I do?

A. If the area where you're shelving is really messed up, but you could fix it in less than 15 minutes, stop what you're doing and fix it. If straightening the area would take more time than that, don't stop what you're doing to fix it. But do note the area and tell your supervisor so they can decide how to handle it. 

Q. A patron asked me a question while I was working. How can I help them?

A. Remember that even though you're not working on the front desk you are still a representative of the library while you're working and should be using your best customer service skills (remember Greet Listen Answer Offer) even when you're out in the stacks. If you're asked a question you can answer, do so! If you're not sure how do help, direct the patron to the Help and Information Desk.