--- Begin Forwarded Message ---
Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 18:32:36 -0500 (EST)
From: Ken Grabach <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: M & M Dept. <fwd>
Sender: Ken Grabach <[log in to unmask]>
Jim, I am glad you revised your comments to distinguish open maps
collections from unsupervised collections. On that ground, I can
agree. (Aside to the readership of Maps-L: Jim Minton was my maps mentor
when I was in Library School at University of Michigan, more years ago
than either of us would care to admit.)
In my situation, I am the sole permanent staff person with
responsibilities for the Maps collection. Up until a few weeks before
this academic year began, that assignment was half-time, shared with
Government Documents at another location (I was shared, not the
space!). When this sharing began, the Maps Collection was a separate
service location, with its own hours. I depended on student aides to
provide service during the hours I was working elsewhere. I was fortunate
to have aides who were both intelligent (i.e. able to be instructed and
trained) and reliable (i.e. would work the hours they promised, and would
ask me when questions arose that they could not answer themselves). But
anyone who has relied on student aides knows that you get good ones,
sometimes, and sometimes you don't.
At the mid-way point in that time-sharing situation, the Science Library,
where Maps is located, thought we were going to undergo a renovation. As
preparation for that work, we had to move things to make work space
available for the contractors. Maps were moved to accomodate the
anticipated work.
It didn't happen, but here is the upshot of moving maps. Some of it is
good, some of it is neutral, but none so far is bad.
Selelcted groups were moved to the public area, in the same area as the
Science journals. The groups moved were:
All U.S. topographic 7.5-minute series, plus 1:100,000 scale and 1:250,000
scale maps, all the current sheet maps covering the world, and geologic
maps; all travel maps and other folded maps, and the various USGS series
such as Miscellaneous Investigations, Geologic Quadrangles; ssimilar
series from state geologic surveys and similar series from the Geological
Society of America, and other print series from government agencies (CIA
maps, etc.), and the regional maps we have acquired of FEMA's flood
insurance rate maps.
All others, including special collections of maps, air photos, microforms
such as the Open File Reports, and some old sets like AMS topographic sets
are secure near my work area.
Finally, while the supervision of the open map area is minimal, it is
supervised. I check the area every morning, and other times, as well.
As another respondent said, I ask for the maps to be left out rather than
refiled by users, so that they can be counted, so that I can see what
ppeople are looking for, and so that we can ensure proper refiling. It is
not a perfect system, but as some have pointed out, these maps are watched
more closely than the book stacks. I have found evidence of a theft of
two maps, where someone removed the barcode labels, probably owing to the
assumption that they would trigger the security alarm. Have there been
thefts that I haven't discovered? Possibly, but probably only a few if at
all.
The greatest aid for me is that to the extent that someone feels confident
to assist oneself, I am free to do other tasks, such as to staff the
reference desk, oversee processing of depository receipts, and to
catalogue this collection, both in current acquisitions and the vast
amount of yet-uncatalogued retrospective titles. I also do the various
things that maps departments supervisers do, such as select Geography
materials, select maps to purchase, and supervise student work. Also, the
open area for maps is accessible all hours the Science Library is open,
rather than 8-5, which accomodates a very small portion of the map-using
population.
On Tue, 14 Nov 2000, Johnnie Sutherland wrote:
> --- Begin Forwarded Message ---
> Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 09:39:32 -0500
> From: minton <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: M & M Dept. <fwd>
> Sender: minton <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>
> MAPS-L:
>
> A follow-up per comments from Russel Guy. I am totally in favor of "open
> stacks." I am not in favor of map stacks that are totally un-supervised. Our map
> stacks are open to the public, but most users are not familiar enough with how
> maps are issued (monographs, sets, series, serial, . . . and scale etc.) to be
> able (even with fully-cataloged) to access map collections. Our staff are visible
> and almost always need to assist users with their map needs.
>
> Jim Minton
>
> Johnnie Sutherland wrote:
>
> > --- Begin Forwarded Message ---
> > Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2000 17:30:43 -0500
> > From: Omni Resources <[log in to unmask]>
> > Subject: Re: M & M Dept. <fwd>
> > Sender: Omni Resources <[log in to unmask]>
> >
> > Speaking personally and not as a librarian or dealer, I've always been
> > frustrated with closed stacks, which prevent you from browsing. In most
> > cases (generalizing here) maps are not fully catalogued so if the stacks
> > are closed then the user has a difficult time finding out what is in the
> > collection without running the librarian ragged going back and forth for 15
> > maps, one at a time. If the collection is open, then the user can browse
> > without tieing up a librarian's time. I've always found interesting maps
> > while browsing; maps I didn't know existed.
> >
> > I realize this does not take into account the wear and tear on maps open to
> > public use. Speaking personally, rare maps obviously should be under
> > controlled access, but do travel maps really need to be?
> >
> > Russell Guy
> >
___________________________
Ken Grabach <[log in to unmask]>
Maps Librarian Phone: 513-529-1726
Miami University Libraries
Oxford, Ohio 45056 USA
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