DearMYRTLE - READERS' FEEDBACK: MORE Library Manners & Filed Wrong

READERS' FEEDBACK: MORE Library Manners & Filed Wrong

DearREADERS,
THANK-YOU for the volumes of feedback about the concept of refiling microfilm at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. It has spilled over into all sorts of comments about the propitiousness of refiling books (we never do this unless we work at the reference library). Now there is discussion about "vertical files" which are those items donated to a library in brochure, letter, diary or loose paper format, which are sorted in file folders and stored in filing cabinets.

From dictionary.com, our word for the day should be PROPITIOUSNESS:

-- pro·pi·tious ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pr-pshs)

adj.

Presenting favorable circumstances; auspicious. See Synonyms at favorable.

Kindly; gracious.

-- pro·pitious·ly adv.

-- pro·pitious·ness n.

The three previous articles on the subject include:

-- http://www.dearmyrtle.com/06/0308.htm

-- http://www.dearmyrtle.com/06/0430.htm

-- http://www.dearmyrtle.com/06/0502.htm

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From: Phyllis Leedom

DearMYRTLE,
As a retired librarian with the Indiana Room, Anderson Public Library we had a policy that books were to be put on book carts for the staff to refile. Microfilm and Microfiche were to put on top of the cabinet it came from. The Microfiche was put in a special box marked that said Micro fish on top of the cabinet they went in.

Family files were kept locked until a year or so before I left. Now they are back being locked as several files were either stolen or misfiled never to be found again. the vertical files were also locked but now are unlocked. The file on mills (not the family name) has been missing for quite some time.

So, in all this I would recommend you ask staff or their volunteers what the policy is and stick to it. At one time we had to keep track of how many books, etc. we filed.

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From: Thomas Herson

DearMYRTLE,
I think the point you're trying to make is that patrons should re-file the things they use. However, at our local library (The Tompkins County Public Library), patrons are requested NOT to re-shelve or re-file things to eliminate people putting them back in the wrong place. Probably not a bad idea. Of course I'm allowed to put things back where they belong ;-)

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Ol' Myrt here supposes that many of her readers will be venturing out this summer on research trips to distant and most likely unfamiliar archives and libraries. Make things easier for those wonderful archivists and librarians by adhering to the rules for use at each facility. Let's make a good name for "genealogy researchers" by minding our Ps and Qs, eh?

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.
http://www.DearMYRTLE.com