Library Engineering Students Solving Library Problems: Space Optimization and Inventory Control

1
Library EngineeringStudents Solving Library
ProblemsSpace Optimization and Inventory
Control
The view from above looking over the top of our
basement shelving area which holds 57 of the
collection.
Inventory Control Finding Misshelved
Books Students shelf read (scan shelves for
out-of-order books) to keep the books in correct
call number order and to locate misshelved books.
Using the traditional method, each books call
number is compared to that of the books adjacent
to it. Every book is checked, without regard to
usage level. Whats the Shelf-Reading
Problem? Its tedious work and extremely
time-consuming. There are too many shelves (over
7000)! Traditional Method of Shelf-Reading Averag
e time 2.24 minutes per 3-foot shelf Average
number of shelving errors found 1.18 per
shelf Time needed to shelfread library by this
method 274 hours (for 7,340 shelves) Our Goal
Design a procedure which finds 90 of displaced
books in half the read time.
Students of Professors Mark Turnquist and Daniel
Loucks working with Stacks Manager Catherine
Vellake (above) have focused on solving practical
library problems for Cornells Engineering
Library in their recent class projects over Fall
1999, Fall 2000, and Spring 2002 in these two
courses
CEE 593 (Engineering Management Methods I Data,
Information, and Modeling) CEE 594 (Engineering
Management Methods II Managing Uncertain
Systems) These courses focus on modeling and
managing systems using these tools queuing
quality control forecasting simulation
resource allocation This exhibit highlights a
few of the proposals recommended by the students
in the class to address the problems described
below.
Resource Location or Whats the Best Way to
Arrange the Collection? Stacks are in A-Z order
(Library of Congress Classification System is
used). To make the books and journals easier to
find, breaks are made at the end of each floor in
a clean spot, such as A-Q, not A-QA
76.6. However, this concentrates the most heavily
used books in the basement and costs 217 shelves
overall. Below is a diagram of what we have. Is
this the best way?
Space Optimization and Forecasting This library
grows by 675 linear feet of shelf space each
year Inventory Control Shelf reading to find
missing books Resource Location Finding the best
arrangement of books and journals to suit the
needs of both public and staff

• Whats Project QuickRead?
• Project QuickRead was a joint effort between the
  Engineering Library staff and the students of CEE
  593 in the Fall 2000 semester to design a method
  of library stacks maintenance which optimized
  available time and resources to find and correct
  the greatest number of shelving errors in the
  least amount of time.
• As implemented, library student employees spend
  15 minutes per shift checking 25 to 35 shelves of
  books for 8 weeks of each term. Once completed,
  85 of the entire library has been checked.
• QuickRead targets high-use call number ranges in
  the collection instead of trying to cover all
  7,340 shelves.

QD 139 .P6 .S34 1991
Students scan only the first half of the call
number, instead of the entire 5 to 6 lines.

• Space Optimization and Forecasting
• Space is a big issues for libraries. Even with
  the increase of digital collections, the print
  collection continues to grow. When the shelves
  are full, what do we do? Where should we allow
  the most growth room? Here are some suggestions
• Move lower-use books to the Library Annex.
• The Engineering Library has moved over 70,000
  books to the Annex since 1997. A forklift
  operates there to ensure rapid 24-hour retrieval
  of any book or journal volume. Articles can be
  delivered electronically to the desktop. Books
  are arranged by size, not by call number, for
  space efficiency.
• Forecast popular and high-growth areas.
• Use a formula that gives usage points for each
  call number. Checked-out books are rated the
  highest, then browsed books, then shelves with
  the most books out of order.
• 3) Buffer Room
• Move the most heavily-used books to Stack 1,
  which is on the first floor and convenient to
  all. This is similar to the bookstore model,
  which places the most popular titles on the most
  prominent location in the store. This also makes
  it easier and quicker for those shelving books.
  Stack 1 could potentially hold 14,940 books.
  However, this method would make it more difficult
  to find books overall since the entire stacks
  would not be in strict call number order.
• 4) Carrel Clustering
• Carrels suffer from poor lighting, not enough
  space, and are inconvenient to find. By
  clustering them on Stack 1 or in the Basement (if
  we removed the microfiche), carrels could provide
  more space for laptops and small group study.

This makes the process faster and less
tedious. Tests show that Quickread find 83 of
the shelving errors, and catches all misshelved
books whose correct location is several aisles
away the most troublesome errors for patrons
and staff.
Though QuickRead does not find every misshelved
book, the real value of the method is its ability
to cover far more shelves than conventional
reading methods. - Catherine Vellake, Stacks
Supervisor

• Other suggestions
• Improve lighting, purchase color copiers,
  simplify laptop checkouts (and increase the
  number), include browsing trucks in the stacks to
  improve efficiency in reshelving.
• The Engineering Library has already implemented
  the following
• Installed browsing shelves throughout the stacks
  so books can be consulted easily, and left for
  reshelving by staff.
• Increased the number of circulating laptops and
  simplified the loan process.
• Created a pathway on the right (east) wall in
  Stacks 2 and 3 so it is easier to walk around the
  shelves as one follows the call numbers,
  searching for a book. The problem remains on the
  Basements right side.

Questions and comments are welcome to
engrref_at_cornell.edu Designed by Jill Powell and
Catherine Vellake
Current available shelf space in our 4 shelving
areas and the extent to which each is occupied.
The level of use (checkouts plus browses) by
shelving area in the Engineering Library.