Some of these are local definitions.

Backward Shift:

Refers to the way books move off the shelves and then onto shelves at new location. This is easier than a forward shift. In a backwards shift, books are coming off the old location from the largest call number to the smallest; from the bottom shelves to the top shelves. They go onto the shelves at the new location also from the bottom to the top, right to left.

It's the easier shift because as you shift books that are too tall for the shelf and you must raise shelf above up a couple notches, all the remaining shelves above will probably also have to be raised a notch or two. Since they're empty, it is easy. In a forward shift, since books are filled from the top shelf to the bottom one, when you run into a too-tall book near the bottom of the section and have to raise all the higher shelves up a notch, they're already full of books and are very heavy and difficult to move.

When you begin a range, all the shelves should be evenly spaced on each section, with six to eight notches left over at the top. Basically, if you have any left over space, you want it at the top of each section, so the books aren't too far out of reach of patrons.

When you lose space due to tall books, you pick up the extra notches from the top of the section.

Canopy:

Mounted on top of ranges; their "roofs". Decorative, but also may keep dust off materials. Can limit either the size of book that fits on the top shelf, or the use of the top notches on the uprights (requiring the shelf to be positioned lower). Often used in rooms which have overhanging mezzanines with a line of sight to the tops of the ranges.

ComPost:

short for Comand Post. The room in which:

• shift plans and maps are kept, taped to walls
• the Shifting Task Force meets
• shift crews report for work assignment
• members of the Shifting Task Force decompress when nobody else is there.

Compression shift:

Shifting items onto shelves at 100% fill rate. Usually done to conserve space in another area in a temp shift; will later be fluffed.

Df:

Double-faced section. Can be a low countertop type of range (as are often found in reference areas) or the more traditional tall ranges, which average about 90" high. The tall df sections average 14 shelves (7 per side).

End Panel:

Panel hung on each end of range. Made of metal, wood, laminate. Usually decorative and non load-bearing and not structurally necessary for the strength of the range.

Fluff:

Spreading growth space through a tightly compressed area. "Fluffing" means that the books stay in roughly the same shelving area, but additional space per shelf is sprinkled in.

Forward Shift:

Refers to the direction the books move off the old shelves and then onto the new shelves. Books come off location from small call number to large, from top to bottom, from left to right. They go on the new shelves the same way: small to big, left to right, top to bottom.

Loading/Loaders:

The act of loading a book truck. The team who loads the truck. In a shift, the loaders are at the old location, and the unloaders are at the new location. Of the two duties, loading takes few decisions and can therefore be done by less experienced shifters.

Pushers:

The part of the shifting crew who push book trucks from the old site to the new site.

Range:

Set of attached sections. Can be from one section long through infinite sections long.Actually, you can have a one-section range, if your space requires it. Ranges usually have end panels on each end, and end cards that display the beginning and ending call numbers for books shelved on each side.

Running Journals:

In an area where one serial title fills multiple shelves, "running" the title means leaving no growth space at the end of each shelf. When you "run a title" you do leave room on the shelf for missing volumes or copies, however. You also leave enough space at the end of the run for X years of growth. ("X" depends on how many years of space your library is adding.)

Section:

A single unit of shelving. If welded frame shelving: one square. If post shelving: two upright posts.

Sf:

Single-faced section. If in general stacks and about 90" high, usually holds 7 shelves.

Tipping books:

Laying a book on its spine instead of shelving it upright. You tip particularly tall books when you would lose an entire shelf if the book would have been shelved upright. The fewer tipped books per section the better.

Transverse Tie Struts:

Metal rods (usually made of channel iron or angle iron), running perpendicular to the ranges, tying them together at the top. Function: to retard the tipping over of ranges. Depending on the number of sections of the ranges, and the earthquake zone you are in, you might want to have one every 3-4 sections.

They screw into the tops of the ranges. Be sure the people who are drilling holes through the struts or the tops of the ranges wear safety goggles.

Unloading/Unloaders:

The act of unloading a book truck. The team who unloads the truck. In a shift, the unloaders are at the new location, and the loaders are at the old location.

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Page created by sstevens@darkwing.uoregon.edu
Last substantive update: 970506