Moving Library Collections: Making end Cards

End cards are the papers or cards that are placed at the end of each range which tell what call numbers are included on that range.

When we make our end cards, we don't take the excact call number from the actual first and last book on each side of a range. If we did, we would find books in circulation or books not yet added to the collection whose call number falls between those call numbers actually on the shelves.

We "make up" call numbers, so as to be as inclusive as possible. As an example:

Last book on range 1: HD 8848.5 .B34 1967
First book on range 2: HD 8850.9 .A47 v.2

Our end cards would be this:

Our Search Clerk would probably suggest you use letter-based range divisions rather than numeric (e.g. HD8850.A / HD8850.B rather than HD8850.5 / HD 8850.6) people don't always read that "8850.5" as "8850.599...", or otherwise get confused by how decimals work.

We used Excel to make our end cards. It's nice to have a computer right in the ComPost so you can print them out and get a non-shifting staff person to put them up.

Our Excel database had this:

• Sheet 1:
  • column A: width = 40
    • rows 1-6: height = 65, fontsize=60 -- this is for beg. call number
    • rows 7-8: height = 25 (has the word "to" in row 7, fontsize=18)
    • rows 9-14: height = 65, fontsize=60 -- this is for ending call number
  • column b: width = 8.5
  • column c: width = 40
• Macro for duplicating column A, in order to make an end-card for each end of the range:

   

  '
  ' DUPLICATE Macro
  ' Macro recorded 8/7/94 by Systems Department
  '
  ' Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl D
  '
  Sub DUPLICATE()
      Range("A1:A13").Select
      Selection.Copy
      Range("C1").Select
      ActiveSheet.Paste
      Range("A1").Select
  End Sub
  

Get end cards on the ranges immediately after the range is filled up, even if you have to slap a temporary one on. The shift teams need to know what direction the run is going.

Many end-panels have slots way up high for end cards. We chose not to use them, but to tape our end cards at a height that people who are sitting in wheel chairs can more easily see.