Moving Library Collections: Paper Shifts

Do a Paper Shift

Get lots of sets of blank maps of each floor. With luck, they'll be architectural drawings with the ranges already drawn in. DOUBLE check the architect's ranges: count each and every section in each range, and then check if the number of ranges between support columns in your building are the same as what are drawn. This one comes from experience.
Also with luck, you already have drawings of current stacks configuration.
Decide how large your mini-shifts should be (we chose three-range clumps.) This decision will be based on whether you'll run into construction or carpet folks, whether a range isn't yet empty when you're trying to put another set of books there, etc. We'll find that out in the paper shift.
Color the current map into your clumps. Hang that on the wall so you can see it as you go. You're going to make another one that hopefully looks just like it when you're done.
Get another copy of the "current" map, and color in the first clump.
Using the spreadsheet, figure out how many sf sections you'll need for the call number areas in your clumps. The spreadsheet tells you how many sf sections you need for that call number area.
On a map of the new area, use the same color as the original clump to color in the expanded number of sections that call number clump will need. Remember which way the call numbers run.
If you're moving collections to a new building or to an empty floor, you have it easy. If you're simply moving things around on floors that already have books on them, be sure you look at your "before" map to see if it has colored ranges in the place you're putting your "after" books. That's why we start a second version of the "before" map and only color in the mini-shifts (clumps) that we are actually working on. If you're putting books onto ranges in the "after" map that are still white on the "before" map, you have a problem.
That's all there is to a paper shift, really. It's tedious. It probably should be done by two people or should be double-checked by somebody after it's done.
When you have your "before" and "after" maps done, hang them on the wall and stare at them.

You may find that you cannot finish the blue mini-shift until the purple mini-shift gets the current books out of the way. However, you need to have the space in which the blue books are currently sitting vacated because the green shift will grind to a halt if you don't get it, and that means 20 people standing around doing nothing.

You may have to set up a temp shifting area. We did. More than once. It works, but it's confusing. Be sure to draw it on your maps.
For complex shifts that require use of the same space, be sure to indicate the sequential nature: Phase 1, Phase 2, etc. On your "before" and "after" maps, circle in black all the mini-shifts that can be done before running into full ranges.

If you have to have Sequential Phases, make a new set of maps.

Draw the before and after of all the mini-shifts that can be done before you run into full ranges. Label those two maps "Phase 1" and tape them together and hang them on the wall.
Draw the before and after maps of temp moves, if you have to have them. Call them Phase 2, and hang them on the wall.
Draw another set of befores and afters that will clean out the area that stopped you at the end of Phase 1. Call it Phase 3. Tape them together and hang them on the wall.

Do The Paper Shift
At Least Twice.

Do it three or more times
if it is a complex move.

The more you don't want to re-do your paper shift

because it makes you crazy
because it's so tedious
because it takes hours and hours
because it's just so frustrating

the more reason you have to re-do it.

You can tear up pieces of paper: you can't tear up a shift crew.