Circulation: Old Times at BCL

This is from Phyllis, our longime volunteer and former administrator. It made it in too late for the Holiday newsletter, but merits self evaluation over the years:


"1940's & 1950's:
When new books were received they were entered numerically in the "accession" book and either handwritten or staped with that number.

A pocket was pasted in with a bookcard, and both were numbered with the accession #. When a patron checked a book out either they or the librarian wrote their name on the card which the library kept and filed until the book was returned, when the card was returned to the book pocket. If book was not returned on time, the library had a card to send the patron as a reminder.


1950's to computers:
As the library grew with 2 moves to larger quarters we and some of the other libraries in the county invested in a better checkout system & the Gaylord Co. was very helpful in getting us started in their system which had a card issued to patron with a metal plate numbered from #1 on. (which was given to the mayor at the time (?)) The Card was inserted into the Gaylord machine which stamped the book card with the patron # and the date due. The book cards were sorted daily and when book returned the bookcard was replaced to book."

Anecdotes from workers at the time are that Phyllis required an exact layout of a shelver's cart for maxiumum effectiveness. Organizational theories of time and motion studies were probably at the forefront of cutting edge management.