4.1 Use an ICT-based library management system proficiently

Table of Contents

1. Automated library management systems
2. The circulation module
3. The acquisitions module
4. The cataloguing and stock management modules
   1. The advantages of automated catalogues
   2. Withdrawing items
   3. Adding items
   4. Shelving items
5. Inter Library Loan module

Shelving items

Fiction is usually arranged by author surname in alphabetical order. Then, within any one author, by title. Where no author exists, the editor's surname or title is used alphabetically.

A popular method of shelving fiction is by the use of genres. Essentially a set of genres are decided upon, eg: crime, fantasy, science fiction, romance and the books are labelled correspondingly and placed on the shelves in their appropriate genre. The catalogue entry will indicate this.

Non-fiction is usually shelved by subject according to the local classification system. Here too genres may be used, eg: libraries frequently group all biographies together.

Whichever methods are used, stock items are always organised according to agreed principles by libraries in order to aid the swift retrieval of resources either physically from the shelved collection or virtually from the library catalogue.

You've now reached the end of this section. You can go back to any topic by using the menu at the left-hand side of the page, or continue to the next section: Inter Library Loan Module ...