Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Off-Site Storage (MARCOSS) 2018

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/20511

This collection includes papers, posters, and discussion notes from the inaugural Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Off-Site Storage (MARCOSS), held April 10, 2018 at the University of Maryland Libraries. Traditional library concerns like access, preservation, systems, and collections are different in off-site storage than at the circulating libraries they support. MARCOSS gives participants the opportunity to develop a network among off-site storage library professionals in the mid-Atlantic region and learn about the work their colleagues do at their off-site storage facilities. Session topics include: preservation, shelving and inventory methods, technical systems for error reduction, integrating special collections in storage facilities, staff safety, and more.

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    Everyone Goes Home! Staff safety within library off-site storage collections
    (2018-04-10) Houck, Steve
    At the Pennsylvania State University Library Annex, staff safety is paramount when working within collection storage areas. Closed to the public, our unit consists of four separate facilities, three of which are unmanned. Thorough training, effective communication and the use of safe practices and safety devices is crucial to keeping everyone safe. A combination of verbal and non-verbal forms of communication ensure all team members are aware of the location of others working within the collection. This includes recorded and/or verbal communication between staff; flashing beacons at the end of each bay to indicate occupancy within a compact shelving bay; barrier tape at the far end of each range within compact storage bays to prevent unsafe entry into the bay by other staff; and sensors at the base of each range to stop the travel of compact shelving if an obstacle is detected. Radios are used to keep staff alert to the condition of others who may be using a lift or otherwise working alone. Well-maintained and appropriately-sized ladders and hydraulic lifts with safety barriers are also used to promote staff safety. Orange vests, safety cones, and teaming up to move heavy book trucks contribute to the safe transfer of additional material to the collection. When an issue arises that compromises safety, a blue-colored cone is located at the site to alert library and maintenance staff as to the location of the problem. Our HelpDesk Ticket system allows library staff to communicate a problem directly to maintenance personnel for evaluation.