Shifting is designed to allow for growth. Space is allocated to allow a certain number of years to fit on a shelf for a particular title. How much space is needed for a title to fit comfortably depends on how frequently and how large the issues are. For instance, if you want to add 5 years for growth space, you can determine the amount of extra space by looking at previous years. Five years, 2000 to 2004, may occupy two shelves. So it is obvious that you will need at least two shelves for additional growth.

Note: When recording how many inches each series takes up make sure to separate how much space it currently takes up and how much space it needs. Do not lump these into one number. You will need them for separate purposes later.

Some titles may not grow at all; they are dead. This may be that the library no longer subscribes to that loose issue or that the issue has gone out of print. Ask the Stack Management Supervisor for the current status of titles. You may be able to include these changes when planning a shift. Titles considered dead will not need any additional space. If a dead title only occupies ¼ of a shelf, do not hesitate to start a new title on the same shelf, regardless of this new title being dead or growing. You may find that there are several dead titles in a row. These too can occupy the same shelf.

 

Dead or Growing?

Dead titles usually do not have issues past 2004. However, some do resume subscription, meaning the library will resume receiving issues a few years later and sometimes acquire the missing years. For example, a title may end in 2002 but then we start receiving issues of the current year. The library may complete the title by backordering the issues from 2003 to present.

Growing titles are easy to identify because they have the current issues. But some do take longer to receive such as foreign titles. We may only have these issues until 2004 but they are expected to grow.

 

More and more titles will fall into the "dead" category as more switch to only electronic access. This will free up space on the shelves.

Recording your Measurements

Use this form for recording your space. The first two lines have been filled in as examples

Periodical Planning Chart

On this form, you are recording

1. Call Number- this way you know how much space each series is taking up which will help you in Step 2 of the planning phase.
2. Amount of Space the series currently takes up in inches
3. Estimate for Growth- This should be based on how much space the past (x- number of years you are planning for, usually 5) years have taken up. Make sure you plan for the same number of years for every series. For titles that are no longer growing this number will be 0, or simply write an X through the box to indicate that the title is dead.

Determining Your Space

The shift plan is a grid system. In each box of the grid you write down the first call number and volume that will be housed on that shelf. You then follow in the next box will the first call number on this shelf. You continue this going from left to right, top to bottom. When you are done you should have one sheet per row for every row to be shifted.

9 x 7

11 x 7

12 x 7

13 x 7

You determine what call number will go on each shelf by measuring 35.5 inches and accounting for growth space. Therefore if the first series is 20 inches long and needs 20 inches of growth space, you would start the next series on the next shelf. You would then account for 4.5 inches being taken up by the growth room for that series on the next shelf and add the amount of room the next series needs and continue on from there. You do not need to indicate that a shelf starts with growth room, only indicate the first call number ond volume on each shelf. The growth room will then be there once the shelves are shifted.

The process of making a shifting plan is very detailed and when you are done ANYONE should be able to detemine where the books should be placed.

Implementing your Shift

This part of the process should require the least amount of thought. Once your shifting grid is complete you should be able to begin shifting. The key to starting this process is to figure out where the majority of your space is and start shifting on that end. If you start where you will run out of space quickly you will need to house some materials elsewhere while completing the shift on that section. Try to make sure that materials are displaced for the shortest amunt of time possible. There is usually some point near the middle of ever shift where books need to be placed on carts to wait for shelves to free up to be put on. Don't worry, this is normal.

As you go along it is sometimes helful to go down a row and pull out slightly the first book of each row so that you do not have to consistently refer to the grid as you are actively moving books. Just make sure not to forget growth shelves where necessary!

One other quirk of shifting is the approximately 2 rows of extra space that appear towards the end of every shift. This is very common and do not feel that you planned poorly if this happens. No matter how well you plan this seems to happen to everyone. You should be happy that you have more space to work with rather than less.

Shifting Notes:

• Left align all shelves. All titles need to be pushed to the far left of the shelf.
• Do NOT separate titles! It’s tempting and makes sense that the titles should be separated but doing this:
• Breaks the reading flow. It’s harder to read call numbers when there are spaces separating them.
• Uses a lot of bookends.
• Rule of thumb: 1 bookend per shelf. This forces you to left align the entire shelf as well as prevent the separation of titles.
• Note: Due to space restrictions on the last 3rd floor shift this was done with a number of titles, as titles become increasingly electronic and growth room develops space can be made in the appropriate areas to allow this rule to apply.

• Keep growth moving forward. Most titles are situated so that the addition of volumes is added at the end of the title. Do not shift the title back to make room. Also remember that some titles are situated so that they run into another title on the next shelf. Just make sure that the growth moves forward.

Finishing Touches- End Panel Labels

The last step (and a step that should be taken as you are going along) is making end panel labels. To do this please see the directions and template lacated in the Labels section of this website.