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Technical Services Procedures

TS Procedure No. 6 : Processing Oversize Books

University of Missouri Libraries

Technical Services Procedure No. 6

Processing Oversize Books

  • 0.0 CONTENTS
  • 1.0 Scope
  • 2.0 Definitions
  • 3.0 General Policy
  • 4.0 Exceptions

1.0 SCOPE OF POLICY

  • This policy applies to oversize materials cataloged and classified in Ellis Library, Journalism, and Science Branches. Materials processed in the Health Sciences Library are not covered herein.

2.0 DEFINITIONS

  • 2.1 Oversize materials are defined as those being over 39 cm. in height and/or more than 30 cm. in width.
  • 2.2 "LARGE" is to be the call number prefix used for materials that exceed 30 cm. in width and are not more than 39 cm. high.
  • 2.3 "LARGE" is to be the call number prefix used for materials between 40 and 50 cm. high.
  • 2.4 "XLARGE" is to be the call number prefix used for materials between 50 and 81 cm. high.
  • 2.5 -L is be a part of the call number prefixes used in all branch libraries for materials over 39 cm. high.
  • 2.6 "OVERSIZE" is the location to be displayed in the UM LIBRARIES CATALOG for all oversize materials. Books that meet the LARGE or XLARGE criteria housed in the Annex are shelved in a separate "oversize" area.

3.0 GENERAL POLICY

  • 3.1 All materials cataloged and classified for the Ellis, Science Branches, and Journalism libraries which are over 39 cm. in height will receive an oversize designation as a call number prefix and as a location in the UM LIBRARIES CATALOG.
  • 3.2 Materials in Ellis between 40-50 cm. high will receive the call number prefix "LARGE."
  • 3.3 Materials in Ellis between 51-81 cm. high will receive the call number prefix "XLARGE." These materials will be stored flat.
  • 3.4 Materials in Ellis over 81 cm. high will be located in closed stacks and will have no oversize designations.
  • 3.5 Materials in all Science Branches and Journalism Libraries over 39 cm. high and/or more than 30 cm. in width will receive -L as part of the call number prefix as appropriate.
  • 3.6 All oversize materials will be shelved together in an "oversize" location unless shelving or access by the user is greatly hampered because of some characteristic other than size.

4.0 EXCEPTIONS

  • 4.1 "q" Dewey materials smaller than 39 cm. will continue to retain that designation and be shelved in the regular stacks. The "q" will be dropped from the call number in the UM LIBRARIES CATALOG.
  • 4.2 Multivolume works, whether monographic or serial, some volumes of which are oversize (height or width) and some of which are not, will not receive an oversize designation and will be shelved in the regular stacks. If Access Services determines that a volume cannot be shelved in the regular stacks, they will place a dummy in its place in the regular stacks and shelve the volume with the oversize collection. A note to this effect will be put in the MERLIN Summary Record by Catalog Management. If an oversize multivolume work has some volumes that are regular in size, the same routine will be followed.
  • 4.3 There will be no oversize designation applied to materials going to Special Collections.
  • 4.4 Other call number prefixes may override the application of an oversize call number prefix. For example, a volume 45 cm. in height ordered for reference will received a "REF" call number prefix and not a "LARGE" call number prefix.
  • 4.5 One of the purposes of this policy is to standardize practices so that both users and staff will consistently know where to look for oversize materials. Therefore, deviations from this policy (other than those described in 4.2) are strongly discouraged, must have a strong demonstrable impact upon the users of the Libraries, and must receive approval from the appropriate branch or department head as well as the Head of Technical Services.

 

  • Revised: December 5, 1989
  • Submitted to Library Council: December 14, 1989
  • Approved by Library Council: January 4, 1990
  • Approved by Director of Libraries: January 4, 1990