Libraries that are not automated

I work for a small town library that is not automated due to budget problems. We're still typing book cards, pockets and spine labels. Surely there are other libraries like ours with old fashioned methods. Do they use a typewriter as we do, or do they attach computer generated labels to book cards and pockets? Is this a good idea, or is there a better way to get around having to use a typewriter? I'm open to any suggestions.

Gibcat, I have no idea if this would work for your library, but I have a little label printer called Dymo Labelwriter that I've been using at home for about 6 or 7 years, and I adore it. It can actually print barcodes, although I have not always had success getting barcode scanners to read them as sometimes the lines print too thick. Theoretically, one could also pick the closest size to traditional book spine labels and print those too. However, I should note that it prints using heat, not ink. So if the label is left in the blazing sun, eventually it starts to brown.

How big is your town, if I may ask? Just curious....

Do you have access to at least one computer? I work for a small academic library and we have a very simple automated system. We do not have a scanner however we do use barcodes on all books as a way to create unique numbers for all items (and hopefully to eventually scan when we upgrade). The barcodes we print out on our computer printer and then place on the inside front page of the book. We also do the majority of our book processing by hand. We buy spine labels from Demco (great place to buy library supplies) and then print them off our computer. For Reference books we use a barcode but also place a book pocket inside and have the students fill their names out when they use them in the library so we can track them down if they go missing! We are lucky to have a (rather bad) computer program to track circulation however some of my colleagues at other schools are relying on handwritten ledgers. A few even use LibraryThing as their catalog system.

There are free systems out there, Koha and OpenBiblio being just a couple.

After the system is set up, the hard part begins, getting everything into the system, barcoding, all kinds of fun things.

If you have at least one computer you could start the process, get a couple more computers that could handle internet and you could have a OPAC station.

I have converted or migrated two libraries to automation (actually, I'm still working on the second one!) and it is a long monotonous process, but worth it!
We are using AutoLibPro. It takes one computer and has the ability to print Card labels, spine labels, over due notices pocket labels and several others.

Here is a page with several options for small libraries.
www. librarysupportstaff.com/4automate.html

I have just today seen the replies to my question. Thank you all for your input. My town population is about 4500. Automating is not an option because neither the present budget nor the librarian would support it. I have found wonderful software, some free and some inexpensive, but since the librarian isn't interested, I've given up on automating.

I respect the librarian's decision on this. She is the only full time employee and has 4 part time employees, including me. It would be a difficult and long process to automate with so few workers. Though our library is old fashioned, we do offer 4 public computers and we purchase current books, so our patrons are happy for the most part. We often hear compliments that our small library is quaint, nostalgic or refreshing.

I set us up on LibraryThing to keep track of our books and that helps a lot. I do think we could at least run labels on our computer instead of typing them as we do now. Some of you said you run spine labels on the computer. Do any of you print book information on labels and attach them to book cards and pockets? If so, have you run into any any problems suck as labels peeling off, etc.?

amysisson, thanks for the Dymo labelwriter suggestion. I googled it and it looks like a neat tool. Since we do have computers, I think our best bet is to print them that way.

Thanks again, everyone, for the great advice and ideas!

What state are you in? LibraryThing members would love to do a mob-catalog of your books...

As far as peeling labels, you can get clear stickers and put it over the labels so that they don't peel off. You might be able to get these at Office Max but you can also get them from Demco specifically to go over book spines.

We are in NC. How does a mob-cataloging work?

We already cover our spine labels. I hadn't thought of covering labels on book cards and pockets. Simple solution! Thanks!

I am the Director of a small library in Indiana that serves about 7200. We are also not automated due to lack of funds in our budget.
We are in the process of getting started with Evergreen. It is a shared catalog service that alot of libraries in Indiana have joined. I do not know a whole lot about it yet but it sure seems like an answer for small libraries to get our collection out there so that our library patrons have access.
I am excited about the process no matter how long it takes! :)

If you purchase call no labels from Gaylord or Demco they give you a template Word document that you download then type the call nos onto that and print the labels out. They have different templates available for different size labels. The labels are self-adhesive.

Mob-cataloging (no pitchforks involved):
http://www.librarything.com/blog/2008/10/flash-mob-cataloging-party.php

We're going to descend upon a small library and help catalog everything - in one day. Their collection will then be on LibraryThing.

The upside to using LibraryThing is having your holdings for your community to see online. The downside is that LibraryThing doesn't replace an integrated library system, which tracks checkouts, overdues, and statistics. It is mighty cheaper, and easy to use.

For now I guess our library will have to stick with our old fashioned methods. Hopefully I can convince the librarian to at least use your suggestions to run book card and pocket labels on the computer and cover them with clear label protectors. Also, we can continue to catalog books in LibraryThing.

I am also involved in creating a new library for our church and you can be sure it will be automated when it opens! I'm checking into software, including Evergreen which GrannyBeela suggested. Evergreen is free. BookCat only costs $39.99. It looks like both will do everything we need for our church library and even my public library, should we ever get to automate.

BookCat will import from LibraryThing. GrannyBeela, do you know if Evergreen can do that? Do you think it's a good option for a new church library or is it mostly for public libraries?

Many small libraries in Vermont are not yet automated. At mine, I buy as many books as I can processed and those that aren't, I do generate labels for the cards and the spine using Access. Then those are taped/glued on.

Even though our library is automated, we still do some old-fashioned-y things - for example, we still maintain our inventory shelflist card file. I wanted to print temporary cards for the shelflist, rather than handwriting them.

I got my desktop laser printer to produce temporary processing/shelflist cards. I think if you have the right printer, you could probably print directly on your 3x5 cards. Check to see if your printer can handle 3x5 cardstock.

I work for a special collections library in Ohio, and we are in the process of a retrospective conversion. We have over 10,000 records which, for various reasons, were not automated over a 10 year period. We have to isolate all of those records and send them to OCLC, which outsources them to Canada. We still have a card catalog, as well, which is still updated and current. I am surprised by the number of people who walk in and say, "What is that?"

I mentioned this is a post back in August or September...

My late Father-in-Law is from a bitty town in east Texas. When we buried my Mother-in-Law, we stopped in town at the school to let my wife's cousin (who lives almost across the street from the private cemetery) that we had arrived. She's the Registrar. We got a quick tour of the school, and of course, stopped in to see the Library.

It's got a small card catalog, as there are less than 2,000 books. None of the books have barcodes because there's no scanner to read them. The only computer is occasionally used to access the Internet, via a 9066 (if I remember correctly) baud modem, and it's a long-distance call. My wife's cousin is 'swamped' with work because they have a record-setting incoming student population of almost 200 kids, K-12. The most recent acquisition was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, after it had been out a couple of years.

This is an older post, but I am using LibraryThing for everything. We only recently went to an online catalog. The Android app has helped. It often populates all the data I need for catalouging.

I open my label sheet in Word and keep it minimized at the bottom of the screen. I highlight the information from the fields I need, then slide it down. This is a cumbersome process, but easier than typing. It would be great if Library thing had a way I could see the field information I needed without the excel-type fields. I have to be certain to not highlight back too far or it disturbs my label sheet fields.

I stack books in 10s with the label sheet on top with spine label, card label, and envelope label all ready. Then, I have a cataloguing party and have folks help me adhere and stamp. (Mixed results with this part...I like things level, etc. But, beggars can't be choosers? LOL I put 190 books into the system by scan on Wednesday and overcame technology issues getting started again, but have 60 labels ready to go, 20 already on books. I agree that DEMCO is the best place for labels. I like the pockets with dates, the printable labels with spine and two labels for the book, and than a library stamp for two spines and the card. If the spine labels are not adhering well, I go on and add a clear spine cover sticker (also DEMCO).

I hope this helps, and if anyone has a way to copy and paste the info faster, that's actually what I came seeking!

Our volunteer library is still on the paper system and I'm trying to put together a presentation to sell them on using LT. One of the issues I will suggest to them to standardize their label format to make it easier for mail/merging. To do a lot of labels you need to do a mail/merge process, right? I have not heard of DEMCO, but I have an Avery Label iPad app that can import my LT export and print what I think can work for our library on all kinds of books. Like what you said, it's a cumbersome process, but it works.

Can us not-quite librarians join in? ;)

I'm a tech student in southern BC, hoping to get into library work once I'm done if my health agrees with it, but that remains to be seen. Still, hoping to at least construct a personal library and that's become my project here. I plan to create a good old fashioned card catalogue, mostly because I am well versed in digital and really don't want more of it in my life than I need to, but also because I can. ;)

Do those of you in small libraries use existing classification systems like LC or Dewey, or do you make one particular to your library? I plan to do a bit of both, with a made-up system for practical use (which current family and friends will have to suffer through if they want to borrow my books!) and then a file with proper MARC records for some reason I'll figure out later. Right now it's more practice.