Non-print equipment & services: Circulation of nonprint materials and equipment

Policies will vary according to type of library
Considerations for a school library may include:

• What specific materials are included in this category?
• What specific equipment is checked out from the media center?
• Can equipment or software be checked out to someone who has not been trained in its use?
• Are non-book and equipment circulation limited to faculty and staff?
• If students and the public can check out these materials, will there be a different circulation period?
• Will someone who has overdue items be allowed to check out these materials?
• How many materials can be checked out at one time?
• Can these materials be renewed?
• If so, how many times?
• Is there a different circulation period for these materials?
• What happens if students are absent when a video is shown to a class? Can he/she then check out the video?
• Can equipment be taken from the school grounds?
• If so, does it require the permission of anyone other than the media specialist?

Scheduling
Includes nonprint materials, av equipment, and space utilization of facilities.

It should be possible to circulate any type of material a library wishes to handle by advance reservation, as well as av equipment and to book in advance listening and viewing rooms and any other related facilities.

Need to accommodate nonprint materials and equipment

• permanently in collection
• temporarily in collection e.g. preview, rental

Some automation systems have available modules for handling media bookings.

Equipment must be barcoded and entered into the system.

Options for manual procedures for equipment checkout include:

• handwritten cards/slips with name, serial number of item
• equipment control board (when piece of equipment checked out number of item placed in room in which it will be used)

For manual reservation of equipment options include:

• large laminated calendar on wall
• binder with booking sheet for each piece of equipment
• attachment of booking request on equipment (card pocket, tape)

For further information see
Kranch, Douglas A. Automated Media Management Systems. New York: Neal-Schumann, 1991.