Thank goodness for library automation! If you've been a librarian for awhile, what are your memories of checking out books with the old book pockets and cards? How long did it used to take for a whole class to check out their books? How long did it used to take to check all those books back in?Or what are your memories as a child when you used to frequent your school or public library and write your name on those little cards?
Think about how much we safeguard privacy these days in regards to what books patrons check out. With the old system, that little card was a record of every person who had checked that book out! :-)
Some library books still have the card and card pocket. I can remember at least one former elementary student who has come in to inspect a favorite book. Finding one's name on an old library card seems to be especially gratifying.
ReplyDeleteI was telling kids about the old card catalog the other day and I think they couldn't grasp the concept. :) I saw some "designer" book pockets in a catalog the other day and wondered what people are still using these for. SOOOOOO glad I didn't come to the library until AFTER it became automated!!!
ReplyDeleteI found a few boxes of pockets and cards in my library office. I had one teacher who was so happy because she uses the pockets for her class job chart and I was able to give her some for free! I'm with Marianne - so glad that we are past that stage.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember the card system so much in school, but I do remember using it on the SLCity Library System Bookmobile that came to my neighborhood (Foothill area) in the early 60's. Even in the 1990's the cards will still being used on some of the rural bookmobiles in the state, where there was no way to access a network - they may still be used for the same reason, as a cost effective way to circulate books.
ReplyDeleteI do wonder just how commited we are to privacy, especially with our new system. This system allows us to see who has had a book, even after it was checked in. It is very convenient, but is it truly necessary? Is it realy needed, or would we be better guardians of parton privacy to not have access to that information. That way we can't be tempted by parents, teachers, or others who may feel that htey have a right to know who has checked out what. It would be so easy to say "I don't have access to that information."
Then there are those times when you look like an idiot because you have fat fingers and defective eyes - The computer is great for showing off all your mistakes.
DeleteWow, I hadn't thought about privacy. Boy, times have changed.
ReplyDeleteThe good thing about those cards was that I was free to help students find their books. I didn't need to sit at a computer. We used a pocket chart and all students could easily check in and out their own books. Also, I never had someone tell me that they hadn't checked out the book because I had their signature. The real hassle in those days was typing all the cards for the catalog on a typewriter and inventory!!
ReplyDeleteSometimes, I long for those old days without all the expectations of tweeting, blogging, facebooking, webpage editing, etc. etc. I had a school of 1300 elementary kids and was able to keep up much better than I can now with only 460 students. I'm sure that had nothing to do with being young!
As the speaker at UELMA said, the check out cards with names was often a low tech recommendation system for me - "If Karen has read this, I might like it." I would hate to type the card catalogue. 3 typed cards for each title - No thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love the computer systems in place because of their ease, but I too long for the old days at times --- specially when someone's using his smart phone during a movie.
ReplyDeleteI remember trying to find books using a card catalogue as a kid and being very frustrated. I'm so glad we have search engines!
ReplyDeleteIt was always fun to see who had read the book before. Even as a teacher it was fun to see who had checked out the book. As a librarian it is so efficent to use the computer to check out the books. I miss the cards, and I even miss the card catalog. How weird am I?
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was at Holladay Elementary. The kids from Mrs. Lloyd's class wrote on the cards to check out. One kid wrote Mrs. Loid. Hooked on Phonics works for me! I always thought that was funny.
ReplyDeleteI am very grateful for automation. I didn't come to the library until after the "death of the card catalog" but as a classroom teacher I used it a lot for teaching and for student use. I can't even imagine having to put all the cards into a card catalog for the amount of books I order every year. I am also so glad that we don't have to type all that info in on a typewriter. I finally got rid of the old Selectric that was here at East. Parting was not sweet sorrow.
ReplyDeleteThe crazy thing for me is to think that when I was in library school - about 1990-92, computers had just begun to be used for circulation and as the cataloge. Before then computers were seen only as a way to mass-produce the cards, so that each librarian didn't have to type them. It was a leap of faith - sometimes blind - to put your cataloge on a computer tape, and throw away the cards.
DeleteAnd there was the sad story we were told in library school of the new BYU circulation clerk who had the responsiblity of backing-up the circ.transactions every night. The first tape would not work, and they messed up with the other tapes, and erased 7 full days of circ. transactions.
OK I have to admit I remember typing catalog cards for the card catalog and it was very low on the priority list! I love the new system and how up to date everything is and how kids can easily look up books and know if it's in or not. I do like seeing the last patron in case a book comes back damaged. I still use the library pockets to hold date dues so students can easily tell when their book is due.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I became a lirarian after automation,that would have been so tedious typing 3 cards for everybook! But as a kid, I loved looking through the card catalogs to locate books or to browse around and find a book.
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