TECHNICAL
Book processing services
More and more libraries are choosing to process additions to the library before books come into stock.
This has considerable benefits in terms of overall efficiency, quality and consistency of output, along with the effectiveness of librarians' time during the course of a working day.
Within the general outline of the processing service we provide, every book is treated with each individual library's detailed requirements. The books therefore arrive ‘shelf ready', with minimum delays in making new resources available to library users.
Lindsay & Howes currently treat about 10% of output with this becoming a rapidly growing area of the business. In fact, processing volumes have more than trebled during 2004 alone, as libraries realise the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of the service.
Services include:
Security tagging — invisible security strips securely applied to both cloth and paperback books.
Covering — a range of options, including easy covers, life covers and cover-ups, available for both cloth and paperbacks.
ID Stamping — outer, top, side or base of book, plus inside cover.
Labelling — date stamp labels, according to specific requirements, as well as spine labelling and classification. Spine label protector strips (preserving the book from damage) can be applied if the spine label is removed at a later date.
Bar coding — barcodes are applied to exterior book which are scanned to record book details. These are sent in advance to the library, meaning that the book is immediately recognised by internal library systems when it arrives into stock.
Each client's detailed requirements are recorded in a full specification. These define, for example, the exact number of millimetres from the top of the first page the library's stamp should be place — and how to deal with necessary exceptions — or how to edge stamp books of varying sizes.
The specification is negotiated in full with individual clients at outset and ensures the maximum range of eventualities is pre-defined. This forms the basis of the processing service.
In this section:
- Approval plans
- Slip plans
- Firm orders
- Continuations
- Out of print
- Returns policy
- GOBI™
- Technical services
- Book processing services
