Pamphlets Task Force Report

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Pamphlets Task Force Report

• CDC - July 19, 2001

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Census of pamphlet containers in Old Yale
classes

• 100 of Old Yale classes were surveyed
• 9,612 pamphlet boxes
• 19,250 envelopes
• 1,035 shelves with significant amount of loose
  pamphlets
  
• at least 100,000 pamphlets - probably more

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Overview of Old Yale classes

• A General works
• B Non-American history biography
• C North South American history
• E Geography, travel, maps
• F Asian, African, Middle Eastern, etc.
  languages, linguistics, philology
• G Classics
• H European literature, philology
• I English American literature
• J Fine arts
• K Philosophy, psychology, aesthetics, ethics
• L Education

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Old Yale classes, contd.

• M Religion
• N Social sciences, economics, transportation,
  commerce, finance, labor
• O Political science
• P Law
• Q Mathematics astronomy
• R Physics chemistry
• S Natural sciences
• T Medicine
• U Applied sciences, technology, military
• V Music
• X History of book, book arts, bibliography

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Pamphlet Boxes by class
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Envelopes by class
7
Shelves with loose pams.
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Classes with most pamphlets

• B 979 boxes 2,070 envelopes
• C 411 boxes 1,726 envelopes
• H 897 boxes 116 envelopes
• I 409 boxes 433 envelopes
• N 3435 boxes 8,789 envelopes
• O 385 boxes 880 envelopes
• S 423 boxes 1,826 envelopes

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Boxes/100 shelves
10
Envelopes/100 shelves
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Next level questions re. pamphlets...

• What is their current level of bibliographic
  control? What level of bibliographic control is
  appropriate for various types?
• On what basis should priority be given to certain
  materials - physical condition, scholarly
  importance, age/rarity, etc. - ?
• Can the pamphlets circulate safely in current
  state or with just better housing?
• Should they be used only in a supervised reading
  room?
• Should everything be kept?

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Paths of treatment

• Transfer to Beinecke - based on age, value,
  appropriateness
• Transfer to special collections - e.g., cohesive
  groups, ephemera
• Discard - e.g. offprints if journal issue is held
• Send to LSF allow use only in supervised
  reading room - assumes good bibliographic control
  
• Repair and bind - return to open stacks
• Re-format Microfilm, photocopy, or scan brittle
  items - retain or discard original

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How do we decide on appropriate paths of
treatment?

• Container census results provide only a very
  basic sense of the problem
• Additional information will enable us to analyze
  the cost of solving the problem be in position
  to apply for funding
• We need to develop methodologies for gathering
  information

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Information needed

• Number of individual items
• Level of bibliographical control
• Nature value of material
• Percentages for which various methods of
  treatment are appropriate
• Cost of treatment (staff time, materials)

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Suggested pilot project

• To be done by selectors (with assistance)
• Target four classes with most boxes look
  carefully at 2 of boxes
• B (19 boxes) history
• H (18 boxes) literature
• N (69 boxes) social studies
• S (9 boxes) science
• Check 3 boxes in each of other classes (
  about 50 more boxes)
• i.e, do demo triage on approximately 165 boxes
  using triage worksheet

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Goals of pilot project

• Get more exact sense of quantity
• Evaluate nature value of material
• Determine percentages falling in various
  treatment methods
• Get better sense of costs

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Proposed schedule

• Forum in mid-September to explain pilot project
  to selectors
• Pilot project finished by end of November
• Cost analysis and project proposals by January
  2002