Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Employment
    1. General Policies
    2. Scheduling
    3. Break Weeks
    4. Pay Procedures
    5. Disciplinary Procedures
  3. Responsibilities
  4. Duties/Tasks
    1. Daily Public Service Statistics
    2. Reshelving/Statistics
    3. Other Tasks
    4. Machine Maintenance
  5. The Online Catalog/Location Symbols/ Classification System
  6. Circulation
  7. Microforms Equipment
  8. Miscellaneous
  9. Opening/Closing Procedures
  10. Various instructions and error codes
    1. Log-Ons and passwords
    2. Setting voyager preferences for barcoding microfilm reels
    3. Instructions for barcoding microfilm reels
    4. Error code information for Minolta machines
    5. Minolta equipment - Loading and using a microfilm reel
    6. Minolta equipment - Loading and using microfiche
    7. Creating digital images from microform
    8. User guide for Scan Pro machines
    9. Connecting to the H Drive

I. Introduction

Welcome to Microforms Service in Firestone Library.

Microforms Service is responsible for the maintenance of the library's principal collection of microfilms, microfiches, microcards, microprints, and CD-ROMs.

The purpose of this manual is to outline clearly the procedures you will need to serve our patrons accurately and efficiently.

The unit is staffed by the Microforms Service supervisor, one full time assistant, and approximately 8-10 student assistants.

 

II. Employment:

A. General Policies

As a student assistant, you will work a regular weekly schedule of not less than 6 hours, of which 2 hours must be a day shift (Monday - Friday, between 9:00am- 5:00 p.m.). Once you have accepted a shift, it is your responsibility to arrive on time. If, at any time, you are unable to work, you are responsible for getting a substitute. Once a student assistant has agreed to substitute, he/she is then responsible for those hours.

B. Scheduling

At the beginning of each semester, student assistants will meet as a group to select work schedules. In order of seniority (how many hours have been accumulated), you will select shifts from the following hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: noon-9pm; Tuesday: 9am-9pm; Friday: 9am-5pm; Saturday: 1pm-5pm, and Sunday: 1pm-9pm.  The first choice of a work shift will a a daytime shift, followed by choices for evening and weekend shifts.  Shifts are preferably no longer than 3 hours at one time.

If, for any reason, you cannot work one of your regularly scheduled shifts, you must find a substitute. Send an e-mail message to your co-workers and to your supervisors (both Microforms Services supervisors and the student supervisor) to notify them of your substitute. If you cannot find a substitute, notify the Microforms supervisors and the student supervisor. The student supervisor will continue to try to find someone or will cover the hours him/herself if no one can sub.

C. Break Weeks

During break weeks, the hours for Microforms Service are:

Monday.-Friday, 9am-5pm, Saturday-Sunday, 1pm-5pm.

A sign-up sheet will be made available before the break for student assistants' to choose shifts to work if they are available to work that week.

Changes in hours due to semester breaks or holidays will be posted at the Microforms Service Information Desk.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In a unit as minimally staffed as Microforms, it is vitally important that you not only remember to come to work, but you also come on time. Each of us is dependent on one another. When only one person is on duty during evenings and weekends, you must remain until your replacement arrives. If your replacement does not show, you must try to find a substitute. During the evenings and on weekends, if you cannot find a substitute and you cannot remain, please notify the Microforms Supervisor (Colleen Burlingham at 609-240-6215 or Deborah Paparone 267-391-8337). If you cannot locate the supervisor, notify the librarian on duty in the Trustees Reading Room on the first floor of Firestone, that you must leave, and that Microforms Service is open and unattended. The phone numbers are: 258-5964 or 258-4820. If you cannot find a librarian, notify the security officers on the first floor that you will be leaving Microforms Service unattended.

D. Student Payroll

1). Student assistants are responsible for recording hours worked on the student time slips located in the metal card file on the information desk. Remember to fill in your name, the hours worked, and the week ending date (ends on each Sunday).

2). Hours worked must also be entered and approved for each pay period in the Time Collection database (https://isserver11.princeton.edu/) no later than 12:00 p.m. on the Monday following the end of the pay period. The pay period starts on Monday and ends on the following second Sunday. Any time entered or approved after the deadline will be considered late, and payment to the student will be delayed until the next regularly scheduled payroll period.

Paychecks may be picked up at the payroll office at New South, Floor 5, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday following that pay period.

E. Disciplinary Procedures

Any combination of three incidences of lateness and / or not showing up for regularly scheduled hours, will result in your immediate dismissal.

 

III. Responsibilities

Our first priority is service. As a member of the staff of Microforms Service, each student is responsible for assisting patrons. Our patrons come to us for help, and it is our responsibility to see to it that they receive the assistance they need. Please remember that you are in a highly visible position requiring good public service skills and that your conduct reflects the image of the entire department.

We assist patrons in the location of materials and instruct them in the proper use of the equipment.
This is your primary responsibility and always takes priority over other duties.

 

IV. Duties/Other Tasks

Recording Statistics

A. Daily Public Service Statistics

When you begin working a shift, make sure that the "reftracker" is logged onto the computer at the service desk.  Directions for logging on are taped onto the computer.  Also, be sure to log off the reftracker at the end of the day.

Each time a patron enters Microforms Service, click in the 1st box next to “exit count” to keep count of how many patrons are using the department.  Each time you assist a patron either in person or by phone, click on the appropriate box on the reftracker that best shows the type of service you provided, and how long you helped them. If you are closing Microforms, please log off of the reftracker at the end of the day.

B. Reshelving Statistics: Record the total number of all microfilm reels, microfiche and microprints used onto the reshelving statistics sheet before reshelving materials.

Reshelve all the microfilms, microfiche and microprints used during your shift.  Check all the return boxes in the various reading areas and in the printer room. 

NOTE:  Patrons are not to re-file the materials they use.  Should you see someone re-shelving any microforms, inform them that we keep statistics on what is being used and to leave the materials on the reshelving table.

 C. Other Tasks 

 

Please complete any processing work left for you by Microforms staff. This might be putting call number stickers on microfiche, adding property stamps to each microfiche envelope, or barcoding materials.
Microforms staff will provide instructions and training.
Since this is a working, not sitting position, please finish assigned tasks before studying.

D. Machine Maintenance 

Cleaning the machines, adding paper, changing toner cartridges and changing light bulbs are the principal maintenance duties required of all Microforms staff members.

 

V. The Online Catalog/Location Symbols/ Classification System.

The cataloged holdings of the Microforms collection can be found in the Main Catalog.
If you are not sure about a catalog (or any other) question, please ask the Microforms Supervisor or her Assistant during normal hours. During evenings and weekends do not hesitate to refer the patron to the Reference Desk in the Trustees Reading Room on the first floor.

The Microforms collection, with a few exceptions, is cataloged. There are three location symbols used to indicate that an item is located in Microforms Service: (Film), (FilmB) and ReCAP.

(Film) is the location symbol for the collection and microfilm and microfiche are assigned accession numbers.
They are filed in numerical sequence.
Examples:
(Film) MICROFILM 00001 (monograph collections)
(Film) MICROFILM S00001 (serial collection)
(Film) MICROFICHE 1 (both monograph & serial collections)

Microcards and microprints are not assigned a call number. Instead, the call number is "microcard" or "microprint". They are filed alphabetically by author or
in numerical order. Microcards are located in the first 3 drawers of the microfiche cabinets.
Examples:
(Film) MICROPRINT I
(Film) MICROPRINT no. 100
(Film) MICROCARD

Richardson Classification System: Some microfilms cataloged prior to 1976 have been assigned numbers based on the Richardson Classification System.
Example:
(Film) 0419.930

ReCAP is the remote storage location for master negative microforms and also lesser used microforms materials.
Patrons can request microformat materials located in Recap by using the "recap request" button in the Main Catalog. The patron must choose Firestone Microforms as the pickup location. It takes approximately 24 hours for materials to be sent to Firestone. Patrons will be notified by email or phone when materials are received.

(FilmB) is the location for non-microform materials in the collection. These include printed indexes and guides to microform titles and sets as well as a collection of CD-ROM titles.
Examples:
CD-ROM:
(FilmB) COMPUTER FILE 1

Guides and/or indexes classed under the Library of Congress Classification Number:
(FilmB) AI21.N44

 

VI. Circulation

The Microforms collection is a non-circulating collection; all materials must be used in the Microforms Reading Room.
There are occasions, however, when we do permit fiche/film materials or CD to circulate outside of Microforms Service.
We loan materials in our collection to other libraries via Interlibrary Loan Services, to faculty members on campus who have microforms equipment in their offices, to the Institute for Advanced Study, and to offices within Firestone that are working on special projects, such as the Jefferson Papers.
Microfilm materials borrowed by any of these offices or individuals are barcoded so they can be charged in the system Microfiche materials are recorded on orange/yellow loan cards and are kept in a file box at the Information/reception desk. Always check the "loan box" if you cannot locate an item in addition to the Main catalog, which will show the item as being charged.

 

VII. Microforms Equipment

Microfilm / Microfiche Reader-Printer/Scanners: Microforms Service provide 2 different models of reader/printer/scanners also. The newest model is the "ScanPro 1000" and the other is the Minolta reader/printer/scanner. Both models scan film/fiche to digitize filmed images which then displays them on a standard PC monitor. Images may be printed to a standard printer, burned to a writeable CD or flashdrive, attached to an e-mail message or transferred to a students' "H" drive. There is no charge for printing/scanning microforms, but students need to provide their own CD or USB flashdrive. The ScanPro 1000 can also read, print and scan and older format of microform called "microprints" which is another format of microform that we hold in our collection.

Microfilm / Microfiche Readers: We use 2 different models of microfilm readers: Bell and Howell Mark II and III. We also have 1 microfiche reader and 2 micro-opaque readers.
Each type of equipment has its own 'General Descriptions and Controls' guide located on the machine

CD-ROM Computer Files: The CDs are kept in 2 small cabinets and are kept locked. Patrons must exchange their ID before they use the CD-ROM on one of our pc's. The key is kept in the information desk drawer.


VIII. Miscellaneous

Telephone Procedures: The telephone is for business uses only. Personal calls are not permitted unless it is an emergency.
Damaged Films: If you discover a broken/damaged film, box, or fiche that requires repair or re-labeling, leave it with a note on the staff desk.
Interlibrary Loan Materials: All loaned films or fiches are shelved on the designated ILS shelves. Materials are shelved alphabetically by the patron's last name.
When patrons inquire about these materials, it is our responsibility to assist them in locating the films/fiche and to help them with microforms equipment, if needed.
The loaned materials are only to be used in Microforms Service. When patrons are finished with the materials, tell them that they should bring them back to Microfoms Service front desk.
Please place the returned items on the 'ILS Return truck', located in the microforms workroom.
If they have any questions about these materials, please direct them to the ILS office on A-Floor from Monday-Friday, 9am - 5pm. 

Emergencies: If you hear the fire alarm or the closing bell ringing in short bursts, this means that the Library must be evacuated as soon as possible. Check the stacks and microfiche cabinet area and inform any remaining patrons that they must evacuate the building.
If you detect a fire, pull a Library fire alarm box if available or call the Guard Desk at 8-3221.

In case you have to leave your desk for a few moments at any time during your evening and weekend shift, use the sign to let the patrons know that you are away from the desk temporarily.

 

IX. Opening/Closing Procedure

The first staff member on duty in the morning and the staff member covering the last shift in the evening are responsible for opening and closing the unit.

Procedures for Opening the Unit

  • Stop at the Guard Desk and ask the guard to for the key to open Microforms Service. Please return the key to the security officer after the door is unlocked.
  • Turn on the lights in all areas.
  • Make sure that all paper trays for the printers are full. Refill as necessary.
  • Log-on public computers for reading cd-roms and for searching purposes.
  • Clean the lenses and screens on all the readers and printers.

Procedures for Closing the Unit

  • Push the chairs under the tables and tidy up the area.
  • Make sure that all the machines and their accompanying computers are shut down and turned off. Log off the public computers and turn off the monitors.
  • Turn off the lights in the unit.
  • Lock the Door by pushing in and turning the button on the handle of the door and firmly close the door.

X. Reference the following pages for instructions with:

  1. Log-Ons and passwords
  2. Setting voyager preferences for barcoding microfilm reels
  3. Instructions for barcoding microfilm reels
  4. Error code information for Minolta machines
  5. Minolta equipment - Loading and using a microfilm reel
  6. Minolta equipment - Loading and using microfiche
  7. Creating digital images from microform
  8. User guide for Scan Pro machines
  9. Connecting to the H Drive

Revised September 2009