LINUS January 2002 : Library News
A short play by NUS Library WITs
Lim-Yeo Pin Pin, Central Library
Ever wondered how books get on library shelves?
And how the books are treated by our users?
The members of the NUS Library Work Improvement Teams put up a short play for the Quality Service Day held on 8 November 2001 to give people outside the Library an insight into the lives of library books. The play was also performed at the NUS Library Annual Hi-Tea on 3 November 2001. The title of the play was Joys and Sorrows of Library Books.
Some Library staff were dressed as books, complete with book spines, call numbers, and all the other tags that identify a book as a NUS Library book.
A new book gets tags to show that it is now a NUS Library book.
The tags comprises a NUS Library stamp, a unique barcode and a RFID tag.
For the benefit of those who missed our performances, here is the story:
A book is ordered from our book supplier via email, the order is received and filled. The book is packed in a box and airmailed to NUS Library. At the Library workroom, the book is unpacked and library staff stamp the book with the NUS Library stamp. It also gets a barcode and radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. Before the book can go out to the shelves, a cataloguer goes through the book and creates a record for it in the Library catalogue (LINC). Entries are made for the book author, title, subject and the book is assigned a call number. This allows users to search for the book and find its location.
The new book is sent to the shelves, where it met three other books. The new book is welcomed by two of the books, but the book with a broken spine (from being pushed and flattened for photocopying purposes) started relating how the other book was in such high-demand, having suffered being ill-treated by some users and even having food spilled on it. It was in such bad condition that it required reconstructive surgery, with a new cover and new labels. One book had to suffer being dog-eared by users who seemed to have never heard of bookmarks.
New book meets other books on the shelves.However, the new book is reassured that not all users are like that. There are users who treat books with care and respect, helping to prolong the life of the books so they can be read and enjoyed by more people.
The new book is selected from the shelf by a user and taken to the new SelfCheck machine to be borrowed.
The Library uncovered loads of acting talent among its staff who portrayed the various characters, especially memorable were the vain reconstructed book and the broken spine book who had become bitter and angry.
Portraying some inconsiderate behaviour, like talking on a handphone in the Library.
Our staff also displayed other talents in the making of the props and costumes. Not forgetting, script writing skills, PowerPoint presentation skills, sound and stage management skills which were harnessed and developed.
Providing the voiceovers and the soundtrack for the play.
The staff involved put in a lot of effort and time to get the play right. There were many rehearsals to familiarise the staff with their roles and the script. Up to the last day before the performance, we were still perfecting the script to make it better.
Cast and crew of the play with Miss Quah and Miss Yap (in the centre) at the Library Hi-Tea.
Last updated on 2/1/2002 © National University of Singapore Library
Contents January 2002
Library News
Electronic Resources
Collection Highlights
Fun and games galore at the Hi-Tea
Happy Retirement to Lim Bee Lum
Home book delivery
NUS Library Opening Hours
Reorganization of C J Koh Law Library
Reservoir of knowledge and experience at the NUS Library
A short play by NUS Library WITs
Two Winners for Best Suggestion of the Year from NUS Library
Bloomberg Professional Service
Current Contents Connect Guide
Food Science & Technology Abstracts Guide
Life Sciences Online Tutorial
New CD-ROMs in Science Library
New Law database: AGIS
Recent materials on Effective Teaching Methods