2015 Charleston Library Conference

Why do an inventory of a library collection? The reasons range from auditing and insurance purposes to having confidence in the records for decision making purposes.  However, the process can be labor intensive and is not without it’s downsides.  There is also some debate about the frequency with which inventory activities need to happen.   In this session, we will examine some of the reasons behind the conduct of inventories in libraries, discuss the pros and cons of doing so, and share the results of two studies.  The first study is a survey conducted at the University of the West Indies Library System.  The UWI is made up of 4 campuses (3 physical campuses based in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and the Open Campus which is online).   Management Audit teams have stressed the need for physical inventories to be done annually to ensure that there is accountability and that book values for insurance purposes are properly matched.  However, the literature has shown that there is a different thinking in some libraries and the survey results will present varying views as well.  The second study is the presentation of an inventory currently in progress at Indiana University.  IU is conducting an inventory of its main library, a collection of over three million volumes, for the first time in a very long time (perhaps ever).  The process and preliminary data will be shared with participants to determine whether an inventory is the right solution at their institution.