CIRCULATION WORK-INTRODUCTION

the procedures, problems and other related aspects of collection development in a library. You also know that the primary purpose of a library is to put these documents to use. In this Unit, we will discuss the tasks of making a collection of documents available to users, providing borrowing facilities for reading books at their own convenience.

The primary responsibility of libraries to circulate books, i.e., permit readers to borrow them for home reading. Circulation involves keeping records of books that are borrowed, to whom they have been lent, for how long, etc., in addition to a system of issue and return of books at the circulation counter. There are also provisions in a circulation system to get a bock renewed or to reserve a book for obtaining it on loan.

Policy decisions are also determined to define the borrowing privileges of different categories of members, i.e., what types of documents (textbooks, monographs, loose issues of journals can be borrowed by registered borrowers (students, faculty, researchers, management in University libraries) and the length of time for which the user may keep the borrowed material.

There are two popular and widely practised systems of issue and return of documents in libraries, known as Browne and Newark Charging Systems. These systems have evolved and developed over a period of time. After giving a quick historical background of charging systems, we will give you a detailed description of these two charging systems with their relative advantages and disadvantages. We also explain the types of records and files that need to be maintained for operating charging systems as well as statistical records to analyse the use of books.

All this work is usually handled by a separate division of the library. We will give you a description of the planning and management of the circulation divisions of a library. Certain miscellaneous jobs like maintaining controlling and gate register and property counter, fall under the supervision of this divisio.

You will see as you go through this Unit that circulation work is routine and practical in nature. Therefore, the observation of the various jobs in real contexts in libraries, will give you a better and clearer picture of circulation work. This self instructional unit provides useful background information to develop a more practical knowledge of all the routines involved in circulation work.