Be intentional when moving items--do not hurry when pulling books off shelving or when carrying items. When selecting a book from the shelf, do not pull the book by its end cap. Push the two books on either side of the desired book back slightly on the shelf and take your book off the shelf by the middle of its spine. Readjust bookends as necessary.
Do not carry more than four books at a time (or the number of books that can be comfortably held in both hands). Avoid sliding items across tables as this can cause surface abrasion. Lift and carry books even a short distance. Also avoid walking backwards carrying library materials.
Get help if the library item is too large, heavy, or awkward to handle on your own. Never place books directly on the floor.
Use a cart for transporting most things within the libraries. Carts should be clean and in good working order.
Avoid overloading carts--place heavier items on the bottom and lighter items on the top. Single pages of items should be kept in a folder, so they do not easily fall off the top of a cart.
Avoid walking backwards for long distances when driving a cart with library materials. That being said, back into elevators with carts instead of pushing carts into elevators. This will help you control the items on the cart easier, so nothing falls off the cart and down elevator shafts.
Carts should not be used for short or long-term storage (except in cases of emergency/disasters). Place items on proper shelving instead of on carts. Consult preservation if this is an issue in your area.
|
