[PADG:739] Re: Free-standing outdoor bookdrops

["Carla Montori" <cmontori@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tyra, et al. 
Indiana used to have a free-standing outdoor book drop in the library
parking lot, suitable for drive-by dropping.  It was a re-purposed mail box.
One winter, an ice storm completely encased the thing in a good inch or so
of ice.  The ice was removed by melting it with a welder's torch, with a
smidge of scorching to one or two books.  The point of this cautionary tale?
Even drive-by drops should be protected from the elements.   

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-padg@xxxxxxx [mailto:owner-padg@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Julie Page
Sent: Friday, November 11, 2005 2:00 PM
To: padg@xxxxxxx
Subject: [PADG:738] Re: Free-standing outdoor bookdrops

Tyra --
Once you have your bookdrop, one idea you might want to implement to
decrease damage from books opening and pages being damaged as additional
books hit them, is to put a clear, covered plastic container attached to the
bookdrop, filled with rubberbands. We have a simple note that says something
like, To help with preservation of materials, please put a band around each
book. We also have rubberbands available at inside bookdrops. A large
percentage of returned books are banded and damage has been reduced. 

Julie A. Page
Preservation Librarian
Geisel Library  0175N
UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Dr.  
La Jolla, CA 92093-0175

voice: 858-534-7695 
fax:     858-822-4248
email:  jpage@xxxxxxxx

>>> ashart@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 11/11/05 06:06 AM >>>
Tyra,
I don't have any organized specs for evaluating bookdrops but I can offer a
couple informal observations. We have free-standing outdoor book

returns from Highsmith. From a preservation perspective, the feature I like
most is that books fall into a cloth pouch that expands as it fills

up. Our old bookdrops had metal shelves supported by springs and books
sometimes slipped under the shelf or got jammed between the edge of the
shelf and the side of the box. The cloth design seems to have solved this
problem. I couldn't say whether it has made any difference in damage from
books landing haphazardly on each other.

Another preservation-related feature I like is that the cloth pouch is
actually part of a removable cart rather than built into the return itself.
You can buy additional carts, so staff can just swap an empty cart for a
full one rather than unloading books onto regular library book trucks. This
was important for us because one of our returns is not

sheltered and books often got wet when the drop was emptied on rainy days.
This was partially a training issue but it's an uphill battle for anyone to
keep books dry when you have to transfer them to another cart or book truck
to ferry them inside. With removable carts, you can quickly and completely
cover them and wait until you're indoors to unload. The carts are also more
stable than most of our regular booktrucks when we roll along our bumpy
brick sidewalks. Unfortunately, we did have some problems taking advantage
of these features when our facilities crew installed one of the boxes on a
cement foundation several inches high. The foundation provided a level and
dry surface at a convenient drive-through location but the sharp ledge made
it impossible to safely roll a full book cart out from the return. So, if
you go for any system that relies on removable carts make sure you have a
place that can accommodate them and make the function clear to whoever

does the installation.

Andy
--
Andrew Hart
Preservation Librarian
CB#3910, Davis Library
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 27514-8890 Tel.
919-962-8047 Fax 919-962-4450
Email: ashart@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


Grant, Tyra wrote:

>Has anyone developed (or can you direct me to) specifications for
evaluating free-standing (outdoor) bookdrops for purchase? 
>
>Based on your experience (positive or negative), are there features (or
location tips) you'd specify if you were seeking new?  
>
>Are there one or two commercially-available bookdrops that seem
preferable?   
>
> Would you be willing to share this information (or any good bookdrop
tips or guidelines for that matter) on or offline?
>
>Thanks,
>Tyra Grant
>Head, Preservation Department
>University of Kansas Libraries
>phone: 785, 864-8951
> 
>
>  
>