Libraries Policies
Relocating Library Materials to Compact Shelving
Approved September 20, 2002
Revised July 1, 2005
printable version (.pdf) | return to list of policies
This regulation describes principles for selecting library materials
that can be moved to compact shelving from the library's open stacks.
Collections in the open stacks afford direct access and browsing for those portions
of the Libraries’ collections that are most frequently consulted. However,
open stack capacity at VCU has not changed in decades, and collections have exceeded
the existing stack capacity. To preserve safe and useable open stacks access,
infrequently used materials must be relocated to compact shelving to make space
for newer, more frequently used materials. The ongoing activity of identifying
suitable materials for compact shelving is part of the larger process of shaping
the Libraries’ open collections in a manner responsive to the needs of
users across all disciplines.
Print materials representing all collections are identified for compact storage
by librarians working in close consultation with University faculty, staff, and
students. The application of selection criteria will vary appropriately across
disciplines, departments, and collections, but every discipline or collection
has appropriate candidate materials.
Compact shelving is devoted to shelving infrequently used library materials.
Only materials represented in the online public access catalog will be relocated
to compact shelving. Because of limited storage space and staff time for processing,
compact shelving is primarily used for large sets (for example, little used journal
backfiles, journals duplicated by electronic counterparts, discontinued journal
titles, superseded backfiles of annuals), but low-use monographs are also considered.
Material in compact shelving is not open to browsing by users, but will be regularly
paged and retrieved by staff upon user request. Circulation periods will vary
according to the nature and condition of the material.