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| Thank you to Norman Stevens for providing the image and text for the circulation cabinet above. |
| Do you have circulation items you'd like to share?? We'd love to see them!! Please contact heidihoerman@yahoo.com! |
| Thank you to those who have contributed artifacts to the virtual museum! We are always looking for more items to include. Please contact: heidihoerman@yahoo.com |
Circulation Cabinet
Although not marked in any fashion, this light oak desktop cabinet was
undoubtedly a Library Bureau product. It was formerly used in the Monson
(MA) Public Library. The cabinet would have been located on the top of a
library’s circulation desk were it was used to hold charge cards for books
that had been borrowed. The size of the slots in trays suggest that the
charge cards might have been arranged by borrower as each slot can
accommodate a number of cards. The 10 metal trays, each of which has 20
slots, are removable and can be shifted. It appears that the trays would
have been shifted daily so that the one on the far left would contain the
records for the books due that day. Assuming that the library was open 5
days a week, the ten trays would have sufficed for a two-week loan period.
The top was removed when the library was open and placed back at closing
time to satisfy the librarian’s need for a tidy desk. The cabinet itself is
11½” deep, by 27½” wide, by 15¼” high in the back and 6¼” high in the
front. The top is 27¾” by 14¾” and the individual trays are 13½” long by
2¼” wide. One of the wooden dividers is missing.
Although not marked in any fashion, this light oak desktop cabinet was
undoubtedly a Library Bureau product. It was formerly used in the Monson
(MA) Public Library. The cabinet would have been located on the top of a
library’s circulation desk were it was used to hold charge cards for books
that had been borrowed. The size of the slots in trays suggest that the
charge cards might have been arranged by borrower as each slot can
accommodate a number of cards. The 10 metal trays, each of which has 20
slots, are removable and can be shifted. It appears that the trays would
have been shifted daily so that the one on the far left would contain the
records for the books due that day. Assuming that the library was open 5
days a week, the ten trays would have sufficed for a two-week loan period.
The top was removed when the library was open and placed back at closing
time to satisfy the librarian’s need for a tidy desk. The cabinet itself is
11½” deep, by 27½” wide, by 15¼” high in the back and 6¼” high in the
front. The top is 27¾” by 14¾” and the individual trays are 13½” long by
2¼” wide. One of the wooden dividers is missing.
The image above is a punch card from Southern Illinois University in
Edwardsville, Illinois. The holes in the card represented various information
that was read when inserted into a machine.
The information on the IBM punched cards included the call number, copy
number, & volume number if needed, plus the author & title. When
someone wanted to check out a book, they showed their ID card. The
circulation folks would key in the ID, & 2 new punched cards were created
that showed the call number, etc., along with the ID number. One card was
filed in the pocket in the back of the book, and the other in a rotary file
within the dept.
Edwardsville, Illinois. The holes in the card represented various information
that was read when inserted into a machine.
The information on the IBM punched cards included the call number, copy
number, & volume number if needed, plus the author & title. When
someone wanted to check out a book, they showed their ID card. The
circulation folks would key in the ID, & 2 new punched cards were created
that showed the call number, etc., along with the ID number. One card was
filed in the pocket in the back of the book, and the other in a rotary file
within the dept.
| Thank you to Jill Garbs for providing the punch cards and text above. |
| Designed by Lauren Kirkland, 2007 kirklane@mailbox.sc.edu |