From the Back Room to the Bookshelf: Behind the Scenes at the Bellevue Public Library

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in the Bellevue Public Library? Patrons look forward to reading new releases by their favorite authors like John Grisham, James Patterson, Danielle Steel, and others, but there is a process to follow before you can get your hands on those brand-new books.

Materials are selected every month by our collection development librarians in the Adult and Youth Services departments. Staff will review library professional journals, bookseller recommendations, bestseller lists, popularity of materials, and patron requests. Titles may also be selected to continue a series, to replace popular items that are lost or damaged, to fill gaps in the collection, and extra copies of titles ordered to meet the demands of patrons. 

Orders usually arrive from the vendors within 1-2 weeks, and this is when the Technical Services staff will take over. They open boxes, make sure that all the items are accounted for, and check for damaged or missing items. Damaged items are returned to the vendor for either a replacement or for future credit, but most of the books are received in good condition. The next step is to make sure that items are properly cataloged, classified, and accessible to library users. This is a very detail-oriented process, and staff must be knowledgeable in the Dewey Decimal system to assign call numbers and be trained in the cataloging process for library materials. 

Staff will create and maintain catalog records for library materials in accordance with established MARC standards (Machine Readable Cataloging), a format for computer-readable records describing library materials (books, DVDs, etc.) which was developed by the Library of Congress, and which forms the backbone of most library catalogs. Tech staff will access a specialized software program called OCLC (Online Computer Library Center), which maintains a huge database of records to help libraries make information accessible worldwide. Staff will search for catalog records for items and then edit these records according to the library’s rules and procedures. Catalog records must include call numbers, authors, titles, subject headings, series information, narrators, performers, physical descriptions, summaries, and much more, to make materials easily accessible to patrons.

Once items are cataloged, they must be physically processed with barcodes, RFID stickers, spine labels, covered book jackets, and stamped to show ownership. Audio-visual materials are placed in special library cases for safety. Every item is checked against its catalog record for accuracy and barcodes are linked to items before materials are ready for circulation. 

Technical Services staff also catalog and process donations which can include books, DVDs, cake pans, craft stamps, puzzles, games, and binge boxes. When materials are removed from the collection, Tech staff must update the catalog and remove the titles from OCLC. In the meantime, more boxes have arrived and the whole process begins all over again. Never a dull moment in this behind-the-scenes department in the library.