The Texas Medical Center Library decided to renovate its second floor by removing over 190,000 print journals and shipping them to the Joint Library Facility. They were required to complete this task by December 31st despite having fewer staff. They hired movers to quickly pull and stack all remaining print journals in the basement for cataloging and shipping. Over 91,000 items were chosen for deposit at the facility and over 76,000 were claimed. By April 2016, over 107,000 print volumes from the library were housed at the Joint Library Facility and the renovation was completed on time despite the short timeline and staffing challenges.

1. The Joint is Jumpin’: Using the Joint Library Facility at TAMU
as a Collaborative Solution to Repurposing Library Space
Joanne V. Romano, MLS, and Terrie Smalls-Hall, Cataloging Lead, The Texas Medical Center Library, Houston TX
Background:
After sending its first shipment of print journals to the Joint
Library Facility in March, 2014, The TMC Library decided to
renovate its 25,000 square foot second floor area. The plan was
to:
•Methodically remove over 190,000 print journals and shelving
over time
•Check each title for online access options
•Ship print items wanted at the Joint Library Facility (JLF)
•Claim and recycle Resource In Common items not needed at the
JLF
The Challenge:
•Resource Management downsized from six to three staff
•Mandated to remove all 190,000 print journals and shelving by
December 31, 2014
Methods:
•Forget methodical removal--just mark, pull and relocate
•Movers hired to pull, move and stack ALL remaining print
journals in library basement areas
•JLF staff reviewed list of all TMC Library journal holdings
•Over 91,000 items chosen for deposit to the facility, and
over 76,000 claimed as Resource In Common
•Computers installed in basement areas for cataloging
•Recycling company hired to pickup and pulp RIC items
Results:
•March 11, 2014: 5,691 items shipped
•November 10, 2014: 8,464 items shipped
•May 4, 2015 1,418 items shipped
•August 3, 2015: 3,477 items shipped
•By April 2016, 107,301 * print volumes from The TMC Library will be
housed at the JLF, and 76,481 claimed as RIC.
•*In 2013, 1,345 items weeded for shelf space, and 4,917 items pulled
and stored for NLM MedPrint Program
Conclusions:
•An excellent solution to print deselection, when other libraries are
also repurposing their space and discarding their own print
•JLF Interlibrary loan requests usually met within 24 hours
•Low patron dissatisfaction to print deselection
•The TMC Library’s JLF experience inspired other UT System
libraries to follow suit; we’ve been able to advise others on how to
prepare items for shipment
Materials:
•12x18x10 boxes
•Packing tape
•Shrink wrap
•Box trucks and Movers
•Hours of tedious cataloging
•Determined library staff
•Wyoma’s encouragement
“Don’t die in a
ditch over it.”
Now that’s a lot of journals!
Before After
Disaster
Preparedness
Team
JLF and TMC Library
Team