Access/circulation work priorities 

NOTE: These priorities are a guideline and may vary at your location. Each location may have different priorities, depending on workload, space, and staffing. Locations will have different tasks if they have AMH, SmartShelf, or no automation. This list may change with the IMMS implementation. 

If you have suggestions for this list, please contact Jen Steward at jennifes@multco.us.

You can make a copy of this priority list and customize it for your library.

Daily

Must do before opening:

• Daily schedule posted
• Clear Hold Shelf list (expired holds) or don’t “process” the report (print only)
• Clear bookdrop for space, if needed
• Process lost Chromebooks from previous night

At closing: 

• Check for Chromebooks that are still checked out
• Check physically empty transport units - “What is listed in IMMS about” - resolve outstanding shelving or holds
• Check for IMMS devices - connect to charging
• Clear SmartShelf

Open hours:

Highest priority

• Direct patron service - service points, programming support
• Connect with on-call staff and volunteers
• Answer the telephone

High priority 

• Check in high-demand daily newspapers
• Check in bookdrop
• Hold processing – crate checkin & shelving (considered one task)
• Pick lists
  • Hold
  • Error correction order
  • Manual list order
• Checking e-mail (scan for urgent updates)
• Check physically empty transport units - “What is listed in IMMS about” - resolve outstanding shelving or holds

Medium priority 

• Check correct delivery of crates (scan w/IMMS Mobile App)
• Return crates check in
• Shelving

Low priority

• Magazines and newspapers - with the exception of high demand daily publications
• Sort interoffice mail
• Sort US mail
• Pick lists
  • Rotation order
  • Automatic replenishment (Sort Center only)

Weekly

Tuesday by end of day: 

• Cash reconciliation and deposit

Any day:

• Supplies
• Donations (frequency depends on amount and space at your location)
• Problem Shelf – recase, rebarcode or discard
• Mending (preferably done by volunteers, if at all)
• Inventory
  • At least part of your collection should be inventoried each week.
  • Inventory messy/high-use sections more frequently, but make sure to rotate other sections in.

Monthly

High priority

• Missing report searching
• Statistics
• Cash over/short form (send to Business Services)

Medium priority

• Committees (may vary in priority)
• Lost and found

Ongoing

• Training
• Mentoring
• Collection maintenance – weed (part of daily check in and shelving or as needed), , and call number changes (as needed)
• Brochure and free distribution space maintenance
• On the floor tasks:
  • Self-checkout station maintenance
  • Display creation and maintenance
  • Shelving holds

What else?