Members

Martha Smalley, Chair
Toby Appel, Medical Library
Jo-Anne Giammattei, Law Library
Tom Hyry, Manuscripts & Archives
Tanja Lorkovic, Slavic & East European Collection
George Miles, Beinecke Rare Book Library
Susanne Roberts, Research Services & Collections
David Walls, Preservation

Background: The Pamphlets Working Group was formed in January, 2001 in response to concerns voiced at CDC meetings regarding the condition of pamphlets in the open stacks. The Group was charged to gather information about the extent and nature of pamphlet problem and to make recommendations for consideration by CDC by fall 2001. Suggested areas of inquiry included:

• Evaluation of value (How are researchers likely to use pamphlets; Should Yale collect everything, or only defined areas; Should Yale weed its pamphlet collections)
• Description (Level of cataloging: item level records vs. archival treatment)
• Physical storage and control (Preservation and security issues)
• Circulation (Circulating or restricted; Need for restricted circ. reading area?)

1. First, to address the historical problem of poorly housed and poorly described pamphlets in SML and Mudd stacks
2. Second, to clarify condition of any uncataloged pamphlet backlogs / possibly addressing poorly described pamphlets in MSSA Pamphlet Collection - (including approximately 25,000 pamphlets in SML backlogs)
3. Third, to recommend policies and procedures for treating incoming pamphlets so that selectors feel confident that they can acquire pamphlet material and it will be made accessible.

• Report on Pamphlet Container Census
• Pamphlet Container Census Results
• Proposal for Pamphlets Evaluation Project:

In order to obtain the additional information about Yale's pamphlets that we need in order to analyze costs and devise a strategy for solving the problem, we are requesting that selectors take responsibility for evaluating the contents of a recommended number of boxes of Old Yale class pamphlets within their subject areas. 2% of boxes in certain classes will be evaluated, including B (=19 boxes),N (=69 boxes), and S (=9 boxes.) For all other classes, at least 3 boxes will be evaluated.
• Pamphlets Evaluation Project Triage Worksheet

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