[Publib] "Damage" labels on DVD or CD cases--reply

[Marla]

Hello, Debbie.

This is long, beware!

We have problem slips that patrons fill out; it at least gives us an idea of what to look for.  I 
do a preliminary check and determine if the disk might only need cleaning.  I pass those on to 
our Tech Services clerk who does that as one of her duties first thing in the morning.  

We used to have a Disc-Go-Pod (another long story I won't go into) that we used to repair the 
more seriously wounded disks.  We stopped using that so had a backlog of disks.  I found 
out that our local Hastings Entertainment store offers disk repair for $1.99 a disk.  We 
thought that was a bargain.  So just this week I took up our backlog (approximately 80+ 
disks) and had them treated.  They look pretty spiffy.  I think they have one of the expensive 
VMI models.  Our TS clerk made notations in the item field for each title something to the 
effect of "Disk 1 Hastings treated 3/07."  

If the disk comes back, we can check the notes and make a further decision on what to do 
next.

We think this is going to work out.

Before we let new disks go out, we treat them with a "rub on" guard and make a note of that 
in the item notes field, too.  It is labor intensive but does seem to help keep fingerprints, etc. 
to a minimum.  Before we decided to apply that, the disks would come to our dept. after 
almost every check-out for us to clean.

I sometimes long for the days of audio & video cassettes (we do still have a limited collection; 
we just don't replace many anymore).  At least when they came back damaged, we could 
almost instantly tell.  The wads of tape hanging out of the case was our 1st clue.  (-:

Anyhoo -- I hope this helps.  These new-fangled contraptions are sure a lot of work.

BYE!

Marla/Acquisitions
Great Falls Public Library
301 2nd Ave N
Great Falls MT  59401-2593
mwilckens at mtlib.org

On 16 Mar 2007 at 8:45, Troxclair, Debbie wrote:

> I'm interested in finding out what you do with the damaged items after
> they are identified by the patrons.  We used to view and then try to
> repair the disks (using SkipDoctor, etc.), but we were told that it
> takes too much staff time.  Now, we try to clean the disk and then put
> it back in circulation.  But we can't tell if the same disks are coming
> back again and again, in which case we should withdraw them.  How does
> everyone else handle this?
> 


*************
For reason will convince us that what is necessary to be 
performed in the heat of action should constantly be
practised in the leisure of peace.  
Vegetius, EPITOMA REI MILITARIS