Cataloging

Frank Melville Jr. Memorial Library, W-2520
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-3347
631.632.7137, 631.632.7140

The Cataloging Department organizes and prepares monographic materials for use by the University and on-line communities. Serials and music are cataloged by their respective departments. The technical cataloging process uses machine-readable data for each item, creating a bibliographic record, which then is made globally available through the Library's web based on-line catalog STARS [76]. Physical material is then prepared and distributed to the Main stacks or a branch library.

The collection of about 2 million titles includes books, maps, microforms, videotapes, CD's, DVD's and web resources. Materials are in most European and Asian languages with imprint dates spanning seven centuries.

Questions about the accuracy of the data on STARS [76], or those of a technical nature, should be addressed to the Cataloging Department. Questions about the location of materials should be addressed to either the Reference or Circulation desks.

Cataloging Staff

Collection Development

Nathan Baum 
Associate Director for Collection Strategy and Management
nathan.baum@stonybrook.edu [6]
631.632.9959 (t), 631.632.7116 (f)

Development of the University Libraries' collections is the responsibility of librarian subject selectors. Selectors serve as liaisons between the University Libraries and university departments, programs, and schools.

The major focus of Collection Development is to acquire materials that support campus instructional and research needs. The Libraries add an average of 40,000 volumes to the collection each year. Stony Brook's collections now total approximately 1.9 million cataloged volumes.

Purchase requests for library materials are welcome. "Request for Library Purchase" forms are available at the Reference Desk in the Central Reading Room. Requests may also be submitted to the selector responsible for specific areas of the library's collection development program as listed below.

Requests for book titles that are currently available for purchase, i.e., in-print, are usually honored. Requests for journal, magazine, and newspaper titles are accepted; however, new subscriptions for these materials are placed very sparingly because of budgetary constraints. 

See a list of selectors by subject [80].

Documents and Serials Cataloging

Frank Melville Jr. Memorial Library W-2520
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-3375
631.632.1716 (t), 631.632.1375 (f)

The Documents Receiving and Serials Cataloging Department is composed of two interconnected units. The Documents Receiving unit (located at C-2601) receives around 60 % of the Government Printing Office (GPO) publications. Selectors choose which titles to catalog and the remaining material is organized uncataloged by SuDoc number which starts with a letter representing the issuing agency. Selected materials in paper, microforms, maps, CD-Roms and electronic resources are cataloged speedily.

The Serials Cataloging unit (located at W-2520) catalogs titles which appear at intervals on a continuous basis. These titles are subscriptions (periodicals are non circulating and serials generally circulate) but some are gifts or are cataloged for the University Archives.

Documents Receiving & Serials Cataloging Staff

SuDoc Classification

Electronic Resources and Services

Nathan Baum [6], Head
Frank Melville Jr. Memorial Library C-2620
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-3319
631.632.9959 (t), 631.632.7116 (f)
 

The Electronic Resources and Services Division (ERSD) is responsible for the selection and acquisition of the University Libraries' online citation and abstract databases, electronic journals and newspapers, e-books, and assorted other electronic resources in support of the research and teaching needs of the University. In addition, the Division manages access to these resources and implements other services that facilitate their usage. The gateway to this collection is the Libraries' Homepage [82]. In addition, records for this material are being added to STARS [76], the Libraries' online catalog.

These resources are available to current Stony Brook faculty, students, and staff from any computer with an internet connection and an up-to-date web browser. On site access to these resources is available to everyone; remote access is limited to Stony Brook faculty, students, and staff and requires authorization by netID.

In addition, ERSD coordinates the development of the Libraries' digitzation projects, and its web development and maintenance operations.

Digital Resources Staff

Gifts and Donations

Nathan Baum 
Associate Director for Collection Strategy and Management
nathan.baum@stonybrook.edu [6]
631.632.9959 (t), 631.632.7116 (f)

If you are interested in donating materials to the library, please review our Gift Policy [83].

Inquiries and offers should be addressed to the Gift Books Coordinator at the contact information above.

Gifts of books, tapes, CD's, videos, LP's and miscellaneous materials (e.g. pamphlets, manuscripts, local history, souvenirs and memorabilia) are welcomed by the library as a means of supplementing our book and media collections, filling in gaps in our holdings, and adding copies for heavily used titles. Periodicals, journals, and newspapers are generally not accepted unless the library lacks a particular title or there are gaps in our holdings. In most cases donors from off-campus sites are asked to arrange for delivery of materials to the library's loading dock. If this is a problem, call the Gift Book number.

Donations are first checked against the library collection to identify titles already owned. Books deemed useful by subject selectors will be cataloged. Those not needed are either included in the library's on-going book sale (see below), or offered to the appropriate academic department. Rarely are materials discarded and then only when in poor condition (e.g. moldy. stained, insect damaged, torn or heavily marked up). But any materials donated become the property of the library which has the right to determine their ultimate destination. As a state institution, we cannot provide a monetary valuation, but a letter of acknowledgement for the gift will be sent to the donor when requested. Donors may seek an independant appraisal from an outside source in the case of extensive or valuable collections.

Large collections are especially welcome when they complement the library's holdings in a particular subject area or support newly established academic and research programs (e.g. Asian studies). In special cases, the library can assist in packing and transporting a collection or reimbursing postage.

Book Sale

This department maintains an on-going book and record sale on the 3rd floor of the library opposite the Circulation and Photocopy units. Books, records and other materials in many subject areas are available for purchase usually at prices between 50 cents and $2; sets and select items are sold at higher prices. The shelves are replenished regularly from donations and, occasionally, discarded library materials. Occasionally, special sales are featured when large numbers of books or other materials are obtained in a particular subject area, such as mysteries, children' books, opera recordings, popular fiction, videos or foreign language books. Sets of encyclopedias or Time-Life series are frequently offered when available. Proceeds from the book sale are used to benefit the library and increase our purchase power.

Preservation Department

The Preservation Department oversees, manages, participates, advises, collaborates with and make recommendations to the Library administration, faculty and staff in the care, treatment, standards and preservation of all library and related custodial assets (both analog and digital) within the care of the University Libraries, and its affiliated partners and bodies, in support of the Library's and University's missions of education, research, regional leadership and community service.

The Preservation Department Head oversees the operations of the department and manages the expenditure of a grant of $126,000 which is received each year from the New York State Education Department.

The day to day operations of the department are collaboratively overseen by the Preservation Technician and Department's Head.  The daily work includes but is not limited to:

• Repair of books and other paper material, or sending very damaged materials to commercial specialists such as binders and conservators.
• Making sure the environment is not damaging to materials (e.g., monitoring for appropriate temperature, humidity, air quality, light)
• Encouraging proper storage and shelving practices, including the cleaning of collections.
• Reformatting deteriorated materials (e.g., preservation photocopying or microfilming a book whose pages are crumbling with age).
• Maintaining a written disaster plan / emergency manual [84] and coordinating teams for rescuing materials caught in a flood or fire, and developing strategies for preventing emergencies and disasters.

Preservation Staff Contacts

Serials, Acquisition and Control

Frank Melville Jr. Memorial Library W-2520
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-3315
631.632.7136 (t), 631.632.1375 (f)

The University Libraries subscribe to over 6,000 serial titles published in a wide variety of formats such as print, online, microform, etc. A serial is a publication comprised of successive parts and is intended to be published indefinitely. Examples of such publications include newspapers, magazines, journals, books in series, conference proceedings, transactions, reports, papers of societies, almanacs, abstracts, annuals, bibliographies.

Serials staff check in and process more than 38,000 serial and periodical issues, over 33,000 microforms and approximately 10,000 newspapers annually. Additionally, serials staff shelve new materials in the Melville (Main) Library’s Central Reading Room, where unbound journal issues are arranged alphabetically by title. As volumes are completed, they are commercially bound and sent to the Main Library Stacks, where they are then shelved by Library of Congress call number.

The Serials Acquisitions & Control Department is the central processing unit responsible for managing the following for all the University Libraries (excluding the Health Sciences Center Library) and is responsible for handling of daily mail, ordering, receiving & processing, claiming issues not received, preparing invoices for payment, maintaining fund accounting records.

Requests for new serial standing orders or periodical subscriptions should not be directed to the Serials Acquisitions & Control Department. All such requests or suggestions should be directed to the appropriate subject selector [80]. 

Serials Staff

Related Links

Our major serials subscription agent is Ebsco Subscription Services [87] which provides a wide array of useful information regarding all aspects of serials acquisitions, management and control. Two other major vendors used by Serials Acquisitions and Control and their respective are Otto Harrassowitz [88] and Blackwell’s Book Services [89].

Our commercial binder, Bridgeport National Bindery [90], provides comprehensive services including a local online bindery preparation system, (LARS).

Technical Services

Daniel Kinney [45], Associate Director of Libraries for  Resource Management
Frank Melville Jr. Memorial Library W-2120
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-3330
631.632.7921 (t), 631.632-1375 (f)
 

The Resource Management and Technical Services Division is responsible for all aspects of collection management. The division is also responsible for the gifts program and maintenance of the STARS bibliographic database. The Special Collections Department and University Archives and the Music Library are part of the Collections and Technical Services Division because of the nature of their collections and the special cataloging and processing required by these collections.

• Acquisitions [91]
• Cataloging [92]
• Gifts and Donations [93]
• Music [94]
• Preservation [95]
• Serials [96]
• Serials and Government Documents Cataloging [97]
• Special Collections [98]

Building Operations

Operations Manager
W1517 Frank Melville, Jr., Memorial Library
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-3300
631.632.7100 (t), 631.632.7116 (f)

The primary purpose of this page is to clarify the proper way for resolving building operational problems. As a guiding rule, when reporting such problems via telephone (2-7100) or email to your operations manager, please be ready to provide all the information that is listed:

• Identify yourself
• Give a brief description of the problem
• Specify exact location i.e.. room location number W2540 or men’s lavatory SE corner 3rd floor second stall
• Provide telephone number you can be reached for follow-up if necessary.

The above information is critical for a proper response by physical plant personnel. Rapid repairs are dependant on accurately conveyed information so please comply when making a call or sending email.

Most of our facility problems will involve a response to any physical plant categories that follow:

Physical Plant Emergencies as defined by our West Campus Physical Plant management.

• Loss of electrical power
• People trapped in an elevator
• Unidentified odors
• Ceiling leaks
• Overflowing sinks or toilets
• Smoke or fire

Contact your building operations manager during normal business hours (8:30 AM - 4:30 PM) at extension 2-7100. After normal work hours call 2-6400 to report problem. In case of fire or smoke call University Police at 333.

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning)

• Room or area too hot or too cold
• Thermostat vandalized, hissing or not working

Contact your building operations manager during normal business hours (8:30 AM – 4:30 PM) at extension 2-7100 or email guiding rule information.

Custodial or Housekeeping

• Trash pickup
• Spills or floods
• Floor care i.e.. vacuum, waxing, shampooing rugs
• External air vent cleaning
• Re-lamping easy to reach light fixtures
• Room setup for meetings Washing inside windows

The first contact person for such problems is the cleaner assigned to your area. If you cannot reach your cleaner, than notify your building operations manager via 2-7100 or email to resolve the problem. Provide the guiding rule information.

Door and Lock Hardware

• Issuing new keys or replacing existing hardware requires a written work request (form SUSB MBF) and a materials service requisition (SUSB 828-S) that has been authorized with a valid and viable account number. These work requisitions can be obtained by calling 2-6400. SUSB 828-S forms can be obtained through West Campus Central Services. Forward both forms to your building operations manager for signature and delivery to our lock shop.
• Replacement of a lost key requires a police report attached to the work request.
• Broken door checks
• Cracked glass doors and broken panic bars, malfunctioning detex devices
• Alignment problems, piano hinge repair, astral repair
• Graffiti on door
• Handicap door malfunctioning

Contact your building operations manager at 2-7100 or email for resolution. Provide the guiding rule information.

Electrical

• Light switch or key switch malfunctioning
• Exit signs not illuminated
• Handicap door or push button not working
• Ballast failure in light fixture
• Receptacle damaged or dead
• Handicap strobe light not flashing during fire alarm
• Circuit breaker tripped

Contact your building operations manager via 2-7100 or email during normal work hours 8:30AM - 4:30PM. Provide guiding rule information.

SMART Team Repair and Assistance

• Mount items on walls i.e. clocks, frames, bulletin boards, sides etc.
• Repair damaged ceiling tiles
• Repair broken door checks and window mechanisms
• Re-lamp very high ceiling lights
• Repair door alignments and hinge related problems
• Repair minor roof leaks including skylights

Contact your building operations manger via 2-7100 or email during normal work hours 8:30AM - 4:30PM. Provide the guiding rule information.

Elevators - Passenger and Freight

• Doors not closing or opening
• Lights not working
• Call buttons broken or stuck
• Key switch malfunctioning
• Floor tiles damaged
• Ceiling damaged
• Ventilation fans not working
• Offensive graffiti on walls or doors
• Passengers stuck in elevator call University Police at 333

Contact your building manager during normal work hours 8:30AM - 4:30PM. Provide the guiding rule information.

Plumbing

• Clogged toilets, urinals, sinks
• Overflows and leaking, faucets, toilets, urinals and sinks
• Roof drains leaking
• Faulty plumbing fixtures

Javits Seminar Room Reservations
 

Call 2-7100 to reserve room when available. Users are responsible for cleanliness of room when having catered food. Users must sign for keys and return them after room use ASAP.

Galleria Special Events
 

Call building manager at 2-7100 for details and booking.

Fire Safety Issues

Review procedure described in the Building Emergency Plan [99]. (1.6 MB PDF file. You need Acrobat Reader to open the document.)