Tips and Lessons Learned--Setting Up Displays in Reference

1. Choosing a Theme

• Broader topics are better for finding more items to fill out the display. Past displays have been based around campus events, seasonal occurrences (holidays, days of recognition, start or end of semester) and current events. For more ideas, you can contact departments to see if there are events or projects that they wish to highlight. They may be able to provide some materials.  Caution: Remember to tell any departments that since this is an open display, we cannot guarantee the security of any items. 

2. Collecting and Checking Out Books

• Search the catalog for books related to your topic. If there is very little, consider broadening your theme or including related topics.  If there is a lot to choose from, choose the newer books with more interesting covers. They attract more attention. If there aren't a lot of books with covers, you can print images of the covers. Google Images and Amazon are good sources for these images; however, they are not often very large images. Once printed, they can be taped gently to the barcode on the front cover so as not to cause any damage to the cloth.

• To check out the books for your display, use the reference library card. This card is kept in the blue binder at the back workstation out at the reference desk.  When logging into Aleph to check out the books, you'll need the Aleph username which is C3BCREF1 and the password, which changes periodically. The current password is also recorded in the blue binder.

• If you are using reference books in the display, you can use the Override button to allow check out of these materials. If you are using books from the McNaughton collection or any other books with a short circulation period, you can alter the due date manually. If you check them out anywhere else besides the reference desk, make sure they are remagnetized before putting them into the display.

3. Using DVDs in a display (process updated 3/2013)

• If there are DVDs that fit in thematically with your display, then it is a good idea to use a few. They improve the visual appeal of the display and draw in patrons. See Jodi Hoover and/or Nicole Smith in Media to check out dummy cases for the display. Actual DVDs should not be put into the display. The procedure in the past has been to check these items out to "mending".

• You can also make a list of electronic resources that fit with the display and add this as a handout.

• Feel free to contact departments on campuses for additional resources...e.g. if you are doing a health-related display, Health Services can send over brochures, etc.

• Visuals are good. If you can get posters, we have a few frames or it is possible to mount them on foamcore. Otherwise, consider making a sign or two that explains what the display is about and mention that some/all items can be checked out by patrons.

• Materials from other USMAI libraries cannot be used in displays. This is a library policy. Only items owned by UMBC may be displayed.

4. Other tidbits

• Market the display. Advertise to departments who may be interested. Link to the webpage via our Twitter account (See Joanna for login info).

• Each book, if it circulates, needs this slip  reading that it is checked out to the reference department and can be returned and checked out to a new patron. This is to aid circulation staff.

• Place a similar slip in reference books, indicating that they cannot be checked out.

• Don't forget to check items back in once the display is ready to come down.

• There are plenty of book and DVD cradles available in the bottom file drawer closest to the end of my cubicle. There are also lucite display signs, horizontal and vertical. In order to keep track of these materials, please return them to this location once the display has come down.

• Monitor the display while it is up to keep it looking good. Replace any books that are checked out with new titles. Straighten materials as needed. Take it down when you are tired of looking at it!