Pamphlets Task Force Update

CDC – March 7, 2002

Pamphlet Evaluation Project

• Goal: Obtain additional information regarding Yale’s pamphlet collections, for purpose of analyzing cost factors and devising strategies for solving the problem

• Scope: Within the “old Yale” classes, 2% of containers in “B”, “I”, “N” were evaluated plus at least 3 boxes in each of the other classes – 137 boxes total (1.4%)

Overview of Old Yale classes• A = General works• B = Non-American history & biography• C = North & South American history• E = Geography, travel, maps• F = Asian, African, Middle Eastern, etc.

languages, linguistics, philology• G = Classics• H = European literature, philology• I = English & American literature• J = Fine arts• K = Philosophy, psychology, aesthetics, ethics• L = Education

Old Yale classes, cont’d.• M = Religion• N = Social sciences, economics, transportation,

commerce, finance, labor• O = Political science• P = Law• Q = Mathematics & astronomy• R = Physics & chemistry• S = Natural sciences• T = Medicine• U = Applied sciences, technology, military• V = Music• X = History of book, book arts, bibliography

Projection of total number of pamphletsA - 3,900 K - 2,000

B - 11,500 L - 7,400

C - 6,000 M - 2,100

E - 1,400 N - 81,200

F - 4,700 O, P - 24,100

G - 2,500 Q - 1,900

H - 12,100 R - 4,500

I - 6,000 S - 8,200

J - 1,000 U - 4,500

Latin Am. – 1,600 V,X - 1,500

Total estimate of number of loose pamphlets in boxes

in old Yale classes: ~ 190,000

~ 170,000 after discards

General conclusions re. the 190,000:• Slightly over 50% of them lack bibliographic records in

Yale’s catalogs • 10% could be discarded (offprints, etc.)• 25% are sufficiently valuable that they should be transferred

to a special collection.• Another 20% should be placed in closed stacks and no longer

allowed to circulate outside the library’s reading rooms • More than 42,000 (22.5%) should be reformatted before they

disintegrate • More than 34,000 (18.3%) could remain in open stacks if they

are re-housed

Scope of problem clearly varies from class to class:

Character of the problem varies according to discipline

• “humanities” classes:Smaller absolute numbers than social sciencesMuch higher level of bibliographic controlSmaller percentage deemed appropriate for special collections or

closed stack relocation.

• “social sciences” (including history):Larger numbersLess bibliographic controlLarge numbers deemed appropriate for special collections or closed

stack relocation

• “sciences”Many offprints

Three interrelated issues:

• Bibliographic control

• Housing / reformatting• Location / disposal

Level of Bibliographic Control:% Lacking records

Level of Bibliographic Control:Unique call numbers (1.0 = all unique; 0.0 = none unique)

Level of Bibliographic Control:Appropriate for special collections

Collection-level records appropriate?

• Orbis search: “financial with pamphlets.ti.” results in 2,698 hits. Of the first 750 displayed:600+ in “Ne..” – financial pamphlets re. railroad

companies; e.g., Neg89 +C331h Author:Central Branch Railway Company. Title:Financial pamphlets.

100+ in “Nd..” – financial pamphlets re. other types of companies

• Pro: less cataloging cost, research value in grouping similar materials

• Con: can’t tell if Yale owns specific item for acquisitions purpose, need to be in closed stacks

Housing / reformatting:% Requiring reformatting

Housing / reformatting:% Requiring re-housing

Location / disposal:% supervised reading room/ spec. collections

Some ballpark numbers:(BASED ON 26 PAGE PAMPHLET)

• 42,000 pamphlets need reformatting x $14.00 for microfilming = $588,000 or x $19.00 for photocopying = $798,000• 34,000 pamphlets need re-housing x $7.00 for standard binder = $238,000 or x $12.50 for protective binder = $425,000___________________________________________• Average cost for reformatting = $693,000 • Average cost for re-housing = $331,000

Ballpark numbers re. bibliographic control:

• 85,000 pamphlets lacking bib. record or with problem record x $10.00 unit cost = $850,000

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Total of reformatting, re-housing, and cataloging costs = $1,874,000

Next steps:

• Investigate grant possibilities?

• In-house pilot project focusing on one class?

• Begin manageable incremental steps?– begin flow of “I” pamphlets to BRBL– weed “Q” and “R” reprints– reformat/re-house “J”s (all under bib. control)– send pre-1800/1850 items to BRBL

• Should the scope of Yale’s pamphlet collections be defined in some way?