Library Quarterly Report FY21 Q2: October-December 2020

Cataloging, Collections and Technical Services

This quarter Gil Kenner continued in his capacity as head of technical services for the library, however, his time was severely constrained by the confusion around procurement we have experienced since the start of the pandemic. Circulation statistics (which combine data for both new "checkouts" and "renewals" of existing checkouts) appear much higher than normal this quarter. They hit remarkable levels we have not seen since 2008 (an era when we had no subscription databases, only print resources). Here's why: The library decided to unilaterally renew all patron checkouts so that our customers would not have to even think about shipping overdue items back to us during the pandemic and under work from home restrictions. In reality, checkouts of new items were modest, with renewals at an obvious record high, accounting for over 90% of the use shown below.