Last week I sent out a request for your opinions on the following
publication:
How to File Looseleaf Services: A Filing Manual and Reference Handbook
ISBN 0-941991-01-6 (2004) by Elyse Fox
My summary (anonymous) can be found below:
We use this book here at [ ] as part of the training of our new
filers, they're required to read the book (most of our filers are
undergraduate students). From a results perspective, the quality of
filing has improved since we started requiring students to read the
book. Whether that's a result of requiring the students to read *this
book, or requiring the students to read *any book, I can't say, but
results have definitely improved since we started using this book.
I think this is quite a useful book.
I bought it because I have to frequently train people to do my filing
in my 4 offices. First of all as you may know many people view filing
as pointless work - hence they do it badly. The fact that there is a
book about this task - gives doing it properly much more credibility.
The book has about 20 pages of text and a quiz - I tell my people to
read the quiz first - so they can see what they need to lean as they
read. The book has tips and lots of examples of different types of
filing services. The book is well organized. Elyse the author is semi
retired MLS/JD law librarian who does filing several days a week - so
she speaks from much experience. Finally, there is no other book out
there on the topic.
We have it here and we think it's very useful. It’s been my experience
that all of Elyse Fox’s publications contain practical, easy to read
information. How to File Looseleaf Services is no exception. At $25-$30
per copy, I think it’s a bargain. Our Library has a large collection of
loose-leaf titles and we outsource filing but this title proved useful
as an introduction (and refresher) to looseleafs both for our
acquisitions/collection development staff as well as our Access Services
staff many of whom had never previously worked in a law library. (We
also use Elyse Fox’s The Legal Research Dictionary for staff training.)
How to File was also useful when working with our filing service to
plan, as closely as possible, the number of hours needed to ensure that
our filing is current. All in all, I believe it’s useful to own.
I am in charge of filing at our library, where we recently began hiring
students as filers. I got this book through ILL to review and we ended
up purchasing a copy - it helped a great deal in creating a training
program for our filers. It's a good practical reference for those who
are unfamiliar with filing or who need a refresher course. Some of the
material is a little outdated, but not enough to be a real concern. I
consider it an excellent value for the price. The only caveat is that
the binding is not very sturdy; we ended up having ours hardbound by our
bindery.
It's very thorough and great for inexperienced filers.
I haven't put it in practice, but it looks helpful for new looseleaf
filers. It actually has examples of pages and instructions from
different publishers and different titles that I think would be very
helpful.
We have/had the book. It is very, very basic.
I hope that I thanked all of the contibutors personally but if I missed
someone, Thank you!
Megan
Megan Schulz
State Library of Kansas
Legislative Reference
300 SW 10th Ave, Rm 343-N
Topeka, KS 66612
(785) 296-4673
Legislative Hotline (800) 432-3924
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