Building Codes

At yesterday’s Reference Services Committee meeting we received a request for a 2012 Uniform Plumbing Code.  We were initially concerned that we’d be purchasing something in May and weeding it months later.  But in looking at the SBCC (State Building Code Council), we learned that new editions of codes are most often adopted the year after the new code is published.  So while there are now 2015 plumbing, mechanical, building, and fire codes in print, they have not been adopted.  We will purchase the 2015 copies in early 2016 in expectation of their adoption in July, 2016.

Adoption of codes in Washington State

Washington State did not adopt new codes last year, due to the state budget crisis.  Therefore, although some libraries may have a 2011 National Electrical Code, that code was not adopted.  The 2008 NEC is still the current code for our state.  Please don’t weed that one!

And it’s a big mystery as to what they’ll do when the 2014 NEC comes out late next year.

Codes update

Over the weekend I  learned that the Governor has extended her moratorium on non-critical rule making through the end of 2012.  By then, the 2014 edition of the National Electrical Code will be nearing its publication.  Therefore, this has essentially ended all chances of the 2011 NEC ever being adopted in Washington State.  Individual cities will still make their own decisions on whether to adopt 2011 or wait for 2014.  Similarly, the other codes (plumbing, residential, etc.) are also in limbo.  This has some pretty serious implications for our cities and counties, because codes are built on previous editions and if they haven’t adopted the new code this year and do adopt the code in the future, getting from point A to point B will be complicated.

What does this mean for us?

We will try to stay current with our cities and counties, but as most of them have moved to the July 1 adoption dates from the State Building Code Council, it’s safe to say that the things won’t be changing in the near future for any of our cities and counties.  Sno-Isle Libraries reference collection will continue to reflect the current codes of each community.  Since the electrical code group was the first to notify us, that’s the one that I have the most information about right now.  Although we currently have the 2011 NEC in our four reference centers (LYN, MAR, OAK, SNO), we will also continue to keep the 2008 NEC in the 12 libraries that currently own a copy in reference (ARL, COU, DAR, LNG, LYN, MAR, MON, MTL, MUK, OAK, SNO,STA) since it is currently the code of record.

Stay tuned, I’m sure this is going to be a subject to which we will return (over and over!).  Please share the above information with your staff and feel free to contact me with any questions and I’ll do my best to answer them.

New reference items–what to do with the older editions

When you receive the new edition of a reference item (like World Almanac), please remove the old edition and send it to SRV for review or  if you would like it to circulate.  We’ll review the item and send it through Cataloging to have the call number changed (removing the REF prefix) and the Polaris Collection designation changed and then to Materials Processing to have the REF label covered.

We checked with Barbara Hart and learned that staff are only allowed to change the circ status and shelf location, not collection designation or call number.

Documents and Local History in Reference

Government documents (such as budgets and comprehensive plans) and donations of local history material are often added to community library reference collections.

Although many documents are found on the internet, local documents (city and city departments) may be added to your collection if they are final copies, not drafts.  Local history items are reviewed prior to processing and cataloging to determine if they’re eligible for bindery.  And any and all items that could be considered reference should be sent to Terry Beck.

Please do not send things directly to Catalog Services.  Thank you for your eagle-eyes when spotting those local history finds!

Puget Sound Consumer’s Checkbook

We now have access to the electronic edition of Puget Sound Consumer’s Checkbook.  Although we try to avoid subscriptions to electronic resources that cannot be accessed from home, there are situations where it’s just not something that the vendor is willing to permit.  And this was one of those situations.  But this is such a valuable tool that we decided to begin the subscription.  Our print reference  subscriptions will cease in early 2011.

RINC tips–Complete, not delete

RINCs for reference materials usually go to interlibrary loan since they’re most often genealogy related and a subject that is either family or location specific.  Occasionally we do purchase reference books when the request is made, but these books usually are purchased for one of the four reference centers.  When this happens, the request is returned to the branch with a note that explains this and tells the branch to contact the other branch to arrange in-library use for their customer.  There’s a final step that needs to happen in RINC–the branch must complete the request. 

Remember:  COMPLETE not DELETE!

RSC Meeting Information #2 Online v. Print

The Reference Services Committee had a lively discussion about duplication of print resources in databases and e-books.  Should we weed or should we retain?  Terry will begin to draft guidelines for the group and this will be discussed at the May 18 meeting.

National Electrical Code (2008 Edition) Available from NFPA

The National Fire Protection Association provides access to a read only online document of the National Electrical Code, 2008 Edition, through their website:

http://www.nfpa.org/onlinepreview/online_preview_document.asp?id=7008SB

Individual users are required to create an account with NFPA and sign in to see the document.  Once signed in, an index is available, but there are no search, print, or copy & paste functionalities.

ValueLine Update

Our print subscriptions for ValueLine hit the proverbial bump in the road this past month.  Although we renewed subscriptions for 16 of our community libraries, the issues did not arrive on schedule.  Denise Walster in Acquistions needs to know if you’re still having problems, so please have the staff member who manages ValueLine in your library contact Denise.

And we plan to migrate to the online edition sometime in the future, hopefully 2011.  This will eliminate the delivery issues and it will allow us to offer ValueLine to our online customers–trust me when I say that they’ve asked for it!