THE INDEXING AND FILING OF CORRESPONDENCE IN THE LABORATORIES OF J. LYONS & CO. LTD.
| Published date | 01 February 1946 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb026080 |
| Pages | 17-20 |
| Date | 01 February 1946 |
| Author | MARIAN SHAW |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
THE INDEXING
AND
FILING
OF
CORRESPONDENCE
IN
THE
LABORATORIES
OF J.
LYONS
& CO. LTD.
by
MARIAN SHAW
Librarian,
Laboratories
of
J.
Lyons
& Co. Ltd.
IN
a
technical
or
research department
of a
large organization extremely
important information
is
often contained
in the
correspondence, whether
this
is in the
form
of
interdepartmental memoranda
or of
letters from
out
side firms
or
organizations.
It is
essential
to be
able
to
find
a
document
at
a moment's notice from
the
time
it
enters
the
building
and is in
circulation
among the
staff, to
the time when
it
is
filed, and the contents must be indexed
in such
a way
that
the
information
is
always immediately available.
In our
laboratories
the
correspondence section
is
considered
to be as
much
a
part
of the information service as
the
library,
and is in
fact under
the
supervision
of the Librarian.
It is
found that
the
work
of
the
two
sections overlaps
to
some extent,
and a
sight of the correspondence which has
led up to a
library
query
is
often
an
invaluable
aid to
supplying
the
information required.
It
is recognized that every organization
has its own
peculiar problems
and
difficulties,
and
that
no one
system will suit everybody,
but it is
hoped that
this brief description
of the
system which
we use
will assist others with
similar problems.
Post
and
departmental memoranda entering
the
building
are
collected
immediately
by the
Filing Clerk
and all
correspondence, whether addressed
to
the
department
or to
individuals,
is
opened, unless marked private
or
confidential,
and
registered.
The
back
of
each document
is
passed through
a time-recording clock, which stamps
the
date
and
time received
and the
word 'Laboratories';
a
space
is
provided
for the
filing reference.
The
front
of the document is stamped with
a
number,
the
same number being stamped
on
a
printed Correspondence Slip.
The
following information is entered
on
the Correspondence Slip: number
of
the document, filing reference, name
of the sender, date,
and
subject,
and a
space
is
also provided
to
record
the
names
of
persons
to
whom
the
letter
or
memorandum will eventually
be
issued. This information
is
also entered
in the
Correspondence Register,
which forms
a
permanent record
of all
incoming correspondence.
The
correspondence
is
then passed
to the
library office where
it is
read
and the
filing reference checked.
The
system
of
classification
and
allotment
of
references will
be
described more fully below.
After passing through
the
library office
all
correspondence, except that
addressed
to
individual members
of
the
staff, is
passed
to the
Chief Chemist,
who either retains
it for
action
or
writes
on it the
name
of
the person
to
whom
it is to be
issued.
The
correspondence
is
then returned
to the
Filing
Clerk,
so
that
the
name of the recipient of the documents
can be
entered
on
the Correspondence Slips, which
are
retained
in the
filing office. Letters
or
c
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