Tips on Inventory
Before inventory, please review the complete instructions. I will be glad to come out to your school to discuss inventory before you start. I especially plan to visit schools when there is a new library staff person doing inventory for the first time. Please email or call to schedule the meeting.
Before you start
The most important step comes before anything is scanned. Run the report "Shelf Order for HoldingsCode.rpt". The order of call numbers on this report is the way L.S thinks your collection should be shelved. Look especially at the beginning and end of this report. In order to find the barcode associated with the incorrect call number run the report "Items in Collection". This report is in call number order, and shows the barcodes as well, so you can search the barcode on your F4 screen in Circ and correct the call number. Correct every call number discrepancy and rerun the report. You do not need to print out all these reports, just run and verify them for accuracy.
Scanning barcodes
If you are having trouble getting the light pen to read the barcode, try a smooth but firm sweep from RIGHT TO LEFT across the barcode. You might also try "scribbling" over the bar code. Sometimes the light reflects off the label protector, and just changing the angle of how you are holding the light pen or the book helps.
With the Percon: You can safely scan barcodes, turn off the scanner, scan the next day, turn off the scanner, scan the next day, etc. Each time you scan, the barcodes are appended to the file. When you offload that file to your computer they will be transferred from the scanner to the computer and deleted from the scanner. So you simply begin scanning again.
With the Wireless: Each time you return the scanner to the cradle it will transmit the barcodes, but they also stay in the scanner, so there is no chance of losing them. You actually "clear the barcodes" when you have a satisfactorily saved file.
If your Percon PT2000 portable scanner should happen to "freeze" (will do nothing, just has a blinking cursor, won't read any scans) here's a way to fix it.
Remove the batteries. Then while holding down both the Alpha and the Enter Keys, replace the batteries. It's not easy to maneuver replacing the batteries while continuing to hold the 2 keys down, but it can be done, and it will reset the portable. This is similar to a CRTL+ALT+DEL on a computer.
Call Number Types: D and X
You may have a collection that legitimately has call number types of both Dewey and X. For example, your VHS collection code may have some Dewey call numbers and some call numbers with E and FIC on them. When asked for the Call number type in the Collection Processing, use the type listed for the first call number on your "Shelf Order for Holdingscode" report.
Call number range versus entire collection
Whether you scan an entire collection, offload and process it all at once, or you scan partial collections, and end up with several files to process for the same collection, when it asks for the first and last call number, type in the call numbers of the entire collection from your "Shelf Order for Holdingscode" report. Use the complete call numbers exactly as listed in the Classification column including spacing. For each partial collection upload you are processing, use the first and last call number of the entire collection.
Marked an entire collection missing?
If you manage to mark an entire collection MS, or a large part of it, don't despair and don't rescan everything. I can fix it, and reprocess to correct the status. That's the reason for renaming the UPLOAD file. Then it will not be overwritten with the next offload. Once the collection is inventoried to your satisfaction you may delete those offloaded files from your Circ folder, and delete old tasks from the 3rd tab in the Inventory module. But don't be too hasty to do so until you feel comfortable that the collection was inventoried correctly.
Be sure you understand the differences between "lost" and "missing" status in Library.Solution.
1. "Lost" is a status you assign through the F3 screen. "Missing" is a status that usually can only be assigned through the inventory process.
2. When you declare a book "lost", you are using the F3 special status check-in screen, but you are not actually checking it in. You are changing the status. At that point you do have the ability to choose whether to charge the patron.
3. When the book is next checked in, it will pop up a window that says "This book was previously lost." If the book was paid for, there will also be instructions about crediting that person's account.
4. Books which are marked "Missing" through the "Identify Missing Items" process in Inventory have their status changed back to "IN " by simply checking them in.
Review of the various Statuses in L.S
"Lost" - you assign this status to an item through the Special Status check in. It will display in the PAC as "Lost".
"Missing" - usually only the inventory process can assign this status. It will display in the PAC as "Missing".
"Discard" - this is a Collection Code we created for you to use when you choose to weed/discard items. Change the item's code to DIS. It will be masked from the PAC. You can run the Report "Items in Collection" to get a list of everything you've discarded throughout the year. Essentially it's been deleted from your library, though. Once a year, during the summer, I will do a global delete of everything in the DISCARD collection code. Then it will truly be gone.
"Lost" and "Missing" items will be deleted after three years. The delete process is based on a calendar date. Every month I will run the process and if an item has been missing or lost for at least three years it will be deleted
Delete Old Tasks
The third tab on the Inventory window is "Delete old tasks". This is to allow you to delete old inventory "jobs". The system is keeping track of each processing job you do in inventory; it never deletes them automatically. To see your Inventory Jobs, run the report "Inventory Jobs List". Note the dates on this report. If you have completed an inventory of a collection, and are satisfied with the results, the "job(s)" can be deleted. Be assured this does not delete any statistics related to the inventory. In the Inventory module, click on "Delete Old Tasks". Enter the date you want and click Delete. It will take a few moments, depending on how many jobs you have. It is best to get in the habit of deleting old tasks each year before you begin inventory.
Delete Old Inventory Uploads
Once you complete an inventory to your satisfaction, the various upload files can be deleted from the Circ folder of your workstation. Open the Inventory program. Under the Collection Processing tab, click on Select Upload File. The Open window will display a list of files and programs, and you should see the old inventory files you worked with earlier, as whatever you renamed them. You may delete these. To delete a file, highlight the file, click the right-mouse button, and click Delete. Repeat for each file you wish to remove. (You only need to retain inventory files (*.inv), while you are running inventory for that collection. You do not need to keep them after the whole collection is complete.)
Error messages on Portable PT2000
If you get a blinking "Low Battery" message, change your batteries. If you are switching between rechargeable (Ni-cad) and alkaline batteries, be sure to change the switch as well. Be sure to use fresh batteries. If you get a "Low memory" message, the batteries are low or you have "filled up" the portable and need to upload the data.
Discards
Each school has the collection code: Discard, to allow for weeding items from your libraries. It will show as DIS in the list of collection codes on the F4 screen. If you wish to weed an item, be sure the status of the item is "IN", then change that item’s Collection code to DIS. This masks the item from the PAC, but will allow us to compile statistics. I delete all items each July for you. Specific directions: http://chesterfield.k12.va.us/Instruction/Library_Media/L.S_Web/circ_procedures.htm. DIS indicates an intentional discard; it is different from MS or L. Items are deleted from the database when they have been "Missing" or "Lost" for at least three years.
Alternatative to using the Percon or Wireless scanners
The Inventory module for version 3.3.5 allows using a text file of barcode numbers as input, so the simplest (and perhaps cheapest) solution would be to open Notepad on a laptop that has a scanner attached (such as the PSC Quickscan scanner you originally got for your Circ stations) and scan your items into Notepad. Then save that file (you can name it anything you like) and transfer it (either with a floppy disk or across the network) to your Circulation workstation.
Open Inventory. After locating your file with the "Select Upload File" button, check the Update File Type radio button labeled "Text Barcode File"and proceed to process as directed in the instructions for Inventory. When you do this, the "date inventoried" that is entered for each item will be the computer date at the time of loading -- NOT the date scanned -- so you will want to upload and process these files promptly after you stop scanning. Your input file will look like this (one barcode per line):
30435000000010
30435000000028
30435000000036
30435000000044
30435000000051
30435000000069
30435000000077
30435000000085
30435000000093
30435000000101
30435000000119
30435000000127
30435000000135
30435000000143
30435000000150
30435000000168
Shelving Sequence Errors Report
Checking shelf order is optional as part of Processing a collection. This process checks for errors in the call number sequence and identifies other problems, for example, items shelved outside the range of specified call numbers. It is recommended that you run the report, "Inventory Shelving Errors", immediately so you can correct shelving errors as soon as possible. Important Note: Run the "Inventory Jobs List" before you run the shelving errors report. The "Inventory Shelving Errors" report is available for all inventory jobs, even if you did not select the Check shelf order check box in Collection Processing. it's still good to run it, as it will show items that should not have been shelved in the section scanned.
An item shelved out of sequence is identified in the report by a "locator" item, that is, the call number of the item just before it that is shelved correctly. (The locator item is identified in the shelving report as "Item Following"; the misshelved item is listed just below it as "Misshelved." A description of the shelving problem follows, such as "Not in coll," which means this item was not supposed to be in the section scanned, or "Not in File" which means it is a bogus barcode.) Take the list to the shelves immediately and move misshelved items to the correct locations, before someone moves or checks out the locator items.
You may not want to "Check Shelf Order" on every collection, for example an atlas stand, paperback rack, a picture book display section -- wherever items are not shelved strictly by call number.
You may not want to run Check Shelf Order on "oversize" books if they are simply shelved on a lower shelf or at the end of the stack, that is, if oversize items do not have a separate holdings code. However, if you do want to check shelving sequence in this situation, use the following method, which will turn up misshelved items in both areas (regular and oversize). Start by scanning all the "regular size" items in that collection/call number range. Then offload the data, run Collection Processing, and select Check Shelf Order. Then print the report of misshelved items (don't do Identify Missing Items yet.). Then do the same 5 steps with the "oversize" items. When you are finished, Identify Missing Items for the entire collection and enter the date you began the inventory in the first part of the regular area.
Identify Missing Items Log report
There are advantages to running this report, but also a clear warning.
"Inventory Identify Missing Items Log": the report asks you to enter the date/time you last ran the collection process (the 1st tab in the inventory module), as well as the holdings code. Since it has been a year or more you probably have no idea when the last time was that you ran inventory in the particular holdingscode, so just enter "yesterday's" date, a date before you began scanning the holdingscode. this will make it display only items marked "missing" in this most recent inventory process. It also lists items scanned during the inventory process with a status of In-Transit or Checked Out. This report can identify books that have been reshelved without being checked in.
Warning: This is a log file only. It shows the items as having been marked MS, but if you find one of these books on the shelf, and check it in, the status of the individual book will change, but this report will not reflect that. Rerunning this report will not give you an updated status. Therefore, I suggest you run this report once to clear up problems, but after that run "Items marked missing in a holdingscode" to see a "real-time" accurate status report.