Sagebrush InfoCentre Library Manager

Transcription

Sagebrush InfoCentre Library Manager
User Guide
© 2006 Sagebrush Corporation, Minneapolis, Minnesota. All Rights Reserved.
This documentation and the software described in it are copyrighted with all rights reserved. Under copyright laws, this documentation or the software may not
be copied, reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language or computer language, in any form or by any
means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of Sagebrush Corporation, except as set forth in your License Agreement with Sagebrush
Corporation. The same proprietary and copyright notices must be affixed to any permitted copies as were affixed to the original.
Various trademarks and registered trademarks are referred to in this document. Such references do not imply any endorsement of, or other affiliations with, this
documentation. Where trademarks or registered trademarks are referred to, every effort has been made to adhere to the holder’s preferred style of spelling and
capitalization.
All products mentioned are the property of their respective copyright holders and are used purely for educational purposes without intent to infringe on the
rights of the trademark holder.
The information in this documentation is believed to be correct as of the date of publication. However, it is subject to change without notice, and does not
represent a commitment on the part of Sagebrush Corporation.
Trademark acknowledgements
InfoCentre, Athena, Spectrum, and In-Hand are trademarks of Sagebrush Corporation.
Adobe and Acrobat Reader are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
Apple, Mac, and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
HotSync is a registered trademark of Palm, Inc.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................... ix
1
Circulation .....................................................................................................1
Introduction to Circulation ......................................................................................................... 2
How do I know which circulation desk I’m using?..........................................................................................................2
The Standard Circulation Desk ................................................................................................................................ 2
The Spectrum Circulation Desk ............................................................................................................................... 3
How can I change my circulation desk?..........................................................................................................................3
Command barcodes .......................................................................................................................................................4
Find Patron and Find Copy buttons.................................................................................................................................4
Circulating Copies – Standard Circulation Desk ................................................................................ 5
Checking out a copy .......................................................................................................................................................5
Checking out a copy when an override password is required .........................................................................................6
Renewing a copy ............................................................................................................................................................7
Checking in a copy .........................................................................................................................................................8
Responding to the Pay Fine window during regular check in..........................................................................................9
Checking in a copy using Fast Check In........................................................................................................................10
Changing the Check In Date before checking in copies.................................................................................................11
Checking in a Lost copy and changing its status ..........................................................................................................12
Circulating Copies – Spectrum Circulation Desk ............................................................................. 13
Checking out a copy (Spectrum Circ Desk) ..................................................................................................................14
Checking out a copy when an override password is required .......................................................................................14
Renewing a copy ..........................................................................................................................................................15
Checking in a copy .......................................................................................................................................................17
Responding to the Pay Fine window during check in....................................................................................................18
Changing the Check In Date before checking in copies.................................................................................................19
Checking in a Lost copy and changing its status ..........................................................................................................20
ii
Contents
Circulating eBooks ................................................................................................................ 21
Step 1: Check out .........................................................................................................................................................21
Checking out eBooks from an InfoCentre client .....................................................................................................21
Checking out eBooks from patron search stations.................................................................................................21
Step 2: Download the eBook.........................................................................................................................................21
About check in..............................................................................................................................................................21
About holds, bookings, and renewals ...........................................................................................................................21
Managing Patrons ................................................................................................................. 22
Adding a new patron to InfoCentre ...............................................................................................................................22
Editing a patron record .................................................................................................................................................24
Importing patron records from a student information system (SIS) .............................................................................24
Before importing ...................................................................................................................................................24
Importing ..............................................................................................................................................................25
Step 1: provide basic information about the import file .........................................................................................25
Step 2: separate the patron record fields ...............................................................................................................26
Step 3: label fields .................................................................................................................................................28
Step 4: import data................................................................................................................................................28
Step 5: view import results....................................................................................................................................29
Importing patron records from another InfoCentre Library...........................................................................................30
Before importing ...................................................................................................................................................30
Importing ..............................................................................................................................................................30
After importing ......................................................................................................................................................30
Importing patron photos...............................................................................................................................................31
Requirements ........................................................................................................................................................31
Exporting patron records from InfoCentre ....................................................................................................................32
Creating a Patron List report.........................................................................................................................................33
Printing patron barcodes ..............................................................................................................................................34
Using Batch Process Patrons to edit patron records.....................................................................................................37
Step 1: specify the patrons to be processed ..........................................................................................................37
Step 2: specify the Replace the Field action ...........................................................................................................38
Step 3: preview changes........................................................................................................................................39
Step 4: process records.........................................................................................................................................40
Using Batch Process Patrons to delete patron records .................................................................................................41
Step 1: specify the patrons to be deleted ...............................................................................................................41
Step 2: specify the Delete the Patron action...........................................................................................................43
Step 3: preview changes........................................................................................................................................43
Step 4: delete records............................................................................................................................................44
Deleting patron checkout history at the end of the school year.....................................................................................45
Contents
iii
Managing Lost Copies............................................................................................................ 46
Marking a copy as Lost ................................................................................................................................................46
Marking a copy as Lost and Paid For............................................................................................................................48
Checking in a lost copy.................................................................................................................................................48
Creating a list of lost copies .........................................................................................................................................49
Managing Overdues............................................................................................................... 51
Overdue List and Overdue Notices................................................................................................................................51
Creating an Overdue List ..............................................................................................................................................52
Creating Overdue Notices .............................................................................................................................................53
Managing Fines ................................................................................................................... 55
Paying a fine.................................................................................................................................................................55
Paying a fine during regular check in - Standard Circulation Desk................................................................................57
Paying a fine during check in– Spectrum Circulation Desk ...........................................................................................57
Adjusting a fine.............................................................................................................................................................57
Adding a fine ................................................................................................................................................................59
Creating Fine Notices....................................................................................................................................................60
Creating Overdue Notices that include fines .................................................................................................................61
Managing Holds ................................................................................................................... 62
Placing a hold...............................................................................................................................................................62
Removing a hold ..........................................................................................................................................................63
Making a hold available ................................................................................................................................................64
How do I know when a hold is available? .............................................................................................................. 64
What should I do when a hold is available?........................................................................................................... 66
What happens when a different patron tries to check out an available hold? ......................................................... 66
Creating a Copies on Hold report..................................................................................................................................67
Managing Bookings ............................................................................................................... 69
Creating a booking .......................................................................................................................................................69
Removing a booking.....................................................................................................................................................71
Responding to booking messages................................................................................................................................72
Creating a Bookings Pick List .......................................................................................................................................73
Tracking In-Library Use .......................................................................................................... 75
Stand-alone Circulation .......................................................................................................... 77
When do I use stand-alone circulation?........................................................................................................................77
Checking out and checking in copies............................................................................................................................77
Processing stand-alone transactions ............................................................................................................................79
Remote Circulation with In-Hand ............................................................................................... 80
Extracting titles and patrons .........................................................................................................................................80
Processing In-Hand checkout and checkin transactions ...............................................................................................83
iv
Contents
2
Cataloging ...................................................................................................85
Introduction to Cataloging........................................................................................................ 86
Adding Titles and Copies ......................................................................................................... 87
Automatically assigning copy IDs .................................................................................................................................87
Importing MARC records..............................................................................................................................................87
Adding a new title and copy..........................................................................................................................................89
Using Authority Browse during cataloging....................................................................................................................92
Adding a new copy to an existing title...........................................................................................................................94
Printing copy barcodes.................................................................................................................................................95
Printing Spectrum 14-digit barcodes ............................................................................................................................97
Printing spine labels .....................................................................................................................................................97
Adding a new title and copy using zMARC....................................................................................................................99
Creating a Shelf List report .........................................................................................................................................101
Editing Titles and Copies ........................................................................................................103
Enhancing a title record using zMARC ........................................................................................................................103
Editing an author’s name using Batch Process Titles..................................................................................................104
Step 1: specify the titles to be processed.............................................................................................................104
Step 2: specify the Replace the Field action .........................................................................................................106
Step 3: preview changes......................................................................................................................................107
Step 4: process records.......................................................................................................................................108
Editing call number patterns using Batch Process Copies ..........................................................................................108
Step 1: specify the copies to be processed..........................................................................................................109
Step 2: specify the actions...................................................................................................................................109
Deleting Titles and Copies ......................................................................................................113
Deleting an individual title...........................................................................................................................................113
Deleting an individual copy .........................................................................................................................................113
Deleting titles and copies using Batch Process Copies ...............................................................................................114
Part I: place weeded copies on a book cart .................................................................................................................114
Part II: delete all copies in the book cart .....................................................................................................................115
Step 1: specify the copies to be processed..........................................................................................................115
Step 2: specify the Delete copy action .................................................................................................................116
Contents
v
Book Carts......................................................................................................................... 118
Introduction to Book Carts .........................................................................................................................................118
Creating a book cart ...................................................................................................................................................118
Creating loan periods and limits for a book cart .........................................................................................................119
Putting items on a book cart.......................................................................................................................................120
Taking items off a book cart .......................................................................................................................................121
Creating an Entry Collection book cart........................................................................................................................122
Creating a loan period for an entry collection book cart..............................................................................................123
Importing MARC records into an entry collection book cart .......................................................................................123
Reviewing records in an entry collection book cart.....................................................................................................125
Moving records from an entry collection book cart into the collection........................................................................127
Using Title Merge ................................................................................................................ 128
Using Maintain Authority to Create Authority Records and See and See Also References ............................ 129
3
Inventory ....................................................................................................131
Introduction to Inventory ........................................................................................................ 132
Why should I do inventory?........................................................................................................................................132
Inventory FAQs...........................................................................................................................................................132
Should I weed my library before doing inventory? .............................................................................................. 132
Should I inventory the whole library at once or should I do a section at a time? ................................................. 132
Can I continue to check out books while an inventory is in progress?................................................................. 133
What happens if I don’t finish inventory in one day and I have to log out of InfoCentre?..................................... 133
How does InfoCentre know what books are on my shelf? ................................................................................... 133
How do I scan barcodes and load them into InfoCentre?..................................................................................... 133
What does InfoCentre do with items that are missing? ....................................................................................... 134
Will InfoCentre automatically delete the records for lost books? ......................................................................... 134
What happens if I find a book that was marked as Lost in Inventory? ................................................................. 134
What happens if I find a book that was missing in Inventory and that I placed on a book cart for missing items?134
Starting Inventory ................................................................................................................ 135
Loading Copies ................................................................................................................... 137
Scanning directly into Inventory Copies screen ..........................................................................................................137
Scanning into text file and using Load File button.......................................................................................................138
Scanning with In-Hand and using Load In-Hand button .............................................................................................138
Managing the List of Inventoried Copies ..................................................................................... 139
Using the Inventory Conflicts Report to Resolve Inventory Conflicts ..................................................... 140
Using the Copies Missing from Inventory Report to Confirm Missing Copies ........................................... 143
Managing Missing Copies ...................................................................................................... 145
Marking missing copies as lost ..................................................................................................................................147
Adding missing copies to a book cart.........................................................................................................................148
Finishing Inventory............................................................................................................... 149
vi
Contents
4
Searching .................................................................................................. 151
Introduction to Searching .......................................................................................................152
Searching with the Search Station .............................................................................................153
Performing a Quick Search .........................................................................................................................................153
Performing an Advanced Search.................................................................................................................................154
Performing a Visual Search ........................................................................................................................................155
Performing a Reading Program Search ......................................................................................................................156
Performing an Other Libraries Search.........................................................................................................................158
Performing a Standards Search..................................................................................................................................159
How Standards Search works..............................................................................................................................159
Working with the search results .................................................................................................................................162
Basic title information..........................................................................................................................................162
Detailed title and copy information ......................................................................................................................163
Adding to a list, placing a hold, or booking..........................................................................................................164
Using Circulation Features in the Patron Search Station ...................................................................165
Logging in to My Library Info .....................................................................................................................................165
Renewing copies in My Library Info............................................................................................................................166
Placing a hold in the patron search station .................................................................................................................167
Removing a hold in the patron search station.............................................................................................................168
Placing a booking in the patron search station ...........................................................................................................169
Removing a booking in the patron search station .......................................................................................................171
Using Additional Features of the Patron Search Station ....................................................................172
Using the My List feature............................................................................................................................................172
Using the Staff View Feature.......................................................................................................................................174
Using Reading Lists....................................................................................................................................................175
Working with eBooks.............................................................................................................178
How it works ..............................................................................................................................................................178
About check in.....................................................................................................................................................178
Detailed instructions...................................................................................................................................................179
5
Reference Topics ......................................................................................... 183
Introduction to Reference Topics...............................................................................................185
Creating a Database Backup ....................................................................................................186
Copying the backup ....................................................................................................................................................187
Restoring a backup.....................................................................................................................................................187
Using the Find Patron Button ...................................................................................................188
Using the Find Copy Button .....................................................................................................191
Contents
vii
Using the Find or Find Title Button ............................................................................................ 194
Printing and Using Command Barcodes ...................................................................................... 197
Using Shortcut Keys ............................................................................................................. 199
Viewing, Saving, Printing, or Emailing Report Results .................................................................... 200
File Formats......................................................................................................................................................... 200
Using Select and Sort By Options in Reports................................................................................. 202
Sorting reports .................................................................................................................................................... 202
Limiting reports................................................................................................................................................... 203
Using Limit To Options in Reports............................................................................................. 206
Adding, Removing, Reordering, or Editing Fields in a Report ............................................................ 208
Using your customized report ............................................................................................................................. 211
Selecting Barcode Label Settings ............................................................................................. 212
Creating a Title List .............................................................................................................. 215
Updating WebMARC ............................................................................................................. 218
Updating Cross-Reference ...................................................................................................... 219
Exporting MARC records ........................................................................................................ 220
Adding a Notice Board Message ............................................................................................... 221
Making Changes to an Existing Visual Search Button ...................................................................... 222
Administration .................................................................................................................... 226
Patron types ...............................................................................................................................................................227
Copy types .................................................................................................................................................................229
Schedules...................................................................................................................................................................231
Creating a loan period.................................................................................................................................................232
Limits .........................................................................................................................................................................234
Setting up InfoCentre for eBooks............................................................................................... 236
Step 1: Add copy types for eBooks.............................................................................................................................236
Step 2: Provide patron types with eBook checkout privileges (optional).....................................................................236
Step 3: Enable eBooks on patron search stations (optional) .......................................................................................236
Step 4: Disable automatic override password .............................................................................................................236
Step 5: Create loan period(s) for eBooks ....................................................................................................................237
Step 6: Create limit(s) for eBooks...............................................................................................................................237
Step 7: Catalog eBooks...............................................................................................................................................237
6
Glossary.....................................................................................................239
viii
Contents
Appendix........................................................................................................ 247
Appendix A: Title/Copy Structure...............................................................................................248
Copy information fields...............................................................................................................................................251
Appendix B: Import Options for MARC Records ..............................................................................252
Import File Name and Location............................................................................................................................252
MARC record matching .......................................................................................................................................252
Using call number patterns to assign copy types.................................................................................................253
I: Refresh titles only....................................................................................................................................................255
II: Import new copies and refresh existing title records ..............................................................................................257
III: Import title information and add copies using default copy values ........................................................................259
IV: Import new titles and copies but overwrite imported copy ID................................................................................263
V: Import new and existing titles and copies that have not been barcoded and do not have copy IDs assigned..........265
VI: Import records using Spectrum 14-digit barcodes ................................................................................................267
Appendix C: Patron Import Format and InfoCentre Patron Record Fields ................................................269
Formats for patron data exported from a student information system ........................................................................269
Delimited ASCII format........................................................................................................................................269
Fixed-width ASCII format.....................................................................................................................................269
InfoCentre patron record fields ...................................................................................................................................270
Introduction
x
Introduction
Welcome to the User Guide for Sagebrush InfoCentre Library Manager v2.3.
The User Guide includes chapters on circulation, cataloging, inventory, and searching. A detailed table of
contents as well as a list of major sections at the beginning of each chapter will help you to find the topic that
you need. If you are using the Guide online, you can click a topic in the table of contents to jump directly to
that topic.
The topics covered have been carefully chosen to address the most commonly performed library tasks. Each
topic includes a brief introduction and step-by-step instructions for the task. Many topics also include a case
study that provides an example of how the task can be used.
Complex tasks such as batch processes and importing MARC records have been broken down into separate
topics that provide specific instructions for a common use of those features. For example, the User Guide has
separate topics for using Batch Process Patrons to edit patron records or delete patron records. Likewise,
instructions for importing MARC records have been divided according to common import scenarios.
The User Guide also contains reference topics, a glossary, and appendix.
•
Reference topics cover features that are available throughout the program, such as using the Find
Copy button. It also contains topics on fundamentals such as database backups, command barcodes,
and the Admin tab.
•
The glossary provides definitions of commonly used terms. As you use the User Guide, remember to
check the glossary if you want more information about a term.
•
The appendix provides additional information about title/copy structure, import options for MARC
records, and patron import formats and patron record fields.
In order to show how the different parts of InfoCentre relate to one another, this User Guide makes extensive
use of cross-references: one topic will contain a reference to another related topic. Cross-references to other
topics appear in italics. If you are using the Guide online, you can click the cross-reference to jump directly to
that topic.
Throughout the User Guide, you’ll notice the following icons to help you find important information quickly.
You get to choose.
These sections flag instances where InfoCentre’s administrative settings allow you
to choose your preference, whether it’s a default setting, or the way InfoCentre
functions in a particular situation. These sections include information about where to
find the relevant settings on the Admin tab.
Did you know?
These sections provide background information about InfoCentre, such as where a
particular feature is set up, as well as suggestions about using certain features of the
program.
Case Study
These sections provide an example of how an InfoCentre feature is used in a library
setting.
Important
These sections provide information you need to know before you proceed with a set
of instructions.
Introduction
We hope that the User Guide is helpful. You can also contact Technical Support between 7 AM and 7 PM
Central Time, Monday through Friday:
•
By phone at 1-866-235-8592.
•
By email to [email protected].
We value your feedback. Please send any comments or suggestions about the User Guide to
[email protected].
xi
Circulation
Introduction to Circulation .......................................................................................2
Circulating Copies – Standard Circulation Desk..............................................................5
Circulating Copies – Spectrum Circulation Desk ........................................................... 13
Circulating eBooks.............................................................................................. 21
Managing Patrons .............................................................................................. 22
Managing Lost Copies.......................................................................................... 46
Managing Overdues ............................................................................................ 51
Managing Fines ................................................................................................. 55
Managing Holds................................................................................................. 62
Managing Bookings............................................................................................. 69
Tracking In-Library Use ........................................................................................ 75
Stand-alone Circulation........................................................................................ 77
Remote Circulation with In-Hand ............................................................................. 80
2
Chapter 1: Circulation
Introduction to Circulation
Circulation includes all functions in InfoCentre that process and record your patrons’ use of your library
holdings: checking out, checking in, renewing, and, depending on your library’s policies, placing holds and
bookings and paying fines. Circulation also includes the management of patron records. These various
functions are located on InfoCentre’s Circulation tab. Related tasks and settings are located in the Circulation
section of the Admin tab.
InfoCentre offers you two options for the layout of circulation functions on the Circulation tab: the Standard
Circulation Desk and the Spectrum Circulation Desk. The first two sections of this Circulation chapter are
divided according to these two options – use the section that corresponds to the circulation desk used in your
library. The remaining sections of the Circulation chapter apply to both circulation desks.
How do I know which circulation desk I’m using?
The Standard Circulation Desk and the Spectrum Circulation Desk can be easily identified by their
appearance.
The Standard Circulation Desk
The Standard Circulation Desk takes its name from the fact that this is the default option. In other words,
when you first purchase and install InfoCentre, it is set to use the Standard Circulation Desk.
On the Standard Circulation Desk, each circulation function has its own button and opens on its own screen.
Standard
Circulation Desk
3
The Spectrum Circulation Desk
The Spectrum Circulation Desk takes its name from its similarity to the circulation module in Sagebrush
Spectrum. Former Spectrum customers may prefer this option.
On the Spectrum Circulation Desk, you can perform checkouts, checkins, and renewals from the same screen.
The Spectrum Circulation Desk also allows you to process more than one copy at a time.
Spectrum
Circulation Desk
How can I change my circulation desk?
Your circulation desk is chosen on the Admin tab, in Circulation’s Miscellaneous Settings. The choice you
make affects your workstation only – in other words, you will need to change the settings on each workstation
in your library that you use for circulation. This also means that you can have a different circulation desk on
each of your workstations.
To choose your circulation desk
You choose the circulation desk you want to use by turning the Spectrum Circulation Desk option on or off.
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Miscellaneous Settings.
2
Scroll down to the Spectrum Circulation Desk Settings section.
4
Choose Yes or No beside the Use
The Spectrum Circulation Desk
option.
3
To use the Standard Circulation Desk, select No beside the Use The Spectrum Circulation Desk option.
--or-To use the Spectrum Circulation Desk, select Yes beside the Use The Spectrum Circulation Desk
option.
4
Click Save. A window appears explaining that InfoCentre will reset to use the circulation desk you
selected. Click OK. InfoCentre will automatically display the circulation desk you selected.
Command barcodes
Both the Standard Circulation Desk and the Spectrum Circulation Desk allow you to use command barcodes.
These are barcodes that you scan with your circulation scanner in order to open certain screens or perform
certain actions. For more information, see Printing and Using Command Barcodes.
Find Patron and Find Copy buttons
Most circulation functions require you to enter a patron ID or copy ID. The easiest way to do this is to scan
the patron or copy barcode. You can also type the patron ID or copy ID.
InfoCentre provides Find Patron and Find Copy buttons throughout Circulation. You can use these buttons
to look up a patron or copy when you don’t have the barcode easily available. For more information, see
Using the Find Patron Button and Using the Find Copy Button.
5
Circulating Copies – Standard Circulation Desk
This section covers basic circulation activities on the Standard Circulation Desk. If you’re not sure whether
you are using the Standard Circulation Desk, see How do I know which circulation desk I’m using?
On the Standard Circulation Desk, each circulation function has its own button and opens on its own screen.
You can have a patron record move with you from one circulation function to another. From the
Admin tab, click Circulation and select Miscellaneous Settings. In the Standard Circulation Desk
Settings section, select Yes beside Remember Current Patron.
Checking out a copy
To check out a copy
1
From the Circulation tab, click Check Out. The Check Out screen appears.
2
Scan the patron's barcode label.
--or-Type the patron's ID and click Find Patron.
InfoCentre updates the screen to include the patron’s information.
3
Scan the copy's barcode label.
--or-Type the copy ID in the box provided and click Find Copy.
4
If the patron is checking out more than one copy, follow the same procedure to identify the remaining
copies.
5
When you have finished checking out copies to this patron, click Next Patron.
You can enter a Patron ID or Copy ID by scanning or typing it into the box. If you don’t have the
Patron or Copy ID available, you can use the Find Patron or Find Copy button to look up the ID. For
more information, see Using the Find Patron Button and Using the Find Copy Button.
6
Checking out a copy when an override password is required
When the patron checking out a copy has exceeded a fine limit, checkout limit, or renewal limit, InfoCentre
displays an Override Required message. You can choose one of two options, depending on your library’s
policy regarding patrons who have exceeded circulation limits:
•
Continue with the checkout process by supplying the override password and then clicking OK.
•
Stop the checkout process by clicking Cancel.
Depending on how InfoCentre is set up, the override password can be automatically supplied or you may have
to enter it manually.
This is the Override
Required message when
InfoCentre is set up to
automatically supply the
override password. Click OK
to continue with the check
out or click Cancel to stop
the checkout process.
prompt you for the override
password. Enter the
Override password and click
OK to continue with the
check out, or click Cancel to
stop the checkout process.
Fine limits are set for each Patron Type. Checkout and renewal limits are set in Limits.
Separate limits can be created for each patron type, or one limit can apply to all patron
types.
If you don’t know your override password, you can see what it is by checking the
Circulation Override Password section of Miscellaneous Settings, in the Circulation
section of the Admin tab. If you don’t have access to this part of Administration, ask your
InfoCentre Administrator to supply you with the override password.
You set up InfoCentre either to prompt you for the override password or to automatically
supply it.
From the Admin tab, click Circulation and select Miscellaneous Settings. Scroll down to
the Circulation Override Password section. Select Yes or No beside Automatically Use
Override Password. Whatever your choice, make sure that the password is entered in the
Override Password box.
7
Renewing a copy
InfoCentre offers several options for renewing copies. The two renewal methods described here are the
simplest ones to perform. Choose the method that is most convenient and that accommodates your library’s
policies regarding renewals as well as the display of a patron’s current checkouts.
To renew a copy by checking it out
Access the Check Out screen, identify the patron, and check out the copy, just as you would for a normal
checkout. InfoCentre recalculates the due date based on today’s date. (If you specified a special due date,
InfoCentre uses that instead of the calculated due date.)
To renew a copy by selecting it from a list
1
Access the Check Out screen and identify the patron, just as you would for a normal checkout.
InfoCentre displays a list of the copies currently checked out to the patron.
Copies checked out to
this patron
Renew button
2
Use your mouse to select the copy or copies that you want to renew. (To select a single copy, click it.
To select multiple copies, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or the Command key (Macintosh) and
click each of the copies that you want to select.) To renew all copies, click Select All.
3
Click Renew.
You can choose whether or not a patron’s current checkouts are displayed on the Check Out screen.
Some libraries prefer not to display current checkouts for privacy reasons.
From the Admin tab, click Circulation and select Miscellaneous Settings. Select Yes beside Display
Current Checkouts if you want a patron’s checked out items to appear on the Check Out screen. Select
No if you do not want checked out items to appear.
Your library’s policy about renewing items requires that the patron show you that she has the library
item she wants to renew and that it is in good condition. For this reason, your library will only renew a
copy when the patron brings it in to be checked out again.
8
Checking in a copy
Do not check in an eBook. Since InfoCentre automatically checks in eBooks at the end of their loan
periods, manual check in is not necessary. It can also cause InfoCentre to incorrectly show the eBook
as available for check out (status of In) when in reality an eBook cannot be checked out again until
the end of its loan period. For more information about eBooks, see Setting up InfoCentre for eBooks
and Working with eBooks.
To check in a copy
1
From the Circulation tab, click Check In. The Check In screen appears.
2
--or-Type the copy ID and click Find Copy.
•
If the copy has a fine, InfoCentre displays a Pay Fine window. The fine can be paid during check in,
or it can be added to the patron’s record to be paid later. For more information, see Responding to the
Pay Fine window during regular check in.
•
If the copy has a hold on it, InfoCentre displays a message. You can put the copy aside and notify the
relevant patron. For more information, see Making a hold available.
•
If the copy was previously marked as Lost, InfoCentre displays a message and asks if you want to
proceed. To check in the copy and change its status from Lost to In, click OK. For more information,
see Checking in a Lost copy and changing its status.
9
Responding to the Pay Fine window during regular check in
If you are checking in overdue items that have accrued fines, a Pay Fine window may appear during the
checkin process. The Pay Fine window gives you the option of having the patron pay the fine at the time of
check in or to add the fine to the patron’s record to be paid later. Fines that are not paid during check in can
be viewed on the Patron Status screen. For more information, see Paying a fine.
To respond to the Pay Fine window during regular check in
1
If the patron is making a fine payment, enter the amount in Payment Amount box. Then, in the Note
box, enter a brief description of the fine transaction.
--or-If the patron does not want to make a payment, enter 0 in the Payment Amount box.
2
Click Done.
You can use the Note box on the Pay Fine window to record information about the fine payment, such
as the check number or the method of payment.
You can choose whether or not the Pay Fine window appears during check in. If patrons rarely pay
their fines during check in at your library, it will speed up the checkin process if this window does not
appear.
From the Admin tab, click Circulation and select Miscellaneous Settings. Select Yes beside Allow
Fine Payments At Check In if you want the Pay Fine window to appear during check in. Select No if
you do not want the Pay Fine window to appear during check in.
10
Checking in a copy using Fast Check In
InfoCentre’s Fast Check In option offers an alternative checkin process. Instead of interrupting the checkin
process by displaying the Pay Fines or Display Hold window, InfoCentre logs this information and makes it
available in a Check In Exception List. This list can be viewed and printed when you have finished checking
in copies.
To check in a copy using Fast Check In
1
Fast Check In option
2
Select the Fast Check In option. Then click the Enter a Copy ID box.
3
When you check in a copy, InfoCentre displays information about the transaction in the lower portion of the
screen.
The word View
indicates that there is
a message associated
with this transaction.
Print Exceptions
button
•
If there is a message associated with a particular checkin transaction, InfoCentre displays the word
View in the Exceptions column. You can display the message by clicking this word. Once the
message has been displayed, InfoCentre removes it from the exception log; it cannot be retrieved
again.
•
Instead of viewing messages individually, you can print the Exceptions list by clicking Print
Exceptions. InfoCentre produces a report listing any messages from the current checkin session that
have not yet been viewed. Once the report has been generated, InfoCentre removes all messages from
the exception log; they cannot be printed or viewed again.
11
The exceptions log is deleted when you exit the Check In screen. If you wish to view messages or
print the Exceptions list, you must do so before exiting the Check In screen.
You can set up InfoCentre so that the Fast Check In option is automatically selected.
From the Admin tab, click Circulation and select Miscellaneous Settings. Scroll down to the Standard
Circulation Desk Settings section. Select Yes beside Fast Check In if you want it to be automatically
selected when you open the Check In screen. Select No if you do not want it to be automatically
selected.
You can view exceptions onscreen by clicking View in the Exception column. However, once you
view the exception, it disappears from the screen and this information is no longer available.
Changing the Check In Date before checking in copies
InfoCentre gives you the option to change the checkin date before checking in copies. This is useful if your
library has an unscheduled closure and you do not want patrons to be charged a fine for the day or days
closed.
To change the check in date
1
From the Check In screen, click Change Date. The Change Check In Date window appears.
2
Use the calendar to select the new date.
3
To specify a particular checkin time, select the Check In Time check box, and enter the desired time.
Use a 12-hour format and specify AM or PM (for example, 10:15 PM).
4
Click OK.
To reset the check in date to the current date and time
1
From the Check In screen, click Change Date. The Change Check In Date window appears.
2
Click Use Today.
Your school was closed for a day because of bad weather. On the day the school reopens, you gather
materials from the book drop. You are concerned that patrons whose due dates are the same as the day
the school was closed will be charged a fine for this day. Before you check in the book drop items,
you change the checkin date to the day the school was closed. By doing this, patrons will not be
charged a fine for returning items a day late.
12
Checking in a Lost copy and changing its status
If a lost item is returned to your library, you can change its status from Lost to In by checking in the item.
To check in a lost copy (Regular Check In) and change its status to In
1
2
--or-Type the copy ID in the Enter a Copy ID box. Then click Find Copy.
3
InfoCentre displays a message telling you that the copy was lost and asks if you want to proceed.
Click OK.
To check in a lost copy (Fast Check In)
1
2
If you have not already done so, select the Fast Check In option. Then click the Enter a Copy ID box.
3
--or-Type the copy ID and click Find Copy.
4
InfoCentre enters information about this checkin transaction in the lower portion of the screen. Notice
that the checkin transaction for this copy has the word View in the Exception column.
5
Click the word View. InfoCentre displays a message telling you that the copy was lost and asks if you
want to proceed.
6
Click OK.
A student has found a book that was marked as lost several months ago. You check in the book and
change its status from Lost to In. According to your library’s policy, you refund the student the
amount he was fined when he reported the book as lost. You use the Fines History report to determine
how much the fine and payment were.
13
Circulating Copies – Spectrum Circulation Desk
This section covers basic circulation activities on the Spectrum Circulation Desk. If you’re not sure whether
you are using the Spectrum Circulation Desk, see How do I know which circulation desk I’m using?
On the Spectrum Circulation Desk, you can perform checkouts, checkins, and renewals from the same screen.
The Spectrum Circulation Desk also allows you to process more than one copy at a time.
Scan or type copy and
patron IDs in this box.
Information about the
current patron is
shown here.
Copies checked out
list. These copies are
already checked out to
the patron.
Copies entered list.
These copies have not
yet been processed.
You can have a patron record remain onscreen after a circulation transaction. From the Admin tab,
click Circulation and choose Miscellaneous Settings. Scroll down to the Spectrum Circulation Desk
Settings section. Select No beside Clear Patron Information After Each Complete Transaction if you
want the patron record to remain onscreen after a circulation transaction. Select Yes if you do not
want patron information to stay onscreen.
14
Checking out a copy (Spectrum Circ Desk)
To check out a copy
1
From the Spectrum Circulation Desk screen, scan the patron's barcode label.
--or-Type the patron's ID in the box near the top of the screen. Then press the Enter or Return key.
2
--or-Type the copy ID in the box near the top of the screen. Then press the Enter or Return key.
InfoCentre adds the copy to the Copies entered list section of the screen.
3
copies.
4
Click Check Out. InfoCentre checks out all copies.
If you do not want to check out all the copies in the Copies entered list, use your mouse to select the
copies that you want to check out. (To select a single copy, click it. To select multiple copies, hold
down the Ctrl key (Windows) or the Command key (Macintosh) and click each of the copies that you
want to select.) Then click Check Out. InfoCentre checks out the selected copies.
You can enter a Patron ID or Copy ID by scanning or typing it into the box. If you don’t have the
Patron or Copy ID available, you can use the Find Patron or Find Copy button to look up the ID.
For more information, see Using the Find Patron Button and Using the Find Copy Button.
Checking out a copy when an override password is required
When the patron checking out a copy has exceeded a fine limit, checkout limit, or renewal limit, InfoCentre
displays an Override Required message. You can choose one of two options, depending on your library’s
policy regarding patrons who have exceeded circulation limits:
•
Continue with the checkout process by supplying the override password and then clicking OK.
•
Stop the checkout process by clicking Cancel.
Depending on how InfoCentre is set up, the override password can be automatically supplied or you may have
to enter it manually.
automatically supply the
override password. Click OK
to continue with the check
out or click Cancel to stop
the checkout process.
15
prompt you for the override
password. Enter the
Override password and click
OK to continue with the
check out, or click Cancel to
stop the checkout process.
Fine limits are set for each Patron Type. Checkout and renewal limits are set in Limits.
Separate limits can be created for each patron type, or one limit can apply to all patron
types.
If you don’t know your override password, you can see what it is by checking the
Circulation Override Password section of Miscellaneous Settings, in the Circulation
section of the Admin tab. If you don’t have access to this part of Administration, ask your
InfoCentre Administrator to supply you with the override password.
You set up InfoCentre either to prompt you for the override password or to automatically
supply it.
From the Admin tab, click Circulation and select Miscellaneous Settings. Scroll down to
the Circulation Override Password section. Select Yes or No beside Automatically Use
Override Password. Whatever your choice, make sure that the password is entered in the
Override Password box.
Renewing a copy
InfoCentre offers several options for renewing copies. The two renewal methods described here are the
simplest ones to perform. Choose the method that is most convenient and that accommodates your library’s
policies regarding renewals as well as the display of a patron’s current checkouts.
To renew a copy without identifying the patron
1
From the Spectrum Circulation Desk screen, scan the copy's barcode label.
--or-Type the copy's ID in the box near the top of the screen. Then press the Enter or Return key.
2
If you want to renew more than one copy, follow the same procedure to identify the remaining copies.
3
Click Renew. InfoCentre renews the copies.
If you do not want to renew all the copies in the Copies entered list, use your mouse to select the
copies that you want to renew. (To select a single copy, click it. To select multiple copies, hold down
the Ctrl key (Windows) or the Command key (Macintosh) and click each of the copies that you want
to select.) Then click Renew. InfoCentre renews the selected copies.
16
To renew a copy by selecting it from the Copies checked out list
1
From the Spectrum Circulation Desk screen, scan the patron's barcode label.
--or-Type the patron's ID in the box near the top of the screen. Then press the Enter or Return key.
InfoCentre displays basic information about the patron, and also shows a list of copies currently
checked out to this patron.
Renew button
Copies checked out to
this patron
2
In the Copies checked out list, use your mouse to select the copy or copies that you want to renew.
(To select a single copy, click it. To select multiple copies, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or the
Command key (Macintosh) and click each of the copies that you want to select.)
3
Click Renew.
You can choose whether or not a patron’s current checkouts are displayed on the Check Out screen.
Some libraries prefer not to display current checkouts for privacy reasons.
From the Admin tab, click Circulation and select Miscellaneous Settings. Select Yes beside Display
Current Checkouts if you want a patron’s checked out items to appear on the Check Out screen. Select
No if you do not want checked out items to appear.
Your library’s policy about renewing items requires that the patron show you that she still has the
library item she wants to renew and that it is still in good condition. For this reason, your library will
only renew a copy when the patron brings it in to be checked out again.
17
Checking in a copy
In order for the Check In window to appear after a copy is checked in, you must have this option
turned on. From the Admin tab, click Circulation, and then choose Miscellaneous Settings. In the
Spectrum Circulation Desk Settings section, select Yes beside Display Additional copy Information
After Check In.
Do not check in an eBook. Since InfoCentre automatically checks in eBooks at the end of their loan
periods, manual check in is not necessary. It can also cause InfoCentre to incorrectly show the eBook as
available for check out (status of In) when in reality an eBook cannot be checked out again until the end
of its loan period. For more information about eBooks, see Setting up InfoCentre for eBooks and
Working with eBooks.
To check in a copy
1
2
If you want to check in more than one copy, follow the same procedure to identify the remaining
copies.
3
In the Copies entered list, use your mouse to select the copy or copies that you want to check in. (To
select a single copy, click it. To select multiple copies, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or the
Command key (Macintosh) and click each of the copies that you want to select.)
4
Click Check In. The Check In window appears showing the copies that have been checked in.
The word View
Print Exceptions
button
5
If the copy has a hold on it or if there is something else unusual about the checkin transaction,
InfoCentre displays the word View in the exceptions column for the transaction.
•
Display the message by clicking the word View. Once the message has been displayed, it cannot be
retrieved again.
--or--
•
Exceptions. InfoCentre produces a report listing any messages from the current batch of checkins.
Logged messages are deleted when you exit the Check In window. If you wish to view messages or
print the Exceptions list, you must do so before exiting the Check In window.
6
After viewing any messages or printing the Exceptions list, click Close.
You can view exceptions onscreen by clicking View in the Exception column. However, once you
view the exception, it disappears from the screen and this information is no longer available.
18
Responding to the Pay Fine window during check in
If you are checking in overdue items that have accrued fines, an exception will appear in the list of checked in
copies. When you view this exception, a Pay Fine window appears. You have the option of having the patron
pay the fine at the time of check in or adding the fine to the patron’s record to be paid later. Fines that are not
paid during check in can be viewed on the Patron Status screen. For more information, see Paying a fine.
To respond to the Pay Fine window
1
In the Exception column, click the word View. If the copy is overdue and a fine has been applied, the
Pay Fine window appears.
2
If the patron is making a fine payment, enter the amount in Payment Amount box. Then, in the Note
box, enter a brief description of the fine transaction.
--or-If the patron does not want to make a payment, enter 0 in the Payment Amount box.
3
Click Done.
You can choose whether or not InfoCentre lists an exception for copies with fines during check in. If
patrons rarely pay their fines during check in at your library, it may speed up the checkin process if an
exception is not listed when a copy has a fine.
From the Admin tab, click Circulation and choose Miscellaneous Settings. Select Yes beside Allow
Fine Payments At Check In if you want an exception to appear during check in. Select No if you do not
want an exception to appear during check in.
19
Changing the Check In Date before checking in copies
InfoCentre gives you the option to change the check in date before checking in copies. This is useful if your
library has an unscheduled closure and you do not want patrons to be charged a fine for the day or days
closed.
To change the check in date
1
From the Spectrum Circulation Desk screen, click Check In Date. The Change Check In Date window
appears.
2
Use the calendar to select the new date.
3
To specify a particular checkin time, select the Check In Time check box, and enter the desired time.
Use a 12-hour format and specify AM or PM (for example, 10:15 PM).
4
Click OK.
To reset the check in date to the current date and time
1
From the Spectrum Circulation Desk screen, click Check In Date. The Change Check In Date window
appears.
2
Click Use Today.
Your school was closed for a day because of bad weather. On the day the school reopens, you gather
materials from the book drop. You are concerned that patrons whose due dates are the same as the day
the school was closed will be charged a fine for this day. Before you check in the book drop items,
you change the checkin date to the day the school was closed. By doing this, patrons will not be
charged a fine for returning items a day late.
20
Checking in a Lost copy and changing its status
If a lost item is returned to your library, you can change its status from Lost to In by checking in the item.
To check in a lost copy
1
InfoCentre adds the copy to the Copies entered list.
2
Click Check In. The Check In window appears showing the checkin transaction.
The word View
3
In the check in transaction for the copy, click the word View (in the Exception column). InfoCentre
displays a message telling you that the copy was lost and asks if you want to proceed. To check in the
copy and change its status from Lost to In, click OK.
4
Click Close to close the Check In window.
A student has found a book that was marked as lost several months ago. You check in the book and
change its status from Lost to In. According to your library’s policy, you refund the student the
amount he was fined when he reported the book as lost. You use the Fines History report to determine
how much the fine and payment were.
The Lost report includes copies marked as lost during inventory as well as copies whose status is
changed to Lost in Circulation.
21
Circulating eBooks
Circulating eBooks is a two-step process. First the eBook must be checked out. Then, it must be downloaded.
Before circulating eBooks, make sure that you have performed the setup tasks described in Setting up
InfoCentre for eBooks.
Step 1: Check out
You can check out eBooks from any InfoCentre client. In addition, patrons can check out eBooks themselves
from patron search stations.
Checking out eBooks from an InfoCentre client
You can check out eBooks just as you would any other library material. For help checking out materials using
the Standard Circulation Desk, see Checking out a copy. For help checking out materials using the Spectrum
Circulation Desk, see Checking out a copy (Spectrum Circ Desk).
When checking out an eBook, you will probably not have access to a copy barcode label. Instead of
identifying the eBook by scanning its barcode label, use the Identify Copy window to identify it by
title or some other piece of information. For instructions, see Using the Find Copy Button.
Checking out eBooks from patron search stations
If the Enable eBook Checkouts option has been set to On from the Miscellaneous Settings screen (Searching),
patrons can check out eBooks themselves. They simply perform a search from any patron search station,
display the eBook's copy information, and then click the desired copy's Check Out button. For detailed
instructions, see Working with eBooks.
Only patron types with the Search Station Access: eBooks option selected, can check out eBooks.
Step 2: Download the eBook
After check out, patrons must download the eBook from the My Library Info tab of a patron search station.
For instructions, see To download an eBook.
Patrons should download eBooks from the same computer that they will use to read the them. This is
because for each check out, an eBook can be downloaded only once and to only a single computer.
About check in
When the loan period ends, InfoCentre automatically checks in the eBook. At this point, the eBook expires
and cannot be viewed by the patron until it is checked out again.
Do not check in an eBook manually. Since InfoCentre automatically checks in eBooks at the end of
their loan periods, manual check in is not necessary. It can also cause InfoCentre to incorrectly show
the eBook as available for check out (status of In) when in reality the eBook cannot be checked out
again until the end of its loan period.
About holds, bookings, and renewals
Unlike traditional library materials, eBooks cannot be renewed, booked, or placed on hold.
22
Managing Patrons
Managing patrons involves the creation, maintenance, and organization of information about your patrons.
Each patron’s information is stored in a patron record. A patron record has four required fields:
•
Patron ID – a unique identifying number within InfoCentre. This patron ID can be printed as a
barcode label which is scanned when the patron performs certain circulation activities.
•
Patron Type – the category of patrons to which the individual patron record belongs. Patron types
are used for creating loan periods and limits, and can be used in reports. For more information, see
Patron types.
•
Privileges Expire – the date the patron’s library privileges expire. This date is set for each patron
type.
•
Surname – the patron’s last name.
Patron records record other types of information about each patron, such as grade, homeroom, and address.
InfoCentre also offers user-defined fields which can be customized to record specific types of information.
Patron records can be entered individually or imported from a file. Patron records can also be edited
individually or by using a batch process.
Adding a new patron to InfoCentre
You can use the Maintain Patrons feature to manually add a new patron to InfoCentre. This method is most
useful for adding individual patrons. It can also be used when importing records from an outside application is
not an option.
You add and edit patron information from the Maintain Patrons screen on the Circulation tab.
23
Most of the fields on this screen are self-explanatory. Only those fields that require explanation are described
in the following table.
Field
Description
Patron ID
The patron's ID.
This can be any series of alphanumeric characters (without spaces or
symbols) as long as the ID has not already been assigned to another patron.
Patron IDs can be up to 14 characters long.
Patron Type
The patron's type.
The available patron types will vary from library to library; however, some
common types are Faculty, Student, and Parent.
The Patron Type list includes only those patron types set up for your
library. If these types do not meet your needs, you can set up additional
patron types and remove existing ones. For more information, see Patron
types.
Privileges Expire The date that the patron's library privileges expire.
Each patron type has a Privileges Expire date set for it. When you select a
patron type on the Maintain Patrons screen, InfoCentre automatically enters
this date in the patron record.
If you need to change the Privileges Expire date, click the field. Use
InfoCentre’s calendar feature to select the new date.
Photo
You can add a photo to the patron’s record by clicking Change Photo.
When the file selection window opens, navigate to and select the photo file.
Patron photos must be in either GIF or JPEG formats and have the extension
jpg, jpeg, or gif.
To manually add a new patron
1
From the Circulation tab, click Maintain Patrons. The Maintain Patrons screen appears.
2
Click Add New.
3
Enter the information for the new patron.
4
Click Save. A window appears when the record has been successfully saved. Click OK.
Many libraries do not assign their own patron IDs; instead, they use patron IDs assigned by a student
information system (SIS). If you do not currently import student data from a SIS, using SIS-assigned
patron IDs will simplify the import process if you decide to do this in the future.
You can set up InfoCentre to automatically supply a patron ID. From the Admin tab, click
Circulation and choose Miscellaneous Settings. Then set the Auto Assign Patron ID option to Yes.
Enter the ID number that InfoCentre will assign to the next new patron in the Patron ID Starting At
box. InfoCentre will automatically increment the number entered here.
24
Editing a patron record
You can easily edit an existing patron record. This method is most useful if you are making changes to a
small number of records – for example, entering a new address or phone number for a patron.
If you need to make the same change to a large number of patron records – for example, changing the grade
or homeroom – you can perform a batch process. For more information, see Using Batch Process Patrons to
edit patron records.
To edit a patron record
1
From the Circulation tab, click Maintain Patrons. The Maintain Patrons screen appears.
2
Click Find, and then identify the patron. For help identifying a patron, see Using the Find Patron
Button.
3
When the patron’s information appears on the Maintain Patrons screen, make your changes.
4
When you have finished, click Save. A window appears when the record has been successfully saved.
Click OK.
You can use the patron import feature to update patron records. When you import patron records,
InfoCentre looks for a match between patron IDs in existing patron records and incoming patron IDs.
When these IDs match, InfoCentre updates the patron record with the data from the incoming record.
If you import patron data from a student information system (SIS), the import process easily updates
existing patron records with new information. InfoCentre allows scheduled patron imports so that you
can regularly update your patron records.
Importing patron records from a student information system (SIS)
Importing patron records from a student information system allows you to take advantage of existing patron
data gathered by your school.
This option also allows you to easily update existing patron records and add new records. When you import
patron records, InfoCentre looks for a match between patron IDs in existing patron records and incoming
patron IDs. When these IDs match, InfoCentre updates the patron record with the data from the incoming
record. If there is no match, InfoCentre adds a new patron record. InfoCentre allows scheduled patron imports
so that you can regularly update your patron records.
Typically, when patron data is exported from a student information system, it is not in a format that can be
imported directly into InfoCentre. However, you can use InfoCentre’s Patron Porter feature to format the data
so that it can be imported into the program.
Before importing
•
Export patron data from the student administration system. This process copies patron data from
the student information system to a file that InfoCentre can use. Exporting should be done by
someone familiar with the student information system. The exported file should be in one of the
formats described in Formats for patron data exported from a student information system. If it is not
in one of these formats, have someone with adequate data-conversion tools and technical knowledge
convert it before you proceed.
•
25
Gather information about the import file. You need to know basic information about the file you
are importing. Before importing, you should be able to answer all of the questions listed below. You
will most likely need to get this information from the person who exported the data from the student
information system.
o
Is the file in a delimited ASCII format – in other words, is the patron information separated
by characters such as commas or tabs? If yes, you need to know:
The character used as the delimiter. (A delimiter is the character used to separate
fields.)
The character used as the text qualifier. (A text qualifier is the character used to
enclose text.)
The location of the first row containing patron data.
o
Is the file in a fixed-width ASCII format – in other words, is the patron information separated
into columns? If yes, you need to know:
The location of the first row containing patron data.
o
What patron information has been exported. This may help you in Step 3, when you label
each field. You may also want to compare this information with the patron fields listed in
InfoCentre patron record fields to help you decide which label belongs to which field.
Importing
Once you have the details about the import file, you can provide InfoCentre with the necessary information
and start the import.
Step 1: provide basic information about the import file
The first step is to identify the import file and provide basic information about its format.
To specify the import file and basic format information
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Import Patrons. The Import Patrons screen
appears.
26
2
Click Browse. A file selection window opens. Use this window to navigate to and select the file
containing the patron information that you want to import.
3
Click Patron Porter Settings. The Patron Porter Step 1 window appears.
4
Indicate whether the import file is delimited or fixed-width by selecting the appropriate option.
5
In the Start import at row box, indicate the first row of patron data that you want imported. For
example, if the patron information does not start until row three, type 3
6
Click Next. The Patron Porter Step 2 window appears.
The location of your import file depends on how the file was provided to you. If your file is on a
floppy disk, then browse to your floppy disk drive (usually your A:\ drive). If your file is on a CD,
then browse to your CD drive (usually your D:\ drive). The import file may also have been placed on
your network by the person who exported the patron data.
Step 2: separate the patron record fields
Before InfoCentre can import data, it needs to know where each field in the file starts and ends. The method
that you use to provide this information varies depending on whether you are importing a delimited or a fixedwidth file.
Delimited import file
If you are importing a delimited ASCII file, you must specify the delimiter and text qualifier used in the file.
You do this from the Patron Porter Step 2 window.
Text Qualifier list
Delimiters section
Data Preview area
27
To specify the delimiter and text qualifier
1
From the Patron Porter Step 2 window, in the Delimiters section, select the delimiter used in the
import file. (If this delimiter is not one of the listed options, select Other and type the delimiter in the
adjacent box.)
2
Open the Text Qualifier list and choose the text qualifier used in the import file. (If the import file does
not use a text qualifier, choose None.)
3
Check the Data Preview area at the bottom of the screen. If you have specified the correct delimiter
and text qualifier, the preview should show well-organized columns of data. If the data all runs
together, then you may not have specified the correct delimiter.
4
Click Next. The Patron Porter Step 3 window appears.
Fixed-width import file
If you are importing a fixed-width ASCII file, you need to mark where the data for each field begins. You do
this by adding field separators to the preview area of the Patron Porter Step 2 window. (Field separators are
vertical lines that indicate where one field ends and the next begins.)
Field separator
To specify field boundaries
1
2
Place a field separator at the beginning of each field. The following table provides the information you
need to add, move, and delete field separators.
To
Description
Add a field separator
In the Data Preview area, position your mouse pointer at the beginning of
the field and click. InfoCentre adds the field separator.
Move an existing field
separator
In the Data Preview area, use your mouse to drag the field separator to the
desired position.
Delete an existing field
separator
In the Data Preview area, double-click anywhere on the field separator.
When the field separators are in the correct position, click Next. The Patron Porter Step 3 window
appears.
28
Step 3: label fields
You must label fields (columns) in the import file so that Patron Porter knows what type of information is in
each field. You do this from the Patron Porter Step 3 window.
It may help you to have a list of the patron record fields that were exported from the student information
system. You may also want to refer to the list of InfoCentre patron record fields in InfoCentre patron record
fields. Use this list to help you determine the correct label for each column of data.
If you do not want a particular column of data imported into InfoCentre, do not label it. InfoCentre imports
only those columns that have been assigned InfoCentre field names.
Field Name area
Data Preview area
This column has not
been labeled
This column has been
labeled “Patron ID”
To label fields in the import file
1
2
From the Patron Porter Step 3 window, use your mouse to label fields. The following table provides
the information you need to add and remove labels.
To
Description
Add a label
Drag the relevant field name from the Field Name area to the Data
Preview area. Then, drop the field name on the column that you want to
label.
Remove a label
Drag the label off the column.
When all the fields that you want to import are labeled, click Finish to return to the Import Patrons
screen.
Step 4: import data
Once you have supplied InfoCentre with information about the import file, you can start the import.
To start the import
From the Import Patrons screen, click Import Now. InfoCentre starts importing patron data.
29
Step 5: view import results
A window appears when the import is complete. The window provides total numbers for the following:
Type of
Information
Description
patron(s) added
The number of patron records added.
patron(s) updated
The number of patron records updated. InfoCentre updates patron
records when there is a match between a patron ID in the import
file and a patron ID in an existing record.
record(s) rejected
The number of records that InfoCentre could not import.
InfoCentre tells you the name of files containing rejected or bad records. (These files can be viewed in the
importlogs subfolder of the InfoCentre client.) When you have reviewed the import results, click OK.
You can also review the import results on the Completed Imports tab.
To view import results on the Completed Imports tab
1
From the Import Patrons screen, click the Completed Imports tab. The Completed Imports tab
appears listing the completed imports.
Completed imports
2
In the Completed Imports section of the screen, click the desired import.
3
Click View.
When you are finished with the import results, you can delete them.
To delete import results
1
In the Completed Imports section of the screen, click the desired import.
2
Click Remove.
30
Importing patron records from another InfoCentre Library
You can import patron information from another InfoCentre library. This allows you to easily re-use patron
data – for example, you can use patron records from a previous InfoCentre library for students who are
moving from one school to another.
Before importing
The patron data that you want to import must be exported from the other InfoCentre library. This process
copies patron data from that library to a file that your InfoCentre program can import. Exporting is usually
performed by a librarian at the other library. For more information, see Exporting patron records from
InfoCentre.
Importing
Once information has been exported from the other InfoCentre library, you can import it into your InfoCentre
system.
To import patrons
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Import Patrons. The Import Patrons screen
appears.
2
Click Browse. A file selection window opens. Use this window to navigate to and select the file
containing the patron information that you want to import.
3
Click Import Now.
After importing
Once the import is complete, you should view the import results. This lets you know if any problems were
encountered. For instructions, see Step 5: view import results in the previous section.
The location of your import file depends on how the file was provided to you. If your file is on a
floppy disk, then browse to your floppy disk drive (usually your A:\ drive). If your file is on a CD,
then browse to your CD drive (usually your D:\ drive). The import file may also have been placed on
your network by the person who exported the patron data.
At the beginning of the school year, the elementary school librarian sends you a file containing patron
records for last year’s fifth graders; she exported these records from InfoCentre. These students are
now starting sixth grade at your middle school, so you import the patron records into InfoCentre.
31
Importing patron photos
Patron photos provide another way to identify patrons within InfoCentre. Importing patron photos allows you
to easily add a photo to each patron record.
Requirements
Photo files must be in either JPEG or GIF formats and have the extension jpg, jpeg, or gif.
You must provide InfoCentre with the information it needs to match each patron photograph to the correct
patron record. You can do this in two ways:
•
By using patron IDs as photo file names. For example, if a patron has an ID of 4578, the
corresponding photo file must have one of these names: 4578.jpg, 4578.jpeg, or 4578.gif.
--or--
•
By providing a reference file. Most companies that take school photos can provide a reference file.
This is a text file that includes the ID of each patron to be updated along with the name of the
matching photo file. Reference files must use a comma-delimited format with field order being patron
ID and then filename. All file names listed in the reference file must include an extension, but must
not include folder names. Acceptable: picture.gif. Unacceptable: location\picture.gif ).
To import patron photographs
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Import Patron Photos. The Import Patron Photos
screen appears.
2
If photo files are named by patron ID set the Photo Files Are Named By Patron ID option to Yes.
--or-If a reference file is used to match photo files with patron IDs, set the Photo Files Are Named By
Patron ID to No. Then click the first Browse button. When the file selection window opens, navigate to
and select the reference file.
3
Click the second Browse button. Then navigate to and select the folder containing the photo files that
you want to import.
4
Click Import. InfoCentre starts the import.
You should ask for a reference file when student photos are being taken.
32
Exporting patron records from InfoCentre
Use InfoCentre’s Export Patrons feature to create a copy of some or all of your patron records. This data can
be shared with another InfoCentre library. For information about the export file, see InfoCentre patron record
fields.
To export patrons
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Export Patrons. The Export Patrons screen
appears.
2
In the Select and Sort By section, specify a range of patrons to be exported. For more information, see
Using Select and Sort By Options in Reports.
3
In the Export File box, enter the full path and name of the export file. (This is the file that will contain
the exported patron information.) Alternatively, click Browse to navigate to the desired location, and
then enter a file name.
4
Click Export.
At the beginning of the school year, the middle school librarian asks you to send a file containing
patron records for last year’s fifth graders. These students are now starting sixth grade at the middle
school. You export these patron records from InfoCentre in your library so that she can import them
into InfoCentre in her library. After you export these records, you batch delete them.
33
Creating a Patron List report
InfoCentre’s Patron List report is a useful tool for reviewing your patrons. The Select and Sort By section
allows you to create a list of patrons sorted by any field in the patron record. The Limit To section allows you
view your patrons by patron type, date added or edited, and date last used.
To create a Patron List report
1
From the Reports tab, click Patron Reports. Then choose Patron List. The Patron List screen appears.
2
Use the Select and Sort By section to specify the sort order and range for the report. For more
information, see Using Select and Sort By Options in Reports.
3
In the Limit To section, specify any limits that you want to apply. For more information, see Using
Limit To Options in Reports.
Limit
Description
Patron Type
Limits the report to include only patrons in one of the specified types.
To select more than one patron type, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or
the Command key (Macintosh) and click each of the desired types.
To include all patron types, do not select anything from this list.
Dated Edited Limits the report to include only those patrons whose records have been
edited within the specified time period.
To enter a date, display the calendar by clicking the date box's arrow.
To include all dates, leave these boxes empty.
34
Limit
Description
Date Added
Limits the report to include only patron records added to InfoCentre within
the specified time period.
When specifying a Date Added range, use the same process as described for
Date Edited (see above).
Date Last
Used
Limits the report to include only patrons whose most recent circulation
transaction occurred within the specified time period.
When specifying a Date Last Used range, use the same process as described
for Date Edited (see above).
4
Click Create. InfoCentre displays the report in the Print Preview window. From here, you can preview,
print, email, or save the report to a file. For more information, see Viewing, Saving, Printing, or
Emailing Report Results.
Printing patron barcodes
You can print barcodes for patrons you have added to InfoCentre. There are two ways for you to tell
InfoCentre which patron barcode labels you want to print.
•
Specify a range. You can specify a range of patrons and have InfoCentre create barcodes for each
patron falling within that range.
•
Create a list of copy IDs. You can create a list of patron IDs and have InfoCentre create barcodes for
each patron in the list.
You select patron barcode label settings, such as label stock and margins, in the Labels section of the Admin
tab. There is also a Customize button, which allows you to select and reorder the fields included on the
barcode label. For more information, see Selecting Barcode Label Settings and Adding, Removing,
Reordering, or Editing Fields in a Report.
To print a range of patron barcodes
1
From the Reports tab, click Patron Reports. Then choose Patron Barcodes. The Patron Barcodes
screen appears.
2
If the Select by Range tab is not already selected, click it.
3
In the Select and Sort By section, specify the sort order and range for the labels. For more
4
Limit
35
Description
Dated Edited Limits the barcodes to include only those patrons whose records have been
edited within the specified time period.
To include all dates, leave these boxes empty.
Date Added
Limits the barcodes to include only patron records added to InfoCentre
within the specified time period.
When specifying a Date Added range, use the same process as described
for Date Edited (see above).
Date Last
Used
Limits the barcodes to include only patrons whose most recent circulation
transaction occurred within the specified time period.
When specifying a Date Last Used range, use the same process as
described for Date Edited (see above).
Patron ID
Limits the barcodes to include only patrons with IDs that fall within the
specified range.
Patron Type
Limits the barcodes to include only patrons with one of the specified types.
5
In the Number of copies to print box, enter the number of barcodes that you want printed for each
patron. For example, to print two barcodes per patron, type 2.
6
To have InfoCentre start printing anywhere other than the first label on the page, enter the appropriate
values in the Row and Column box. For example, to specify that InfoCentre start at the 3rd label in the
2nd row, enter 2 in the Row box and 3 in the Column box.
7
Click Create. InfoCentre displays the barcodes in the Print Preview window. From here, you can
preview and print the barcodes. For more information, see Viewing, Saving, Printing, or Emailing
Report Results.
36
To print a list of patron barcodes
1
From the Reports tab, click Patron Reports. Then choose Patron Barcodes. The Patron Barcodes
screen appears.
2
Click the Select by List tab. The Select by List tab appears.
3
Create a list of patron IDs. The following table provides the information you need to add and delete
patron IDs from the list.
To
Description
Add a patron ID
In the Patron ID box, type the ID that you want to add. Then click
Add.
Remove an ID
from the list
In the Barcode list, click the patron ID that you want to remove. Then
click Delete.
4
patron. For example, to print two barcodes per copy, type 2.
5
6
Report Results.
Running the same sheet of labels through your printer more than once may void your printer’s
warranty.
The Set Starting Position option allows you to print barcodes on partially used sheets of label stock.
Use the Row and Column boxes to indicate where on the partially used sheet you want InfoCentre to
start printing barcodes.
There’s an easy way to print patron barcodes for patrons you’ve just added to InfoCentre – limit
your copy barcodes by date added. Enter the date you added the patrons in the Date Added box
and leave the To box blank. InfoCentre selects all patrons added on or after that date.
37
Using Batch Process Patrons to edit patron records
InfoCentre’s Batch Process Patrons feature allows you to make changes to more than one patron record at the
same time. To perform a batch process, you need to
•
Identify a common feature among the records you want to change so that you can tell InfoCentre
which records to select for processing. Some examples of common features are patron type, grade,
and homeroom.
•
Make the same change to each record. Some examples of changes you could make using a batch
process are changing the patron type, grade, or homeroom.
You can use the Batch Process Patrons feature to make a wide range of changes to your patron records. The
following instructions focus on one common batch process: Replace the field. When you use Replace the
field, you are instructing InfoCentre to change the contents of a specified field in the patron record. You can
use this batch process to make changes such as moving patrons to another patron type, changing the grade, or
renewing privileges.
Make sure that you have a current database backup before performing a batch process. That way, if
there is a problem with your batch process, you can restore your current data. For more information,
see Creating a Database Backup.
Step 1: specify the patrons to be processed
In this step, you identify the common feature among the records you want to change. You do this by
specifying a patron range and adding conditions. InfoCentre processes only those patrons who both fall within
the specified range and meet the specified conditions.
To specify a range of patrons
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Batch Process Patrons. The Batch Process
Patrons screen appears.
2
In the Select Range section, leave the Range set at Patron ID and the Range From and To boxes blank
so that the batch process includes all patrons.
--or-Choose a value from the Range list and specify the range of patrons you want to include in the batch
process.
38
To add conditions
1
In the Conditions section, click Add. The Edit Condition window appears.
2
Specify the field and contents that you want to replace.
•
Choose the field from the Condition Field list.
•
Choose contains from the Condition list.
•
Enter the text you want to change in the Condition Value box.
Select Case-sensitive if you want InfoCentre to match the way the value is capitalized. This option
would be helpful if you wanted to change a title case value to an uppercase value – for example,
Garcia to GARCIA.
Select Whole word only if you want InfoCentre to find an exact match. For example, if you select
this option for the word Student, InfoCentre would include only records with the word Student in
the Condition Field.
If you do not select this option, InfoCentre matches based on starting characters only. For
example, InfoCentre would consider Students or Student-elementary as matches for Student.
•
Click OK. The condition now appears in the Conditions section of the Batch Process Patrons
section.
Step 2: specify the Replace the Field action
In this step, specify what you want done to the selected patron records. You do this by adding an action.
To add the Replace the Field action
1
In the Actions section, click Add. The Edit Action window appears.
2
39
Specify the change you want to make to the contents of the field you indicated in the Conditions
section.
•
If Replace the field has not already been chosen as the Action, choose it from the list.
•
From the Field list, choose the same field you chose for the Conditions section.
•
If with has not already been chosen as the Modifier, choose it from the list.
•
In the Value box, enter the text that you want to appear in this field.
•
Click OK. The action now appears in the Actions section of the Batch Process Patrons screen.
Step 3: preview changes
In this step, you preview the changes. This allows you to identify problems and adjust the batch process
before InfoCentre actually changes any records.
To preview changes
On the Batch Process Patrons screen, click Preview. A window appears explaining the preview process.
Click Yes. The Batch Process Patrons Preview report appears and lists the changes that the batch process
will perform.
Review these changes carefully to make sure that the batch process will make the changes you want to
make to your patron records. You may want to print or save a copy of the report.
Is the batch
process selecting
the patron records
you want to
change?
Is the batch process making
the change you want it to?
Is the batch process changing
the number of patron records
you expected it to?
40
If the batch process is correct
Click Close to close the preview report and return to the Batch Process Patrons screen. Then proceed with
Step 4.
If the batch process is not correct
1
Click Close to close the preview report and return to the Batch Process Patrons screen.
2
Adjust the Range and Conditions as required. (Refer to Step 1 to help you make these changes.) To
change an existing Condition, highlight it, and then click Edit.
3
Adjust the Actions as required. (Refer to Step 2 to help you make these changes.) To change an
existing Action, highlight it, and then click Edit.
4
Preview the changes again, following Step 3.
Step 4: process records
In this step, you process the records. Do not proceed with this step until you are sure that the batch process
will work the way you want it to.
To process patron records
Click Process. A window appears explaining the batch process. Click Yes. When the batch process is
complete, the Batch Process Patrons report appears. Like the Batch Process Patrons Preview report, it
lists the patron records changed and the change performed. Review the report to make sure the batch
process was correctly performed, and then click Close.
41
Using Batch Process Patrons to delete patron records
If you want to delete several patron records, you can use InfoCentre’s Batch Process Patrons feature. To
delete patron records using a batch process, you need to
•
Identify a common feature among the records you want to delete so that you can tell InfoCentre
which records to select. Some examples of common features are patron type, grade, and homeroom.
InfoCentre will not delete patrons who have outstanding circulation activity, such as items on loan or
outstanding fines, or who have messages.
When a patron is deleted, InfoCentre also removes any holds or bookings the patron may have and clears the
patron’s circulation and fine history.
This section provides instructions for using a batch process to delete patron records. This batch process is
useful for deleting records for patrons who have graduated.
Step 1: specify the patrons to be deleted
In this step, you identify the common feature among the records you want to delete. You do this by specifying
a patron range and adding conditions. InfoCentre processes only those patrons who both fall within the
specified range and meet the specified conditions.
To specify a range of patrons
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Batch Process Patrons. The Batch Process
Patrons screen appears.
2
In the Select Range section, leave the Range set at Patron ID and the Range From and To boxes blank
so that the batch process includes all patrons.
--or-Choose a value from the Range list and specify the range of patrons you want to include in the batch
process.
42
To add conditions
1
In the Conditions section, click Add. The Edit Condition window appears.
2
Specify the patrons you want to delete.
•
Choose a field from the Condition Field list. For example, to delete all patrons in Grade 5, select
Grade.
•
Choose contains from the Condition list. For example, to delete all patrons in Grade 5, select
contains.
•
Enter the text in the Condition Value box that will help you specify the patrons you want to delete.
For example, to delete all patrons in Grade 5, enter 5.
Select Case-sensitive if you want InfoCentre to match the way the value is capitalized. This option
would be helpful if you wanted InfoCentre to select a title case value instead of an uppercase value
– for example, Garcia instead of GARCIA.
Select Whole word only if you want InfoCentre to find an exact match. For example, if you select
this option for the word Student, InfoCentre would include only records with the word Student in
the Condition Field.
example, InfoCentre would consider Students or Student-elementary as matches for Student.
•
Click OK. The condition now appears in the Conditions section of the Batch Process Patrons
screen.
43
Step 2: specify the Delete the Patron action
In this step, you specify that you want to delete the patrons. You do this by adding an action.
To add the Delete the Patron action
1
In the Actions section, click Add. The Edit Action window appears.
2
Open the Action list and choose Delete the patron. When you choose this action, all other fields
become unavailable.
3
Click OK. A window appears explaining the batch delete process. Click Yes. The action now appears in
the Actions section of the Batch Process Patrons screen.
before InfoCentre actually deletes any records.
To preview changes
On the Batch Process Patrons screen, click Preview. A window appears explaining the preview process.
Click Yes. The Batch Process Patrons Preview report appears and lists the changes that the batch process
will perform.
Review the report carefully to make sure that the batch process will delete the correct patrons. You may
want to print or save a copy of the report.
Is the batch
process selecting
the patron records
you want to
delete?
Is there circulation activity that
you need to resolve before you
can delete the patron?
Is the batch process deleting
the number of patron records
you expected it to?
44
Click Close to close the preview report and return to the Batch Process Patrons screen. Then proceed with
Step 4.
1
Click Close to close the preview report and return to the Batch Process Patrons screen.
2
Adjust the Range and Conditions as required. (Refer to Step 1 to help you make these changes.) To
change an existing Condition, highlight it, and then click Edit.
3
Adjust the Actions as required. (Refer to Step 2 to help you make these changes.) To change an
existing Action, highlight it, and then click Edit..
4
If the preview lists patrons with circulation activity
If the report indicates any circulation activity, such as copies checked out or fines, print a copy of the
report and resolve the circulation activity. Then repeat Steps 1 to 3 of the batch process.
Step 4: delete records
In this step, you delete the records. Do not proceed with this step until you are sure the batch process will
work the way you want it to.
To delete the patron records
complete, the Batch Process Patrons report appears. Like the Batch Process Patrons Preview report, it
lists the patron records deleted. Review the report to make sure the batch process was correctly
performed, and then click Close.
45
Deleting patron checkout history at the end of the school year
InfoCentre saves information about each patron’s checkout history, including:
•
Each copy borrowed by the patron.
•
Checkout and checkin dates for each copy.
•
Each copy lost by the patron.
You can view this information by clicking the Patron History button on the Patron Status screen, or by
creating a Patron History report.
Patron checkout history can be valuable during the school year, but you may not want to save it beyond one
or two years. Not only will this older data clutter up your patron history reports, it takes up space on your
server. If you have enough checkout history data stored on your server, it can slow down InfoCentre’s
performance of certain tasks.
InfoCentre allows you to delete patron checkout history up to and including a certain date. This gives you the
option of saving current patron checkout history and deleting older data that is no longer useful to you.
You must select the Patron History option in order for it to appear on the Patron Status screen. From
the Admin tab, click Circulation, and select Miscellaneous Settings. Select Yes beside Show Patron
History Button.
To delete patron checkout history
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Delete Checkout History. The Delete Checkout
History screen appears.
2
Use the calendar to specify a date. InfoCentre will clear history accumulated on or before this date.
3
For Patron checkout history, select Yes.
4
Click Delete. A message appears asking if you are sure you want to proceed.
5
Click Yes.
In addition to patron checkout history, you can also use this feature to delete copy checkout history
and checkout statistics history.
46
Managing Lost Copies
As your patrons use your library’s holdings, some copies are inevitably lost. Sometimes these lost copies are
also found. You can use InfoCentre to help you record these changes in a copy’s status. When a patron reports
a missing item, Circulation allows you to mark that item as lost. You also have the opportunity to charge the
patron for the lost item. Once the patron pays this fine or charge, InfoCentre changes the status to Lost and
Paid For. When a patron finds and returns a lost item, Circulation allows you to change the item’s status from
Lost to In.
Marking a copy as Lost
The process of marking a copy as lost is different depending on whether the copy has a status of Out or In.
To mark a copy as lost when the copy has a status of Out
1
From the Circulation tab, click Copy Status. The Copy Status screen appears.
2
Use the Find Copy button to look up the lost copy’s ID.
--or-If you know the lost copy's ID, type it in the Enter a Copy ID box and click Find Copy.
The copy’s status information appears.
3
Click Lost. A message appears asking if you are sure you want to mark the copy as lost.
47
4
Click Yes. The Lost Copy window appears so that you can issue a fine or charge the patron for the lost
copy.
5
Indicate whether you want to issue a fine or charge for the copy. Then provide any other necessary
information about the transaction.
Option
Description
Do not issue Select this when you do not want to charge the patron a fine for the copy.
a fine
Issue a fine
Select this when you want to charge the patron a fine for the copy. Make
sure you also enter the fine amount in the adjacent box. If the patron is
making a payment, enter the payment amount.
When entering amounts, you do not need to enter the dollar sign ($). For
example, to assign a fine of five dollars, enter 5.00.
Charge for
the copy
Select this when you want the patron to pay for the copy. If the price has
been recorded in the copy information, InfoCentre enters it automatically for
you. For more information, see Copy information fields. You can adjust the
amount as necessary.
When entering amounts, you do not need to enter the dollar sign ($). For
example, to assign a fine of five dollars, enter 5.00.
Remember
patron with
copy
6
Select this to include patron information in the transaction record.
If you do not select this option, InfoCentre records that the copy was lost,
but does not store information about the patron responsible.
When you have finished providing fine and payment information, click Done.
You can use the Note box on the Lost Copy window to record information about how the copy was
lost or how the patron made his or her payment.
48
To mark a copy as lost when the copy has a status of In
1
From the Circulation tab, click Copy Status. The Copy Status screen appears.
2
Use the Find Copy button to look up the lost copy’s ID.
--or-If you know the lost copy's ID, type it in the Enter a Copy ID box and click Find Copy.
3
Click Lost. A message appears asking if you are sure you want to mark the copy as lost.
4
Click Yes. A message appears stating that the copy was marked as Lost.
5
Click OK.
Marking a copy as Lost and Paid For
InfoCentre automatically marks a copy as Lost and Paid For when a patron has been charged for a lost copy
and the patron pays the charge for the lost copy. This can take place when the copy is first marked as lost, or
the patron may pay the outstanding charge at a later time. For more information, see Marking a copy as Lost
and Paying a fine.
The status of Lost and Paid For is not displayed on the Copy Status screen. It is displayed in the Copy
Checkout History and Patron Checkout History reports. It can also be accessed through the Lost and Claimed
Returned report. For more information, see Creating a list of lost copies.
Checking in a lost copy
If a lost copy is found, you can change its status back to In simply by checking it in. For instructions, see
Checking in a Lost copy and changing its status (Standard Circulation Desk) or Checking in a Lost copy and
changing its status (Spectrum Circulation Desk).
49
Creating a list of lost copies
Use the Lost and Claimed Returned report to create a list of lost copies – these are copies marked as Lost on
the Patron Status screen or in Inventory. Include the Lost and Paid For report type if you want your list to
include lost copies that patrons have paid charges for. For more information, see Marking a copy as Lost and
Paid For.
To create a list of lost copies
1
From the Reports tab, click Circulation Reports. Then choose Lost and Claimed Returned. The Lost
and Claimed Returned screen appears.
2
In the Report Type section, select Lost, Lost and Paid For, or both.
Report Type Description
Lost
Lists copies with a status of Lost. Includes copies marked as Lost on the
Copy Status screen in Circulation and the Manage Missing Copies screen
in Inventory. For more information, see Managing Missing Copies.
Lost and Paid Lists copies with a status of Lost and for which the borrowing patron has
For
paid a charge. For more information, see Marking a copy as Lost and Paid
For.
Lost and Lost and Paid For are two distinct categories in the Lost and Claimed Returned report. Lost
does not include Lost and Paid For. Select both options if you want the report to list all lost copies.
50
3
Limit
Description
Call Number Limits the report to include only copies with call numbers falling within
the specified range.
To include all call numbers, leave the From and To boxes blank.
Copy Type
Limits the report to include only copies with one or more of the specified
types.
To select more than one copy type, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or
To include all copy types, leave this field blank.
Lost/Claimed Limits the report to include only those copies that were marked Lost or
Returned
Lost and Paid For within the specified time period.
Dates
To include all dates, leave both boxes blank.
4
Reports that include a Customize button allow you to make changes to the information that appears in
report results. For more information, see Adding, Removing, Reordering, or Editing Fields in a
Report.
Copies can be marked as Lost on the Copy Status screen in Circulation or the Manage Missing Copies
screen in Inventory. InfoCentre automatically marks copies as Lost and Paid For when a patron has
paid the total charge for a lost copy.
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Managing Overdues
Overdue items are items that a patron has kept past the date and time set by your library’s loan periods.
Keeping track of patrons with overdue items helps you to make sure that no single patron keeps materials
indefinitely. This, in turn, helps to make sure that items are available to as many patrons as possible.
You can create separate loan periods for specific patron types or copy types. You can also combine
the two types to create a loan period for a specific patron type borrowing items in a specific copy type.
Overdue List and Overdue Notices
InfoCentre offers two overdue reports: the Overdue List and Overdue Notices. Choose the report that best fits
your needs.
The Overdue List report creates a list of patrons who have overdue items.
The Overdue Notices report creates a notice that can be sent to patrons with overdue items.
52
Creating an Overdue List
The Overdue List report creates a list of patrons who have overdue items. You can choose how you want to
sort the list; you can also choose to limit the report by one or more patron or copy types, or by due date.
To list overdue copies
1
From the Reports tab, click Circulation Reports. Then choose Overdue List. The Overdue List screen
appears.
2
In the Select and Sort By section, specify the sort order and range for the report. For more
3
Limit
Description
Patron Type
Limits the report to include only patrons in the specified type(s).
Copy Type
Limits the report to include only copies in the specified type(s).
To include all copy types, do not select anything from this list.
Due Date
Limits the report to include only those overdue copies that fall within a
specified range of due dates.
To include all due dates, leave these boxes empty.
Limit
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Description
Hourly
Limits the report to include only those overdue copies that have hourly due
Checkouts Only dates.
Include
Patrons With
Fines But No
Overdues
4
Select Yes to include patrons with fines, even if those patrons do not have
overdue copies.
Report.
You want to create a list of overdue items to give to each homeroom teacher so that he or she can
remind students to return these items. You create an Overdue List report with the Select and Sort By
options set to sort by grade, homeroom, and surname. You also select the Page Break option so that
each homeroom is printed on a separate page. You then distribute the sections of the report to each
homeroom teacher.
Creating Overdue Notices
The Overdue Notice report creates a notice that can be sent to individual patrons to remind them about
overdue items.
To create overdue notices
1
From the Reports tab, click Circulation Reports. Then choose Overdue Notice. The Overdue Notice
screen appears.
2
In the Notice Type section, indicate whether you want InfoCentre to print one or three notices per
page by clicking the appropriate option.
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3
In the Select and Sort By section, specify the sort order and range for the notices. For more
4
Limit
Description
Patron Type
Copy Type
Due Date
Limits the notices to include only those overdue copies that fall within a
specified range of due dates.
Hourly
Limits the notices to include only those overdue copies that have hourly
Checkouts Only due dates.
Include
Patrons With
Fines But No
Overdues
Select Yes to include patrons with outstanding fines even if those patrons
do not have overdue copies. For more information, see Creating Overdue
Notices that include fines.
5
In the Notice Messages section, review the messages and where necessary, edit them. (Notice that
InfoCentre automatically entered the messages that were used the last time notices were generated.)
6
Click Create. InfoCentre displays the notices in the Print Preview window. From here, you can
preview, print, email, or save the notices to a file. For more information, see Viewing, Saving, Printing,
or Emailing Report Results.
The messages displayed on the notices vary depending on how you set the Notice Type option.
•
Three Notices Per Page. InfoCentre includes Library, Main, Overdue, and Long Overdue
messages on the notices.
•
One Notice Per Page. InfoCentre includes all messages on the notices.
Choosing Three Notices Per Page will save paper, but you will need to use a paper cutter to divide the
notices. One Notice Per Page will use more paper, but the notices can be distributed directly out of the
printer.
Report.
You can change the messages that appear on the overdue notice. Delete one of the current messages in
the Notice Messages section and enter a new message. The new message is saved automatically and
replaces the previous message.
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Managing Fines
Some libraries choose to charge fines for overdue, lost, or damaged items. As such, fines are part of an overall
strategy to make sure that items are returned on time and available to other patrons. Fines can also help you to
protect your assets.
In InfoCentre, fines include any monies owed to the library: not just charges for overdue items but also
charges for lost or damaged books, or services such as photocopies.
InfoCentre allows a grace period for patrons returning overdue items. The length of the grace
period is set in each loan period. The grace period may or may not be included when InfoCentre
calculates fines. This option is set in the Circulation section of the Admin tab.
Paying a fine
Fines can be paid from the Fines section of the Patron Status screen. InfoCentre gives you the option to pay a
specific fine or to pay all of a patron’s fines.
To pay a specific fine
1
From the Circulation tab, click Patron Status. The Patron Status screen appears.
2
The patron’s status information appears.
3
Scroll to the Fines section of the screen.
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4
Click the fine that you want to pay. Then click Pay Fine. The Pay Fine window appears.
5
In the Payment Amount box, enter the amount of the payment.
6
Click Done.
To pay all of a patron’s fines
1
2
3
4
Click Pay Total Fines. The Pay Total Fines window appears.
5
In the Payment Amount box, enter the amount of the payment.
6
Click Pay Now.
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InfoCentre provides an easy way for you to pay fines during check out. Click the Fines amount displayed
as part of the patron record and InfoCentre takes you directly to the Patron Status screen. Scroll down to
the Fines section to pay the fine.
You can have InfoCentre alert you that a patron has fines. From the Admin tab, click Circulation and
select Miscellaneous Settings. Set Alert If Patron Has Fines to Yes if you want InfoCentre to display a
message when a patron with fines checks out a copy or places a hold. Set it to No if you do not want this
message to be displayed.
InfoCentre also displays a message when the patron has exceeded the fine limit for his or her patron type.
For more information, see Checking out a copy when an override password is required (Standard
Circulation Desk) or Checking out a copy when an override password is required (Spectrum Circulation
Desk).
Paying a fine during regular check in - Standard Circulation Desk
You can pay a fine during regular check in. For more information, see Responding to the Pay Fine window
during regular check in.
If you’re not sure which circulation desk you are using, please see How do I know which circulation desk
I’m using?
Paying a fine during check in– Spectrum Circulation Desk
You can pay a fine during check in. For more information, see Responding to the Pay Fine window during
check in.
If you’re not sure which circulation desk you are using, please see How do I know which circulation desk
I’m using?
Adjusting a fine
InfoCentre allows you to change the amount of a fine. Some situations in which you may want to adjust a
patron’s fine include:
•
A patron’s circumstances cause you to lower the fine (for example, an item was returned late due to
illness).
•
A lost book was found or a damaged book was replaced, causing you to forgive the fine.
•
An overdue copy is lost or damaged, causing you to increase the amount of a fine.
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To adjust a fine
1
2
3
4
Click the fine that you want to adjust. Then click Adjust Fine. The Adjust Fine window appears.
5
In the New Amount Due box, enter the new amount for the fine.
6
Click Done.
A student is unable to pay all of a fine. You allow the student to volunteer in the library to “work off”
some of the fine. You then adjust the student’s fine to a lower amount.
You can use the Note box on the Adjust Fine window to record information about the fine adjustment,
such as why it was adjusted or by how much.
Adding a fine
InfoCentre allows you to add a fine. You can use this feature to charge a patron for lost or damaged items,
and to record the copy ID of the item the patron is being fined for. You can also use this feature to charge
patrons for a service, such as photocopies.
To add a fine
1
2
3
4
Click New Fine. The New Fine window appears.
5
If the fine is related to a specific copy, enter the copy's ID in the Copy ID box. (If you do not know the
copy ID, click the Copy ID button to search for the copy.)
6
If the patron is making a payment at this time, enter the amount in the Payment Amount box.
7
Click Done.
If the patron pays the new fine in full, InfoCentre does not display it on the Patron Status screen. If the
patron does not pay the fine or makes only a partial payment, the new fine is listed on the Patron Status
screen.
A student has damaged a book. Your library has a policy of charging patrons the cost of replacing a
damaged item. You add a fine for the cost of the book.
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Creating Fine Notices
The Fine Notice report creates a form letter that can be sent to individual patrons to inform them about fines
they owe. You can create notices for any fine amount, or limit notices to patrons who owe larger amounts.
To create fine notices
1
From the Reports tab, click Circulation Reports. Then choose Fine Notice. The Fine Notice screen
appears.
2
In the Notice Type section, indicate whether you want InfoCentre to print one or three notices per
page by clicking the appropriate option.
3
In the Select and Sort By section, specify the sort order and range for the notices. For more
4
Limit
Description
Patron Type
Copy Type
Fines Greater Generates notices for only those patrons whose total outstanding fines are
Or Equal To greater than or equal to the value you specify.
You do not need to enter the dollar sign ($). For example, to include only
patrons with fines over $1.00, enter 1.00
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5
In the Notice Messages section, review the messages and where necessary, edit them. (Notice that
InfoCentre automatically entered the messages that were used the last time notices were generated.)
6
Click Create. InfoCentre displays the notices in the Print Preview window. From here, you can
preview, print, email, or save the notices to a file. For more information, see Viewing, Saving, Printing,
The messages displayed on the notices vary depending on the Notice Type you select.
•
Three Notices per page. InfoCentre includes Library and Main messages on the
notice.
•
One Notice per page. InfoCentre includes all messages on the notices.
Choosing Three Notices Per Page will save paper, but you will need to use a paper cutter to
divide the notices. One Notice Per Page will use more paper, but the notices can be
distributed directly out of the printer.
Reports that include a Customize button allow you to make changes to the information that
appears in report results. For more information, see Adding, Removing, Reordering, or
Editing Fields in a Report.
You can change the messages that appear on the fine notice. Delete any of the current
messages in the Notice Messages section and enter a new message. The new message is
saved automatically and replaces the previous message.
Creating Overdue Notices that include fines
When you create overdue notices, InfoCentre gives you the option of including patrons with fines. This option
allows you to notify patrons of overdue items and fines in one notice. Unlike the Fine Notice report, however,
you cannot limit notices by the amount of the fine.
To create Overdue notices that include fines
Create the overdue notices just as you normally would, but in the Limit To section of the Overdue Notice
screen, set the Include Patrons With Fines But No Overdues option to Yes. For more information, see
Creating Overdue Notices.
You decide to create overdue notices that also include patrons with fines. This eliminates the need to
generate two separate notices and so makes your patron notification process more efficient.
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Managing Holds
InfoCentre allows patrons to place a hold on an item. When a patron places a hold, InfoCentre reserves the
item so that the patron placing the hold is notified when the item next becomes available. If more than one
patron places a hold on an item, InfoCentre makes note of the order in which the holds were placed.
Patrons usually place holds on items that are checked out but InfoCentre also allows you to place a hold on an
item that is on the shelf.
You can place a hold for a patron from the circulation desk, or patrons can be given privileges to place a hold
themselves in the search station. For more information, see Placing a hold in the patron search station.
Placing a hold
In InfoCentre, a hold is placed on a title. InfoCentre holds the first available copy of that title. For more
information about titles and copies, see Appendix A: Title/Copy Structure.
To place a hold
1
From the Circulation tab, click Holds.
--or-From the Spectrum Circulation Desk screen, click Holds.
The Holds screen appears.
2
3
Click Place Hold. The Identify Title window appears.
4
Look up the title that the patron wants to place a hold on and click Select. The Place Hold window
appears.
5
Click OK.
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In InfoCentre, a hold is placed on a title. InfoCentre holds the first available copy of that
title. This is why InfoCentre does not display a copy ID in the list of holds until after a hold
has become available – until then, InfoCentre doesn’t know which copy will become
available first to fill the hold request.
Patrons can place holds in the search station. For more information, see Placing a hold in
the patron search station.
Removing a hold
InfoCentre allows you to remove a hold. A patron may ask you to remove a hold that is no longer required.
Patrons can also remove a hold themselves in the search station. For more information, see Removing a hold
in the patron search station.
There are other situations in which you may want to remove a hold. For example, your library may have
policies about the length of time a hold can be placed, or the number of days a patron has to check out an
available hold. Once these limits have been reached, you can remove these holds.
To remove a hold
1
From the Circulation tab, click Holds.
--or-From the Spectrum Circulation Desk screen, click Holds.
The Holds screen appears.
2
InfoCentre updates the screen to include the patron’s information. Any existing holds are shown in the
lower section of the screen.
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Existing holds
3
Click the hold that you want to remove.
4
Click Remove. A message appears asking if you are sure that you want to remove the hold.
5
Click Yes.
Patrons can remove holds in the search station. For more information, see Removing a hold
in the patron search station.
Making a hold available
InfoCentre describes holds as available when a copy is ready to be checked out by the patron who placed the
hold. Most often this happens during the check in process, but if a patron places a hold on an item that is on
the shelf, the hold is available immediately.
How do I know when a hold is available?
During check in, InfoCentre informs you when the copy you have just checked in has a hold placed on it.
InfoCentre also identifies the patron who placed the hold. This information appears in a Display Hold
message or as part of the Check In Exception List report, depending on the circulation desk you are using and
your checkin method.
65
Hold information in
the Display Hold
window.
Notify this patron
that the hold is
available.
Hold information in
the Check In
Exception List
report.
Notify this patron
that the hold is
available.
Hold notification during regular check in – Standard Circulation Desk
Check in the copy. The Display Hold window appears.
Hold notification during fast check in – Standard Circulation Desk
Check in the copy and click View. The Display Hold window appears.
--or-Check in the copy and click Print Exceptions. The Check In Exception List report lists the hold.
Hold notification during check in – Spectrum Circulation Desk
Check in the copy and click View. The Display Hold window appears.
--or-Check in the copy and click Print Exceptions. The Check In Exception List report lists the hold.
You can choose how much information you want InfoCentre to display about the patron in hold
messages and the Check In Exception List report. From the Admin tab, click Circulation and
select Miscellaneous Settings. Set Patron Info In Hold Messages to Yes if you want InfoCentre to
display the patron’s name and homeroom. Select No if you want InfoCentre to display the patron’s
ID only.
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You can see whether a hold is available by viewing the list of holds for a patron on the Patron Status or Holds
screen.
When a hold
becomes available,
InfoCentre supplies
the ID of the copy
that will fill the
hold.
Available holds have
the word Yes in the
Available column.
When you enter the ID of a patron who has an available hold in Circulation, InfoCentre displays a message
informing you that the patron has available holds.
What should I do when a hold is available?
If your library doesn’t already have a holds process in place, work with your colleagues to create one. You
might want to establish a holds shelf where you put copies as they become available and include a note
identifying the patron who has placed the hold. You can also create a Copies on Hold report that lists all
available holds and the patron who the copies are on hold for. Keep this list beside your workstation as a
reference, or use it to notify patrons that they have available holds.
What happens when a different patron tries to check out an available hold?
If a patron other than the one who placed the hold tries to check out the available copy, InfoCentre requires an
override password in order to proceed with the check out. For more information, see Checking out a copy
when an override password is required (Standard Circulation Desk) or Checking out a copy when an override
password is required (Spectrum Circulation Desk).
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Creating a Copies on Hold report
InfoCentre’s Copies on Hold report can be used to create a list of holds. You can list all holds or limit the
report to holds that are available or unavailable.
Use the list of available holds to notify patrons that the hold is ready for pick-up. Use the list of unavailable
holds to remove older holds that have not yet been filled.
To create a Copies on Hold report
1
From the Reports tab, click Circulation Reports. Then choose Copies on Hold. The Copies on Hold
screen appears.
2
3
Limit
Description
Holds to
Display
Limits the report to include only patrons with one of the specified hold
types.
•
All. InfoCentre lists all holds (available and unavailable).
•
Available. InfoCentre lists only those holds that are ready for
pick-up by the patron.
•
Unavailable. InfoCentre lists only those holds that are not yet
ready for pick-up by the patron.
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Limit
Description
Patron Type
Hold Placed
Limits the report to include only those holds placed within the specified
time period.
To include all hold placed dates, leave both boxes blank.
4
You want a list of all holds that are ready to be picked up. You create a Copies on Hold
report and select the option to include only available holds. The report lists all holds that are
ready for pick-up.
Your library has a policy of canceling all holds after 1 month. You need to create a list of
holds to be cancelled. You create a Copies on Hold report with the following limits:
•
Only unavailable holds.
•
Only holds placed up to a cut off date of one month ago.
These options will limit your report to all unavailable holds placed up to and including the
cut-off date. When you create the report, you will have a list of all holds placed at least 1
month ago. You can then cancel each individual hold.
69
Managing Bookings
Bookings allow you to reserve an item for a specific date and period of time. This means that you can be sure
an item will be available when you need it – for example, a teacher might want to book a DVD for a specific
date so that he knows it will be available to show to his students on that day.
You can place a booking for a patron from the circulation desk, or patrons can be given privileges to place a
booking themselves in the search station. For more information, see Placing a booking in the patron search
station.
Creating a booking
To create a booking
1
From the Circulation tab, click Bookings. The Bookings screen appears.
--or-From the Spectrum Circulation Desk screen, click Bookings. The Bookings screen appears.
2
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3
Once you have identified the copy, the New Booking window appears.
Any existing bookings are
shown in this part of the
window.
Start and End date calendars
4
Use the calendars to specify the starting and ending dates for the booking.
5
Enter the starting and ending times for the booking. (Use a 12-hour format and specify AM or PM--for
example, 9:00 AM.)
6
Click OK.
A teacher comes to you and explains that she is planning a lesson on Mars. She asks how
she can make sure a video about Mars will be available for her lesson. You help the teacher
place a booking on the video for the day she wants to show it. This way, no one else can
check out the video for that day.
Patrons can place bookings in the search station. For more information, see Placing a
booking in the patron search station.
71
Removing a booking
InfoCentre allows you to remove a booking. A patron may ask you to remove a booking that is no longer
required. Patrons can also remove a hold themselves in the search station. For more information, see
Removing a booking in the patron search station.
To remove a booking
1
From the Circulation tab, click Bookings. The Bookings screen appears.
--or-From the Spectrum Circulation Desk screen, click Bookings. The Bookings screen appears.
2
InfoCentre updates the screen to include the patron’s information. Any existing bookings are shown in
the lower section of the screen.
Existing bookings
3
Click the booking that you want to remove.
4
Click Remove. A message appears asking if you are sure that you want to remove the booking.
5
Click Yes.
Patrons can remove bookings in the search station. For more information, see Removing a
booking in the patron search station.
A teacher placed a booking on a DVD and has since purchased her own copy. You cancel
her booking.
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Responding to booking messages
Sometimes a booking can conflict with another booking, or a patron may want to check out an item that has a
booking placed on it during the regular loan period. InfoCentre displays a message when these conflicts
occur.
To help you decide how to respond to a booking conflict message, find the message in the following section
and refer to the options.
Patron tries to place a booking before the due date of a checked out item
Click Edit to change the booking date or Cancel if the patron no longer wants to place the booking.
Patron tries to place a booking at the same time as an existing booking
Click Edit to change the booking date or Cancel if the patron no longer wants to place the booking.
Patron tries to check out an item that has a booking during the regular loan period
InfoCentre provides 3 options:
•
Shorten the regular loan period.
•
Ignore the booking and check out the item.
•
Remove the booking and check out the item.
All three options require an override password.
Select the option that you want to use to solve the conflict. Then enter the override password (unless it is
automatically supplied) and click OK.
--or-Click Cancel if the patron no longer wants to check out the item.
Creating a Bookings Pick List
The Bookings Pick List report lists copies with bookings. You can limit the Bookings Pick List by date to
create a list of copies with bookings that start on a specified day. Use this list to gather the items and have
them ready for check out and pick-up.
To create a Bookings Pick list
1
From the Reports tab, click Circulation Reports. Then choose Bookings Pick List. The Bookings Pick
List screen appears.
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74
2
In the Select and Sort By section, specify the call number range for the report. (To include all call
numbers, leave these boxes empty.) For more information about entering call number ranges, see
Using Select and Sort By Options in Reports.
3
Limit
Description
Booking Start Limits the report to include only those bookings that start within a specified
Date
period. To specify a date range, enter the starting date in the Range From
box and the ending date in the To box.
Booking End Limits the report to include only those bookings that end within a specified
Date
period of time.
To enter a date range, use the procedure described for Booking Start Date
(see above).
Booking
Placed Date
Limits the report to include only those bookings placed within a specified
period of time.
To enter a date range, use the procedure described for Booking Start Date
(see above).
Copy Type
4
InfoCentre allows you to create a buffer period before and after a booking to give you time
to prepare the item for the booking and to clean up and reshelve the item after the booking.
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Tracking In-Library Use
InfoCentre’s In-Library Use feature allows you to keep track of how often copies are used within the library.
This helps you to gather usage statistics for non-circulating items such as reference materials or magazines.
The In-Library Use screen gives you two options for entering copy IDs:
•
Standard In-Library Use.
•
Fast In-Library Use.
When you use standard In-Library Use, an individual message appears for each copy with an exception. For
example, if you enter the copy ID of a copy that is checked out, a message will appear stating that the copy is
checked out.
When you use Fast In-Library Use, exception messages are logged and can be viewed by creating an InLibrary Use Exception List. These exceptions can also be viewed onscreen.
To record in-library use (standard)
1
From the Circulation tab, click In-library Use. The In-library Use screen appears.
2
--or-Type the copy ID in the Enter a Copy ID box and click Find Copy.
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To record in-library use using the Fast In-Library Use option
1
From the Circulation tab, click In-Library Use. The In-Library Use screen appears.
2
Select the Fast In-Library Use option. Then click the Enter a Copy ID box.
3
--or-Type the copy ID in the Enter a Copy ID box. Then click Find Copy.
InfoCentre displays information about the transaction in the lower portion of the screen.
The word View
Print Exceptions
button
•
If there is a message associated with a particular in-library use transaction, InfoCentre displays the
word View in the Exceptions column. You can display the message by clicking this word. Once the
message has been displayed, InfoCentre removes it from the exception log; it cannot be retrieved
again.
•
Exceptions. InfoCentre produces a report listing any messages from the current in-library use session
that have not yet been viewed. Once the report has been generated, InfoCentre removes all messages
from the exception log; they cannot be printed or viewed again.
The exceptions log is deleted when you exit the In-Library Use screen. If you wish to view messages
or print the Exceptions list, you must do so before exiting the In-Library Use screen.
You can create a Copy Activity report specifically about in-library use. The Copy Activity report is
located in Circulation Reports on the Reports tab
You can use your In-Hand to log in-library use. For more information, see Remote Circulation with
In-Hand.
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Stand-alone Circulation
InfoCentre’s Stand-alone circulation mode allows you to continue basic circulation activity when your library
is having problems with the network or the server. You can use the stand-alone mode to check out and check
in items. InfoCentre keeps track of these transactions so that you can incorporate them into your database
once your network or server is restored.
When do I use stand-alone circulation?
InfoCentre displays the following message when your library is having network or server difficulties.
Click Yes to start the stand-alone circulation mode.
Checking out and checking in copies
InfoCentre’s Stand-alone mode allows you to check out and check in copies. Stand-alone mode uses patron
and copy IDs only – in other words, you are not able to look up patrons or copies if you don’t have the ID.
Stand-alone mode also does not display patron or title/copy records.
To check out copies using stand-alone mode
1
From Stand-alone mode, click Check Out. The Stand-alone Check Out screen appears.
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2
--or-Type the patron's ID and click Select Patron.
InfoCentre updates the screen to include an Enter a Copy ID box and Check Out button.
3
--or-Type the copy ID in the box provided and click Check Out.
4
copies.
5
When you have finished checking out copies to this patron, click Next Patron.
To check in copies using stand-alone mode
1
From Stand-alone mode, click Check In. The Stand-alone Check In screen appears.
2
--or-Type the copy ID in the box provided and click Check In.
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Processing stand-alone transactions
When your network or server has been restored and you are able to open InfoCentre, the transactions you
performed while in stand-alone mode will automatically appear on the Process Stand-alone screen in the
Circulation section of the Admin tab. You must process these transactions in order for the checkouts and
checkins to be added to your database.
To process stand-alone transactions
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Process Stand-alone. The Process Stand-alone
screen appears showing the transactions to be processed.
2
Click Process. When the transactions are successfully processed, they will no longer appear
onscreen. If there are any issues with the transactions, the Print Exceptions button becomes
available. Click Print Exceptions to view the Process Stand-alone Exception List report.
Do not click Clear unless you are certain that the transactions onscreen have already been processed.
When you click Clear, InfoCentre removes all transactions from the screen and they are no longer
accessible.
Typically, you will not need to use the Clear button when you process stand-alone transactions. It is
available only for rare circumstances – for example, if you do not need to process the stand-alone
transactions.
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Remote Circulation with In-Hand
InfoCentre’s In-Hand screen provides a simple way for you to process remote circulation data. Remote
circulation is a blanket term for basic circulation functions – checkouts, checkins, and in-library use –
performed away from your workstation using an In-Hand.
In order for you to perform remote circulation, you must have an In-Hand equipped with the required
software to perform remote circulation. Contact Sagebrush Corporation for more information.
The following section provides instructions for those activities related to remote circulation that are
performed in InfoCentre: extracting title and patron data and processing circulation data. Please refer to your
In-Hand documentation for more information about setting up your In-Hand and performing a HotSync®.
An In-hand is a portable hand-held scanner that scans barcodes and stores them in a file. This file is
transferred from the In-Hand to your workstation computer via a HotSync.
In-Hands are purchased separately from Sagebrush Corporation and include software that allows you to
perform remote circulation tasks.
Extracting titles and patrons
InfoCentre’s Extract Titles/Patrons tab allows you to extract some or all of your title and patron data. Once
the data is extracted, you transfer it to your In-Hand unit via a HotSync process. For more information about
how to do this, please refer to your In-Hand documentation.
Extracting title and patron data is optional – you do not need to extract data in order to perform remote
circulation. The advantage of having extracted title and patron data is that it allows you to look up patron and
title records on your In-Hand while you are away from your InfoCentre workstation. This is very helpful in
situations where you may not have easy access to patron IDs and instead want to look up patrons by name.
For example, you could use remote circulation in a classroom where the students and teacher do not have
their library card or are unable to remember their patron ID.
When extracting patron and title data, limit yourself to patrons and titles you will be working with when
you use your In-Hand.
To extract data
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose In-Hand. The Extract Titles/Patrons tab appears.
2
In the Titles section of the screen, specify the title and copies to be extracted by entering the
appropriate limits.
Limit
Description
Call Number Limits the extraction to include only copies with call numbers falling within the specified
range.
To include all call numbers, leave the Range From and To boxes blank.
Date Added
Limits the extraction to include only those copies added to the collection within the
specified time period.
To include all dates, leave the Range From and To boxes blank.
Copy Types
Limits the extraction to include only the selected copy types.
To add or remove types, click Select. The Select Copy Types window opens. To select a
single type, click it. To select multiple types, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or the
Command key (Macintosh) and click each of the desired types. When you have finished,
click OK.
Extract as 14- Select this option to have copy IDs extracted as a 14-digit barcode.
digit barcode
You must have a 14-digit barcode configuration set up in InfoCentre to use this option. This
option does not appear on unless you have a Spectrum 14-digit barcode configuration.
81
82
3
In the Patrons section of the screen, specify the patrons to be extracted by entering the appropriate
limits.
Limit
Description
Homeroom
Limits the extraction to include only patrons with homerooms falling within the specified
range.
To include all homerooms, leave the Range From and To boxes blank.
Surname
Limits the extraction to include only those patrons with surnames that fall with the specified
range.
To include all surnames, leave the Range From and To boxes blank.
Patron Types Limits the extraction to include only the selected patron types.
To add or remove types, click Select. The Select Patron Types window opens. To select a
single type, click it. To select multiple types, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or the
Command key (Macintosh) and click each of the desired types. When you have finished,
click OK.
Extract as 14- Select this option to have patron IDs extracted as a 14-digit barcode.
digit barcode
You must have a 14-digit barcode configuration set up in InfoCentre to use this option. This
option does not appear on unless you have a Spectrum 14-digit barcode configuration.
4
Click Extract. A window appears with total numbers of titles and patrons extracted. Click OK.
Your school has a policy of checking out textbooks to each homeroom teacher. You check out these
textbooks using the remote circulation feature on your In-Hand so that you don’t have to carry the
textbooks back and forth to the library. You extract patron data for your staff patron type so that you can
look up each teacher by name rather than having to ask them for their patron ID. Once you’ve looked up
the teacher’s patron record from your extracted patron data, you then scan the barcodes on the textbooks
for that homeroom.
83
Processing In-Hand checkout and checkin transactions
The Check Out/In tab on the In-Hand screen is where you process your remote circulation transactions.
Processing this data allows InfoCentre to update its circulation records with the details of the checkout and
checkin transactions you performed using your In-Hand. Unlike the Extract Title/Patrons tab, the Check
Out/In tab is not optional – you must process the data on this screen in order for InfoCentre to include your
remote circulation transactions in its database.
Before you can process checkout and checkin transactions, you need to transfer these transactions from your
In-Hand to your InfoCentre workstation via a HotSync process. For more information, please see your InHand documentation.
To process checkout and checkin transactions
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose In-Hand. The Extract Titles/Patrons tab appears.
2
Click the Check Out/In tab. The Check Out/In tab appears showing the transactions to be processed.
3
Click Process. When the transactions are successfully processed, they will no longer appear
onscreen. If there are any issues with the transactions, the Print Exceptions button becomes
available. Click Print Exceptions to view the In-Hand Exception List report.
Do not click Clear unless you are certain that the transactions onscreen have already been processed.
When you click Clear, InfoCentre removes all transactions from the screen and they are no longer
accessible.
Typically, you will not need to use the Clear button when you process In-Hand transactions. It is
available only for rare circumstances – for example, if you do not need to process the In-Hand
transactions.
Cataloging
Introduction to Cataloging ..................................................................................... 86
Adding Titles and Copies ...................................................................................... 87
Editing Titles and Copies .....................................................................................103
Deleting Titles and Copies ...................................................................................113
Book Carts.......................................................................................................118
Using Title Merge ..............................................................................................128
Using Maintain Authority to Create Authority Records and See and See Also References .........129
86
Chapter 2: Cataloging
Introduction to Cataloging
InfoCentre’s Cataloging module allows you to enter and manage title and copy records for your collection.
Title records include bibliographic information about the item and copy records provide information specific
to your library: the copy’s call number, copy type, etc. For information about the structure of title and copy
records, see Appendix A: Title/Copy Structure.
Title and copy records can be entered individually or multiple records can be added by importing a file
containing MARC records. InfoCentre also includes zMARC in Cataloging, which allows you to download
title records from other libraries that have made their collections available.
Records can also be edited or deleted individually, or you can use a batch process to edit or delete multiple
records at the same time.
InfoCentre features book carts, which offer a way to temporarily separate selected records from the rest of
your collection and have these copies regulated by specific borrowing privileges. You might want to use this
feature to showcase new additions to your collection or to make materials available for special school
projects.
Book carts can also function as entry collections, providing a temporary home for imported MARC records.
An entry collection allows you to review new MARC records to make sure they meet your cataloging
standards before integrating these new records with the rest of your collection.
InfoCentre offers a Title Merge feature, which allows you to easily merge duplicate title records.
InfoCentre’s Maintain Authority feature helps you to establish and maintain authority records; these, in turn,
help you to maintain consistency during cataloging as well as to create See and See Also references in search
results.
87
Adding Titles and Copies
InfoCentre provides many options for adding title and copy records to your collection. You can obtain a file
of MARC records – most often from a book vendor – and import these records into InfoCentre. You can
manually add individual title and copy records, or download individual title records from other libraries using
zMARC. InfoCentre also includes reports that allow you to create barcode and spine labels for your new
copies.
Automatically assigning copy IDs
As you add copies to new or existing title records, you assign a unique ID to each copy. You can enter each
copy ID manually, or you can set up InfoCentre to automatically supply a copy ID.
To automatically supply a copy ID
1
From the Admin tab, click Cataloging and select Miscellaneous Settings.
2
Set Auto Assign Copy ID to Yes and enter the ID number that you want InfoCentre to assign to the
next new copy.
InfoCentre will use the number you enter here for the next new copy, and will automatically increment
the number as you add each additional copy.
Importing MARC records
Many libraries, when they purchase new books from a vendor, also purchase the MARC records for these
books. Vendors put these MARC records into a file, usually called microlif; the file can be downloaded from
a Web site or is sent to the library on a floppy disk or CD.
You can use InfoCentre’s Import MARC Records screen to import this microlif file into your collection. Your
file can contain MARC records for new titles and copies as well as additional copies for title records already
in your InfoCentre database.
The following instructions apply to a typical import scenario. A library has purchased items from a book
vendor. The items are a combination of new titles and additional copies for existing titles. Using the copy ID
range and other specifications provided by the librarian, the vendor has assigned copy IDs and placed
barcodes on each copy. The vendor has also supplied the MARC records, including copy IDs, on a CD (these
instructions will also address floppy disks or files downloaded from a Web site). The librarian imports the
MARC records directly into the collection.
The settings on InfoCentre’s Import MARC Records screen allow you to perform a wide range of actions as
you import records: options range from importing new records to refreshing existing title records. See
Appendix B: Import Options for MARC Records for details of other ways you can use the import process to
add to or enhance your title and copy records.
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To import MARC records provided by a vendor for barcoded copies
1
From the Cataloging tab, click Import. The Import MARC Records screen appears.
2
Insert the floppy disk or CD containing your import file into your computer.
--or-Download the file containing your MARC records from the vendor’s Web site.
3
In the Import Options section of the Import tab, select Add New Titles and Copies. Make sure that all
other options in that section are not selected.
Add New Titles and
Copies
4
In the Import File Name and Location section, click Browse and browse to your floppy disk drive or
CD drive. Select the file of MARC records you want to import.
--or-Browse to the file of MARC records you downloaded from the vendor’s Web site and select the file.
Import File Name
and Location
5
Click the Default Copy Values tab.
6
89
In the Copy Type section, select Yes if you want InfoCentre to assign copy types based on call number
patterns. For more information, see Using call number patterns to assign copy types.
--or-Select No to have InfoCentre place all incoming copies in one copy type. Choose this copy type from
the Default Value list.
If you have Location, Fund, and Vendor information that you want InfoCentre to add to each incoming
copy, enter the information in the appropriate box.
Leave the Copy ID Starting Value box blank. This will allow InfoCentre to use the copy IDs assigned
by the vendor.
7
Click Import. A window appears asking if you want to perform the import. Click Yes. A message
appears explaining that the import is in process. A window appears when the import is complete.
8
Click OK. InfoCentre tells you where you can view files containing bad or rejected records.
You can preview MARC records in your import file by clicking View File on the Import tab.
The location of your file of MARC records depends on a number of factors. If your file is on a floppy
disk, then browse to your floppy disk drive (usually your A:\ drive). If your file is on a CD, then
browse to your CD drive (usually your D:\ drive). If you’ve downloaded your file from a vendor’s
Web site, then you need to browse to where you saved this file. Many librarians find that their desktop
is the most convenient place to download the file.
You can choose how InfoCentre matches incoming MARC records. For more information, see MARC
record matching.
Adding a new title and copy
In addition to importing MARC records, there will be times when you need to manually add individual title
and copy records to your collection. You can do this on the Maintain Title/Copy screen. InfoCentre provides a
number of standard templates to help you enter records accurately.
The following instructions lead you through the process of entering bibliographic information on the Title
Information tab. You can also use InfoCentre’s zMARC feature to download a title record from another
library. For more information, see Adding a new title and copy using zMARC.
90
To add a new title and copy
1
From the Cataloging tab, click Maintain Title/Copy. Make sure the Title Information tab is selected.
2
Choose the template that corresponds to the type of material you are cataloging.
3
Template
Description
Book
Use for print material. This is the most commonly used template.
Multimedia
Use for items such as kits – for example, a book and cassette.
Electronic
Resource
Use for items such as software.
Brief
A shortened version of the Book template. Use to quickly catalog basic
information about an item.
Equipment
Use for equipment such as TVs or VCR or DVD players.
Enter bibliographic information in the appropriate boxes. InfoCentre provides buttons that can help
you with this process. See the Cataloging buttons table at the end of this section for instructions on
how to use these buttons.
4
Click the Copy Information tab. Enter a copy ID if it has not already been supplied. Enter the
remaining information for the copy you are adding following your library’s practices. For more
information, see Copy information fields.
5
Click Save. A window appears when the title has been saved successfully. Click OK.
91
You can set up InfoCentre to automatically supply a copy ID. For more information, see Automatically
assigning copy IDs.
Cataloging buttons
Click to have InfoCentre add the correct punctuation to the following boxes: Title, Subtitle,
Statement of Responsibility, General Media Designation, Place, Publisher, and Date.
Click to open the Diacritics window. Use this window to add an accent or other non-English
characters to your title information.
Click to open the Authority Browse window. Use this window to authorize author, publisher,
series title, and subject information or to add an authority term to these fields. For more
information, see Using Authority Browse during cataloging.
92
Using Authority Browse during cataloging
InfoCentre includes an Authority Browse feature. Use this feature during cataloging to help you standardize
author names, publisher names, series titles, and subject headings as you enter or review title information.
The checkmark
button indicates the
fields that have
Authority Browse.
There are two ways to use Authority Browse during cataloging:
•
Look up the term for a field as you are cataloging a new title record.
•
Check (authorize) a term in an existing title record to make sure it is entered consistently.
To look up a term
1
From the Title Information screen, click the field’s checkmark button. The Authority Browse window
appears.
Authority term box
2
93
In the Authority Term box, type the term that you are looking for. Then click Find. InfoCentre displays
a list of terms in the Authority list section of the window.
Authority list area
3
Highlight the term that you want to use by clicking it.
4
Click Select. InfoCentre adds the selected term to the title's record.
To check (authorize) an existing term
1
Click Find to look up the title record you want to check. For more information, see Using the Find or
Find Title Button.
2
Click the checkmark button beside the field you want to authorize. The Authority Browse window
appears. InfoCentre automatically finds the authority term currently in use as well as any variations on
this term.
The authority
term currently
in use.
The authority term
and variations.
3
Check the authority term in the existing record against any variations in the Authority list section. If
you want to use one of these variations instead of the term currently in use, highlight the term by
clicking it.
94
4
Click Select. InfoCentre adds the selected term to the title's record.
You can set up InfoCentre to authorize headings using authority records or currently cataloged titles.
From the Admin tab, click Cataloging and choose Miscellaneous Settings. Then select the option you
want InfoCentre to use.
Adding a new copy to an existing title
If you need to add a new copy to a title that is already in your collection, you can create a duplicate of the
existing copy. InfoCentre will use a new copy ID but will duplicate all other data from the original copy
record. You can then make any required changes to your new copy.
To add a new copy to an existing title
1
From the Cataloging tab, click Maintain Title/Copy.
2
Click Find and choose the title you want to add a copy to. Click the Copy Information tab.
3
Make sure the correct copy is highlighted. Then click Duplicate. The Duplicate Copies window
appears.
4
Enter the Number of Copies to Add and, if necessary, the Starting Copy ID Number. Click Add Copies.
The new copy is displayed on the Copy Information tab.
5
Review the new copy and make any required changes. Click Save.
assigning copy IDs.
A copy of a popular book has been given to your library. Your library already owns this book, so a title
record already exists. To catalog this copy, you look up the title record and make a duplicate of the
existing copy record.
95
Printing copy barcodes
You can print barcodes for copies you have added to InfoCentre. There are two ways for you to tell
InfoCentre which copy barcode labels you want to print.
•
Specify a range. You can specify a range of copies and have InfoCentre create barcodes for each
copy falling within that range.
•
Create a list of copy IDs. You can create a list of copy IDs and have InfoCentre create barcodes for
each copy in the list.
To print copy barcodes using the Select by Range tab
1
From the Reports tab, click Cataloging Reports and select Copy Barcode Labels. The Copy Barcodes
screen appears.
2
3
In the Select and Sort By section, specify the sort order and range. For more information, see Using
Select and Sort By Options in Reports.
4
Limit To
Description
Date Added
Use Date Added to create barcodes for copies added to the collection within
Copy Type
Use Copy Type to create barcodes for copies in one or more copy types.
5
copy. For example, to print two barcodes per copy, type 2.
6
7
Report Results.
96
To print copy barcodes using the Select by List tab
1
From the Reports tab, click Cataloging Reports and select Copy Barcode Labels. The Copy Barcodes
screen appears.
2
Click the Select by List tab.
3
Create a list of copy IDs. The following table provides the information you need to add and delete copy
IDs from the list.
To
Description
Add a copy ID In the Copy ID box, type the ID that you want to add. Then click Find or press
Enter.
--or-Click Find and choose the copy that you want to add. For more information, see
Using the Find Copy Button.
Remove an ID In the Barcode list, click the copy ID that you want to remove. Then click Delete.
from the list
4
copy. For example, to print two barcodes per copy, type 2.
5
6
Click Create InfoCentre displays the barcodes in the Print Preview window. From here, you can
Report Results.
warranty.
The Set Starting Position option allows you to print barcodes on partially used sheets of label stock.
start printing barcodes.
There’s an easy way to print copy barcodes for copies you’ve just added to your library – limit your
copy barcodes by date added. Enter the date you added the copies in the Date Added box and leave
the To box blank. InfoCentre selects all copies added on or after that date.
If you have created a list of copy IDs on the Select by List tab of the Copy Barcodes screen, the
same list of copy IDs will automatically appear on the Select by List tab of the Spine Labels screen.
97
Printing Spectrum 14-digit barcodes
If you are a former Spectrum customer who used 14-digit barcodes, InfoCentre allows you to print barcodes
in the Spectrum 14-digit format.
To print Spectrum 14-digit barcodes, you must have a Spectrum 14-digit barcode configuration. The
option to Print as 14-digit barcode does not appear on the Copy Barcodes screen unless you have a
Spectrum 14-digit barcode configuration.
To print Spectrum 14-digit barcodes
1
Specify the barcodes you want to print using the Select by Range or Select by List tab. For more
information, see Printing copy barcodes.
2
In the Options section, select Print as 14-digit barcode.
Print as 14-digit
barcode
3
Report Results.
Printing spine labels
You can print spine labels for copies you have added to InfoCentre. There are two ways for you to tell
InfoCentre which spine labels you want to print.
• Specify a range. You can specify a range of copies and have InfoCentre create spine labels for each
copy falling within that range.
•
Create a list of copy IDs. You can create a list of copy IDs and have InfoCentre create spine labels
for each copy in the list.
To print spine labels using the Select by Range tab
1
From the Reports tab, click Cataloging Reports and select Spine Labels. The Spine Labels screen
appears.
2
3
In the Select and Sort By section, specify the sort order and range. For more information, see Using
Select and Sort By Options in Reports.
4
Limit To
Description
Date Added
Use Date Added to create spine labels for copies added to the collection
within the specified time period.
Copy Type
Use Copy Type to create spine labels for copies in one or more copy types.
98
5
In the Number of copies to print box, enter the number of spine labels that you want printed for each
copy. For example, to print two spine labels per copy, type 2.
6
7
Click Create. InfoCentre displays the spine labels in the Print Preview window. From here, you can
preview and print the spine labels. For more information, see Viewing, Saving, Printing, or Emailing
Report Results.
To print spine labels using the Select by List tab
1
From the Reports tab, click Cataloging Reports and select Spine Labels. The Spine Labels screen
appears.
2
Click the Select by List tab.
3
Create a list of copy IDs. The following table provides the information you need to add and delete copy
IDs from the list.
To
Description
Add a copy ID In the Copy ID box, type the ID that you want to add. Then click Find or press
Enter.
--or-Click Find and choose the copy that you want to add. For more information, see
Using the Find Copy Button.
Remove an ID In the Barcode list, click the copy ID that you want to remove. Then click Delete.
from the list
4
In the Number of copies to print box, enter the number of spine labels that you want printed for each
copy. For example, to print two spine labels per copy, type 2.
5
6
Click Create. InfoCentre displays the spine labels in the Print Preview window. From here, you can
preview and print the spine labels. For more information, see Viewing, Saving, Printing, or Emailing
Report Results.
warranty.
The Set Starting Position option allows you to print spine labels on partially used sheets of label stock.
start printing spine labels.
There’s an easy way to print spine labels for copies you’ve just added to your library – limit your
spine labels by date added. Enter the date you added the copies in the Date Added box and leave
the To box blank. InfoCentre selects all copies added on or after that date.
If you have created a list of copy IDs on the Select by List tab of the Copy Barcodes screen, the
same list of copy IDs will automatically appear on the Select by List tab of the Spine Labels
screen
99
Adding a new title and copy using zMARC
InfoCentre’s zMARC feature makes it easy to add a new title to InfoCentre. zMARC allows you to download
a title record from another library’s catalog. You can review the title record and make any changes you want,
and then you can add a copy.
zMARC gets its name from z39.50 – a term that refers to a standard method for computers to share
information. When you search other libraries using InfoCentre’s zMARC feature, you are searching libraries
that have made their collections available on a z39.50 server. InfoCentre calls these remote libraries.
In order to search another library, it must be added to InfoCentre’s list of remote libraries. This is done
on the zMARC Configuration screen. From the Admin tab, click Cataloging. Then choose zMARC
Configuration. The list of remote libraries appears on the zMARC Remote Library Setup tab.
When you’re searching with zMARC, you can click the Server List button to see which libraries you
will be searching. You can also choose the libraries you want to search in this window.
To add a new title and copy using zMARC
1
2
Click zMARC. The zMARC window appears.
3
Search for the title that you want to download into your InfoCentre collection.
Boolean operator
list
• Enter your search term in the Search Term 1 box. Choose a Limit By option.
• If you wish, enter a second search term in the Search Term 2 box. Choose a Limit By option.
• If you have entered a second search term in the Search Term 2 box, choose a Boolean operator
(AND, OR, or NOT) to connect the two search terms.
Boolean
Operator
Description
AND
Use AND to search for titles that contain both search terms.
OR
Use OR to search for titles that contain one or both search terms.
NOT
Use NOT to search for titles that contain the first search term but not the
second.
cat
cat and dog
dog
cat
dog
cat or dog
• Click Find. The search results appear in the box below.
cat
cat not dog
dog
100
4
Review your search results. You can view the complete record in Title or MARC format in the bottom
section of the zMARC screen.
5
Highlight the title you want to download. Then click Select.
Search results
Title and MARC
view of highlighted
title
Select button
The zMARC window closes and the title appears on the Title Information tab of the Maintain Title/Copy
screen.
6
Review the title and make any necessary changes.
7
Click the Copy Information tab. Enter the copy ID if it has not already been supplied. Enter the
remaining information for the copy you are adding following your library’s practices. For more
8
Click Save.
assigning copy IDs.
In addition to title, author, and subject, zMARC allows you to search by ISBN, ISSN, and LCCN.
101
Creating a Shelf List report
InfoCentre’s Shelf List report is a useful tool for reviewing your collection. The Limit To options available in
the Shelf List report allow you to view your collection in a number of different ways: by copyright year and
copy type, by specific values such as Location, Fund, Price, Vendor, or Publisher, or by the date records were
added or edited.
To create a Shelf List report
1
From the Reports tab, click Cataloging Reports. Then choose Shelf List. The Shelf List screen
appears.
2
3
Limit
Description
Copyright
year
Limits the report to include only those copies with copyright years falling
within the specified range. When entering a copyright year, make sure
that you use a four-digit number, for example, 2004.
Copy Type
Limits the report to include only copies with one of the specified types.
You can specify multiple copy types from the Copy Type list by holding
down the Ctrl key (Windows) or the Command key (Macintosh) and
clicking each of the desired types.
Location
Limits the report to include only those copies with the specified location.
Fund
Limits the report to include only those copies with the specified fund
value.
Price
Limits the report to include only those copies that fall within the
specified price range.
102
Limit
Description
Vendor
Limits the report to include only those copies with the specified vendor
value.
Publisher
Limits the report to include only those copies with the specified
publisher.
Copy Date
Added
Limits the report to include only copies added to the collection within the
specified time period.
Copy Date
Edited
Limits the report to include only copy records that were last edited within
Title Date
Edited
Limits the report to include only title records that were last edited within
4
Reports that include a Customize button allow you to make changes to the information that appears in report
results. For more information, see Adding, Removing, Reordering, or Editing Fields in a Report.
You have noticed that the call number patterns for your Biography section are inconsistent: you want them
all to use BIO, but you have come across some that use B. You want to see how widespread the
inconsistency is – if it’s just a few records, you can edit them manually, but if there are a lot of records, you
will do a batch process. You create a Shelf List report sorted by call number and limited to your Biography
copy type. The copies that use B are listed at the beginning of the report, making it easy for you to see how
many copies need to be edited.
You want to know how many copies were added to your collection over the school year. You create a Shelf
List report limited by Copy Date Added: you enter August 1, 2005 in the first box and June 1, 2006 in the
second box. The report lists all copies added during that period and provides the total number.
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Editing Titles and Copies
InfoCentre has many options for editing title and copy records. It’s very simple to manually edit individual
title and copy records: just find the record you want to change, make the changes, and then click Save.
InfoCentre offers two processes that allow you to edit more than one record at the same time: Batch Process
Titles and Batch Process Copies. In order to perform a batch process, you need to identify the group of
records you want to change, and perform the same change to each record. This section of the user guide walks
you through two common batch processes: standardizing an author’s name and editing call number patterns.
In addition to editing your records, you may also want to enhance your title records – enhancing allows you to
replace an existing title record with another title record. You can use this process to flesh out title records that
have only basic cataloging details – for example, title records you’ve entered using the Brief template. You
might also choose to enhance your existing records with records that are more in keeping with your
cataloging practices. Once again, InfoCentre allows you to enhance individual records – using zMARC – or to
enhance a group of records at one time – using the Refresh Titles Only option on the Import MARC Records
screen. For more information, see Enhancing a title record using zMARC and I: Refresh titles only in
Appendix B: Import Options for MARC Records.
Enhancing a title record using zMARC
You can use InfoCentre’s zMARC feature to enhance an existing title record in your collection. This is useful
for title records that contain only basic information – for example, a title record cataloged using the Brief
template.
When you use zMARC to enhance a title record, InfoCentre replaces all information in the existing title
record. Copy information for that title is not changed.
Using zMARC to enhance a title record will overwrite the existing title record. Make sure you have a
recent backup of your InfoCentre database before using zMARC in case you need to restore your
original title records. For more information, see Creating a Database Backup.
To enhance a title record using zMARC
1
2
Click Find and choose the title you wish to enhance. The title appears on the Title Information screen.
3
Click zMARC. A window appears explaining that all title information for the selected record will be
replaced and that copies will be preserved. Click Yes. The zMARC window appears.
4
Search for the title record you want to use to replace your existing title record. For instructions, see
Adding a new title and copy using zMARC.
5
Highlight the title record you have chosen. Then click Select. The title record appears on the Title
Information screen.
6
Review the new title record and make changes as required. Click Save. A window appears informing
you that the title has been saved successfully. Click OK.
You want to expand a brief record in your collection that was added when a patron wanted to check out a
new book that hadn’t yet been cataloged. Using zMARC, you find a more detailed title record and replace
the brief record with this one.
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Editing an author’s name using Batch Process Titles
InfoCentre’s Batch Process Titles feature allows you to make changes to more than one title record at the
•
which records to select for processing. Some examples of common features are title or author.
•
process are changes to an author’s or publisher’s name, or changes to a subject heading.
You can use Batch Process Titles to change the contents of any field in the title record. You do this by
specifying the MARC tag and subfield that you want to change.
If you’re unfamiliar with MARC tags, InfoCentre gives you the option of selecting a tag set. The tag set uses
the same terminology as the Title Information tab in Cataloging and automatically supplies the corresponding
MARC tags and subfields for the field you choose. For example, you can choose Title (main) from the list of
tag sets and InfoCentre will supply the MARC tag and subfield used for the main Title field.
The following instructions apply to a common batch process: editing variations of an author’s name. You may
discover that an author’s name has been entered into InfoCentre in two different ways. You can use the Batch
Process Titles feature to change one of the variations so that all instances of the author’s name are the same.
Step 1: specify the titles to be processed
specifying a title range and adding additional limits. InfoCentre processes only those titles that both fall
within the specified range and meet the specified limits.
To specify a range of titles
1
From the Admin tab, click Cataloging. Then choose Batch Process Titles. The Batch Process Titles
screen appears.
2
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In the Select Range section, leave the Range set at Copy ID and the Range From and To boxes blank
so that the batch process includes all titles.
--or-Choose a value from the Range list and specify the range of titles you want to include in the batch
process.
To add additional limits
1
In the Additional Limits section, click Add. The Edit Additional Limit window appears.
Select tag set list
Condition list
Condition Value
2
To make changes to an author’s name, add additional limits for the variation of the author’s name you
wish to change.
•
Choose Author (all) from the Select tag set list. The Tags section displays all MARC tags and
subfields that may contain author information.
•
Choose contains from the Condition list.
•
Enter the variation of the author’s name that you want to change in the Condition Value box.
Select Case-sensitive if you want InfoCentre to match the way the value is capitalized. This
option would be helpful if you wanted InfoCentre to select a title case value instead of an
uppercase value – for example, Garcia instead of GARCIA.
Select Whole word only if you want InfoCentre to find an exact match. For example, if you
select this option for the word America, InfoCentre would include only records with the word
America in the Condition Field.
example, InfoCentre would consider Americas or Americans as matches for America.
•
Click OK. The limit now appears in the Additional Limits section of the Batch Process Titles
screen.
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Step 2: specify the Replace the Field action
In this step, you specify what you want done to the selected title records. You do this by adding an action.
To add the Replace the field action
1
In the Actions and Conditions section, click Add. The Edit Action and Condition window appears.
2
Specify the change you want to make to the variation of the author’s name.
•
If Replace the field has not already been chosen as the Action, choose it from the list.
•
Choose Author (all) from the Select tag set list. The Tags section displays all MARC tags and
subfields that may contain author information.
•
If with has not already been chosen as the Modifier, choose it from the list.
•
In the Value box, enter the author’s name as you want it to appear in all title records by this
author.
•
Click OK. The action now appears in the Actions and Conditions section of the Batch Process
Titles screen.
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To preview changes
On the Batch Process Titles screen, click Preview. A window appears explaining the preview process.
Click Yes. The Batch Process Titles Preview report appears and lists the changes that the batch process
will perform.
make to your title records.
Is the batch process
making the change
you want it to?
Is the batch
process selecting
the titles you
want to change?
I
changing the number
of titles you expected
it to?
Click Close to close the preview report and return to the Batch Process Titles screen. Then proceed with
Step 4.
1
Click Close to close the preview report and return to the Batch Process Titles screen.
2
Adjust the Range and Limits as required. (Refer to Step 1 to help you make these changes.) To
change an existing Limit, highlight it, and then click Edit.
3
Adjust the Actions and Conditions as required. (Refer to Step 2 to help you make these changes.) To
change an existing Action, highlight it, and then click Edit.
4
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To process title records
complete, the Batch Process Titles report appears. Like the Batch Process Titles Preview report, it lists the
titles changed and the change performed. Review the report to make sure the batch process was correctly
performed, and then click Close.
You discover that only some of your library’s books by Tomie dePaola are appearing in students’ search
results. When you look at these records in InfoCentre, you realize that the author name has been entered
inconsistently. You use Batch Process Titles to edit the records so that only one version of the author
name is used. After the batch process, all of Tomie dePaola’s books are appearing in the search results.
Editing call number patterns using Batch Process Copies
InfoCentre’s Batch Process Copies feature allows you to make changes to more than one copy record at the
•
which records to select for processing. Some examples of common features are copy type or call
number.
•
process are changing the copy type or call number pattern.
You can use Batch Process Copies to make changes to any field in a copy record. The following instructions
apply to a common batch process: editing variations of call number patterns. You may find inconsistencies in
call number patterns in your library. For example, your fiction call numbers may use both F and FIC. Choose
the call number pattern you want to use, and then use Batch Process Copies to edit the other call number
patterns.
You edit call number patterns by first removing the variation of the pattern you want to change and then
adding the variation of the pattern you want to use. For this reason, this batch process requires you to enter
two actions.
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Step 1: specify the copies to be processed
specifying a copy range and adding limits.
In these instructions, we will specify a copy range only. InfoCentre will process all records that fall within
this range.
To specify a range of copies
1
From the Admin tab, click Cataloging. Then choose Batch Process Copies. The Batch Process Copies
screen appears.
2
In the Select Range section, choose Call Number. Enter Range From and To values for the call
number pattern that you want to change.
Specify the call
number pattern you
want to change.
Leave the Additional Limits section blank.
Step 2: specify the actions
In this step, you specify what you want done to the selected copy records. You do this by adding an action. In
these instructions, we will add two actions:
•
Remove from the start of.
•
Add to the start of.
You will need to be careful about spaces when removing and adding call number patterns. If you ask
InfoCentre to remove only the call number pattern and not the following space, then you will need to
add only the call number pattern and not the following space. For example, remove “F” and add
“FIC”. If you ask InfoCentre to remove the call number pattern and the following space, then you will
need to add both the call number pattern and the following space. For example, remove “F ” and add
“FIC ”. You can check the Batch Process Copies Preview report to make sure you have entered the
call number patterns and spaces correctly.
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To add the actions
1
2
In this action, specify the call number pattern you want to change and instruct InfoCentre to remove
this call number pattern from the start of all call numbers that contain it.
3
•
Choose Remove from the start of from the Action list.
•
Choose Call Number from the Field list.
•
Choose the text from the Modifier list.
•
Enter the call number pattern that you want to change in the Value box.
•
Copies screen.
4
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In this action, specify the call number pattern you want to use and instruct InfoCentre to add this call
number pattern to the selected records.
•
Choose Add to the start of from the Action list.
•
Choose Call Number from the Field list.
•
Choose the text from the Modifier list.
•
Enter the call number pattern that you want to use in the Value box.
•
Copies screen.
The two actions as
they appear
onscreen.
To preview changes
On the Batch Process Copies screen, click Preview. A window appears explaining the preview process.
Click Yes. The Batch Process Copies Preview report appears and lists the changes that the batch process
will perform.
make to your call number patterns.
selecting the copies
you want to change?
making the change
you want it to?
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Click Close to close the preview report and return to the Batch Process Copies screen. Then proceed with
Step 4.
1
Click Close to close the preview report and return to the Batch Process Copies screen.
2
Adjust the Range as required. (Refer to Step 1 to help you make these changes.)
3
4
To process copy records
complete, the Batch Process Copies report appears. Like the Batch Process Copies Preview report, it lists
the titles changed and the change performed. Review the report to make sure the batch process was
correctly performed, and then click Close.
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Deleting Titles and Copies
Title and copy records can be deleted individually or through a batch process. Because of the structure of title
and copy records, when you delete a title record, you automatically delete all associated copies. You can
delete an individual copy provided that it is not the last or only copy – if it is, you will automatically delete
the title record associated with that copy. For more information about title and copy records, see Appendix A:
Title/Copy Structure.
If you have multiple records to delete, you can use a batch process. Like other batch processes, you need to
have some way to identify the records you want to delete. You can do this by finding a common feature
among the records or by creating a text file containing the copy IDs of the records to be deleted. One simple
way to create a common feature among the records to be deleted is to place them on a book cart – this way,
you can double-check the records you plan to delete as well as print or save a list of them.
Title records cannot be deleted if one or more of the copies is checked out or has an outstanding fine. An
individual copy cannot be deleted if it is checked out or has an outstanding fine. When you delete a title
and/or copy, you also delete holds, bookings, and circulation history.
Deleting an individual title
You can delete a title record on the Maintain Title/Copy screen. When you delete a title record, you
automatically delete all copies associated with that title. You also delete the title’s holds and bookings and
clear the title’s circulation history.
To delete an individual title
1
2
Click Find and choose the title you want to delete. For more information, see Using the Find or Find
Title Button. The title appears on the Title Information tab.
3
Click Delete. A window appears asking you to confirm that you want to delete the title. Click Yes. A
window appears when the title and all copies have been deleted. Click OK.
Deleting an individual copy
You can delete an individual copy on the Maintain Title/Copy screen. When you delete a copy, you also
delete the copy’s holds and bookings and clear the copy’s circulation history. When you delete the only or last
copy of a title, the title record is also deleted.
To delete an individual copy
1
2
Click Find and choose the title with the copy you want to delete. For more information, see Using the
Find or Find Title Button. The title appears on the Title Information tab.
3
Click the Copy Information tab.
4
Highlight the copy you want to delete. Then click Delete. A window appears asking you to confirm
that you want to delete the copy. Click Yes. A window appears when the copy has been deleted. Click
OK.
A copy of a popular book has become damaged, so you decide to discard it. Now you need to delete the
corresponding copy in InfoCentre. You look up the title and delete the copy that has the same copy ID as
the discarded book.
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Deleting titles and copies using Batch Process Copies
If you want to delete several title and copy records, you can use InfoCentre’s Batch Process Copies feature. In
order to delete by batch process, you must have a way to identify the records you want InfoCentre to delete.
There are two ways to do this:
•
Identify a common feature among the records you want to delete. Some examples of common
features are copy type (including book carts) or call number.
•
Create a file containing the IDs of the copies you want to delete. You can do this by scanning
barcodes into a file using a circulation scanner or In-Hand.
One common situation where you may want to delete copies by batch process is when you are weeding your
collection. The following instructions walk you through two parts:
•
Part I: Add records for the weeded copies to a book cart. You can do this easily by scanning the
barcodes of the weeded copies into the Add to Book Cart window.
•
Part II: Delete all copies in this book cart.
If you don’t already have a book cart for your weeded copies, create one before you begin. For more
information, see Creating a book cart.
If you want to have a list of the items you have weeded from your collection, create a Shelf List report
for the book cart that you’ve placed the weeded copies on. Print or save a copy of the Shelf List report
for your records. You can also use this report to double-check that you have weeded the correct copies.
For more information, see Creating a Shelf List report.
Part I: place weeded copies on a book cart
This involves scanning the barcodes of the weeded copies into the Add to Book Cart window.
To place weeded copies on a book cart
1
From the Cataloging tab, click Manage Book Carts. The Manage Book Carts screen appears.
2
Choose the book cart you want to add the weeded copies to from the Select Book Cart list.
3
Click Add to Book Cart. The Add to Book Cart window appears.
4
Scan the barcodes of the weeded copies into the Identify Copy box. The copies will appear below.
Scan
barcodes into
Identify Copy
box.
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5
When you have scanned all weeded copy barcodes into the Add to Book Cart window, click Add to
Book Cart. A message appears indicating that the copies have been added to the book cart. Click OK.
6
Click Done to close the Add to Book Cart window.
Part II: delete all copies in the book cart
Use Batch Process Copies to delete all copies on the weeded copies book cart.
Step 1: specify the copies to be processed
In this step, you identify the records you want to delete. In these instructions, we do this by using the Select
Range section to select our weeded copies book cart.
To specify a range of copies
1
From the Admin tab, click Cataloging. Then choose Batch Process Copies. The Batch Process Copies
screen appears.
2
In the Select Range section, choose Copy Type. Choose your weeded copies book cart from the list of
copy types.
Choose the book cart
you added your
weeded copies to.
Leave the Additional Limits section blank.
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Step 2: specify the Delete copy action
In this step, you specify that you want to delete the selected copies. You do this by adding a Delete copy
action.
To add the Delete copies action
1
Instruct InfoCentre to delete the copies on this book cart.
•
Choose Delete Copy from the Action list. When you choose this action, all other action
fields become unavailable.
•
Click OK. A window appears informing you about the deletion process. Click Yes. The
action now appears in the Actions and Conditions section of the Batch Process Copies
screen.
before InfoCentre actually deletes any records.
To preview changes
On the Batch Process Copies screen, click Preview. A window appears explaining the preview process.
Click Yes. The Batch Process Copies Preview report appears and lists the copies that the batch process
will delete.
Review these changes carefully to make sure the batch process will delete the correct copies.
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Is the batch
process selecting
the copies you
want to delete?
deleting the number of
copies you expected it
to?
Click Close to close the preview report and return to the Batch Process Copies screen. Then proceed with
Step 4.
1
Click Close to close the preview report and return to the Batch Process Copies screen.
2
Adjust the Range as required. (Refer to Step 1 to help you make these changes.)
3
4
In this step, you delete the records. Do not proceed with this step until you are sure that the batch process
works the way you want it to.
To delete copies
Click Process. A window appears explaining the deletion process. Click Yes. When the batch process is
complete, the Batch Process Copies report appears. Like the Batch Process Copies preview report, it lists
the copies deleted. Review the report to make sure the batch process was correctly performed. You may
want to save a copy of this report for your records. Then click Close.
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Book Carts
Introduction to Book Carts
InfoCentre includes a feature called a book cart. A book cart is a temporary copy type that can be used to
manage materials in high demand. For example, a teacher may ask you to set aside materials for a class
project. You could create a book cart for the class project, and then create special privileges for copies placed
on the book cart in order to make sure that as many patrons as possible will have access to these materials.
Some examples of special privileges include:
•
Short loan periods, or no circulation allowed.
•
Low limits for checkouts and renewals.
•
No holds or bookings allowed.
Once the class project is complete, you can remove the materials from the book cart. They automatically
return to their original copy types, and function according to their original loan periods and limits.
Book carts can also be used to provide storage for title and copy records that you want to keep separate from
the rest of your collection. InfoCentre’s inventory module, for example, gives you the option of placing
missing copies on a book cart. Book carts created for these purposes can be set so that copies do not display in
the search station or check out screen. For more information, see Adding missing copies to a book cart.
A book cart can be further designated as an entry collection. An entry collection provides temporary storage
for new MARC records. You can import MARC records into an entry collection, review these new records,
and then place them in your InfoCentre collection.
Creating a book cart
Because a book cart is a kind of copy type, a book cart is created on the Copy Types screen of the Admin tab.
To create a book cart
1
From the Admin tab, click Cataloging. Then choose Copy Types. The Copy Types screen appears.
This Copy Type is a
Book Cart
Display in Check
Out set to Yes.
Display in Search
Station set to Yes.
2
Click New Type.
3
Enter the book cart’s name in the Type Name box.
4
Select This Copy Type is a Book Cart.
5
Select Yes in Display In Check Out and Display In Search Station.
6
Click Save. A window appears when the book cart has been successfully saved. Click OK.
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Creating loan periods and limits for a book cart
Once you have created a book cart, you can create a loan period and limits for items on the book cart. Since
you probably want these items to be available to as many patrons as possible, you can create a shorter loan
period and limit the number of book cart items that each patron can check out.
To create a loan period for your book cart
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Loan Periods. The Loan Periods screen appears.
2
Click New Period.
3
Enter the loan period’s name in the Name box.
4
Enter the number of days patrons can check out books on the book cart in the Loan Period box.
--or-Choose Hour(s) from the list and enter the number of hours patrons can check out books on the book
cart in the Loan Period box.
--or-Enter a date in the Specific Date box. All items on the book cart will be due on this date.
5
Leave the Patron Type box blank to have the loan period apply to all patrons.
--or-Choose a patron type from the list. The loan period will apply to patrons in this patron type only.
6
Choose the book cart from the Copy Type list.
7
Enter a Fine Amount.
8
Enter a Grace Period.
9
Enter a Maximum Fine to be charged for an overdue copy.
--or-Select Use Copy Price to set the maximum fine at the cost of the copy.
10 Click Save. A window appears when the loan period has been successfully saved. Click OK.
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To create a limit for your book cart
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Limits. The Limits screen appears.
2
Click New Limit.
3
Enter the limit’s name in the Limit Name box.
4
Choose the same patron type from the Patron Type list that you chose for the loan period.
5
Choose the book cart from the Copy Type list.
6
Enter limits for the following:
7
Limit
Description
Checkouts
The maximum number of book cart items that a patron can check out at
one time.
Renewals
The maximum number of times a book cart item can be renewed.
Bookings
The maximum number of bookings that can be placed on a book cart item.
Overdues
The maximum number of overdue book cart items allowed to a patron.
Holds
The maximum number of holds that can be placed on a book cart item.
Click Save. A window appears when the limit has been successfully saved. Click OK.
Putting items on a book cart
Now that your book cart has been created, and loan period and limits established, you can add copies.
To put items on a book cart
1
2
Choose your book cart from the Select Book Cart list.
3
Click Add to Book Cart. The Add to Book Cart window appears.
4
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Choose the copies you want to add to your book cart. There are several different ways to do this.
Method
Description
Identify Copy Enter the copy ID and click Find or press Enter.
--or-Click Find and choose the copy. For more information, see Using the Find Copy
Button.
Select Title
List
Choose a title list. Then click Select. For more information, see Creating a Title List.
Select Copy
Status
Choose a copy status from the Select Copy Status list. Options include Available
Holds, Claimed Returned, Lost, and Lost and Paid For. Enter dates in the From and
To boxes or leave the boxes blank to include all dates. Then click Select.
5
When you have selected all copies to place on the book cart, click Add to Book Cart. A window
appears when the copies have been added. Click OK.
6
Click Done. The copies added to the book cart appear on the Manage Book Carts screen.
A Title List is a list of titles and/or copies that you create in InfoCentre. You can use title lists in a number
of ways, including book carts, visual search buttons, and reading lists. For more information, see Creating a
Title List.
Taking items off a book cart
When you no longer need the copies on your book cart set apart from the rest of your collection, you can
remove them from the book cart. InfoCentre returns the copies to their original copy types.
To take items off a book cart
1
2
Choose your book cart from the Select Book Cart list. The copies in the book cart appear onscreen.
The Copy Type
column shows the
original copy type for
each item on the book
cart.
3
Highlight a copy and click Remove from Book Cart.
--or-Click Select All. Then click Remove from Book Cart. When a message appears indicating that the
selected copies have been removed from the book cart, click OK.
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Creating an Entry Collection book cart
InfoCentre allows you to create entry collections. An entry collection is a type of book cart designed to allow
you to keep newly imported MARC records separate from the rest of your collection. You can check these
new records to make sure they are cataloged the way you want. Then you move them from the entry
collection into your main collection.
Like a book cart, an entry collection is created on the Copy Types screen of the Admin tab.
To create an entry collection book cart
1
This Copy Type is a
Book Cart
This Book Cart is an
Entry Collection
Display in Check Out
set to No.
Display in Search
Station set to No.
2
Click New Type.
3
Enter the entry collection’s name in the Type Name box.
4
Select This Copy Type is a Book Cart.
5
Select This Book Cart is an Entry Collection.
6
Select No in Display In Check Out and Display In Search Station.
7
Click Save. A window appears when the book cart has been successfully saved. Click OK.
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Creating a loan period for an entry collection book cart
You don’t want copies in your entry collection to circulate, so you need to create a non-circulating loan
period for these items.
To create a loan period for an entry collection book cart
1
2
Click New Period.
3
4
Enter 0 in the Loan Period box.
5
Choose the entry collection book cart from the Copy Type list.
6
Click Save. A window appears when the loan period has been successfully saved. Click OK.
Importing MARC records into an entry collection book cart
You add MARC records to your entry collection by selecting the Put in Entry Collection option on the
Import MARC Records screen. For more information about importing MARC records, see Importing MARC
records and Appendix B: Import Options for MARC Records.
To import MARC records into an entry collection book cart
1
2
In the Import Options section of the Import tab, select Add New Titles and Copies.
Put in Entry Collection
Add New Titles and
Copies
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3
Select Put in Entry Collection. Choose the entry collection from the list.
4
Select other import options as required. For more information, see Appendix B: Import Options for
MARC Records.
5
In the Import File Name and Location section, click Browse and browse to the file of MARC records
you want to import.
Import File Name
and Location
6
In the Copy Type section, select the method you want InfoCentre to use to assign copy types to the
imported copies. These are the copy types that the copies will be placed in after they are removed
from the entry collection book cart.
Select Yes if you want InfoCentre to assign copy types based on call number patterns. For more
information, see Using call number patterns to assign copy types.
--or-Select No to have InfoCentre place all incoming copies in one copy type. Choose this copy type from
the Default Value list.
Leave the Copy ID Starting Value box blank if you want InfoCentre to use existing IDs in the imported
records.
--or-Enter a ID in the Starting Value box. InfoCentre will assign copy IDs to the imported copies starting
with this value.
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7
Click Import. A window appears asking if you want to perform the import. Click Yes. A message
appears explaining that the import is in process.
8
Type of Information
Description
Records read
The number of MARC records in the file.
Rejected records
Records that could not be imported into InfoCentre.
Bad records
Incomplete or faulty MARC records.
Reviewing records in an entry collection book cart
You have two ways of reviewing the records in your entry collection. You can create a shelf list report to see
a list of copies in the entry collection. If you want to check or make changes to the cataloging of a title and
copy, you can view each record individually on the Maintain Title/Copy screen.
To create a shelf list report for your entry collection book cart
1
From the Reports tab, click Cataloging Reports. Then choose Shelf List. The Shelf List screen
appears.
Copy Type
2
Choose your entry collection from the Copy Type list.
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3
Click Create. InfoCentre displays the shelf list in the Print Preview window. From here, you can
preview, print, email, or save the report to a file. For more information, see Viewing, Saving, Printing,
You can use the shelf list to check for issues such as the following:
•
Have the correct records been imported?
•
Have the correct copy IDs been assigned to the copies?
•
Are the call numbers correct?
Report.
To review the title and copy records in your entry collection book cart
1
2
Click Find. The Identify Title window appears.
3
Choose Copy Type from the Identify By list.
4
Choose your entry collection book cart from the Search For list. Then click Find.
Identify By Copy Type
Entry Collection
copy type
5
The first title in the list of search results will be highlighted. Click Select. The title appears on the Title
Information tab.
Review the title and copy information for this title. If you make any changes on either tab, click Save.
A window appears when the record has been saved successfully. Click OK.
6
Click Next to review the title and copy information for the next record in your entry collection book
cart. Continue to click Next to view the remaining records. The Next button will be grayed out when
you reach the last record in your entry collection book cart. Click Previous to view records before the
one currently displayed.
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Moving records from an entry collection book cart into the collection
Once you’re satisfied with the imported records, you can remove them from the entry collection book cart.
InfoCentre places them in the copy types assigned to them during the import process. Once they are removed
from the entry collection book cart, they are ready for circulation.
Removing copies from an entry collection book cart
1
2
Choose your entry collection book cart from the Select Book Cart list. The copies in the book cart
appear onscreen.
Copy type assigned
during import.
3
Click Select All. Then click Remove from Book Cart.
A message appears indicating that the selected copies have been removed from the book cart. Click
OK.
128
Using Title Merge
You can use InfoCentre’s Title Merge feature to clean up duplicate records in your catalog. If you have two
records for the same title, you can choose the record you want to keep and move the other record’s copies to
this record. All circulation information for these copies is also moved.
To move copies from one title record to another
1
From the Cataloging tab, click Title Merge. The Title Merge screen appears.
2
Click Find Title on the left side of the screen. Choose the first record for the title. The title record
appears.
3
Click Find Title on the right side of the screen. Choose the second record for the title. The title record
appears.
Merge copies from the
record on the right to
the record on the left.
Merge copies from
the record on the
left to the record
on the right.
4
Review the two records and choose the title record you want to keep. Click View Copies to see the
copies for each title record.
5
Click the Merge Copies button that moves copies from the title record you don’t want to keep to the
title record you do want to keep. A window appears explaining the merge process. Click Yes. A
message appears when the titles have been merged successfully. Click OK.
129
Using Maintain Authority to Create Authority Records and See and
See Also References
An authority record contains a name or subject heading and a list of cross references to other related headings.
Like title records, authority records are structured by MARC tags.
InfoCentre uses authority records in two ways:
•
To create See and See Also references in search results.
See references are used when a patron uses a misspelled or outdated search term. The See reference
shows them the correct search term to use.
See also references are used to show patrons other search terms that will also provide search results
related to their original search term.
•
To authority check headings on the Maintain Title/Copy screen.
InfoCentre allows you to compare the name or subject heading you enter against a list of names and
subject headings. This helps you to use the same variation of a name or subject while you catalog.
To turn on See and See Also references
To have see and see also references appear in your search results, make sure that this option is turned on:
From the Admin tab, click Searching. Then choose Miscellaneous Settings. Check to see that See and
See Also Searching is set to On.
To authorize headings using authority records
To have InfoCentre use authority records to check your names and subject headings, make sure this option is
selected:
From the Admin tab, click Cataloging. Then choose Miscellaneous Settings. Check to see that Authorize
headings using is set to Authority records.
130
To enter an authority record
1
From the Cataloging tab, click Maintain Authority.
2
Choose a Heading Type from the list.
3
Enter Heading Statement, LCCN Control Number, See From Tracings, and See Also From Tracings as
required. InfoCentre provides a button to help you add accents or other non-English characters to
your authority record. See the table below for instructions on how to use this button.
4
Click Save. A window appears when the authority record has been saved successfully. Click OK.
Click to open the Diacritics window. Use this window to add an accent or other non-English
characters to your title information.
You can import authority records in InfoCentre using Sagebrush’s Cross-Reference feature. For more
information, see Updating Cross-Reference.
Inventory
Introduction to Inventory ......................................................................................132
Starting Inventory ..............................................................................................135
Loading Copies.................................................................................................137
Managing the List of Inventoried Copies ...................................................................139
Using the Inventory Conflicts Report to Resolve Inventory Conflicts ...................................140
Using the Copies Missing from Inventory Report to Confirm Missing Copies.........................143
Managing Missing Copies ....................................................................................145
Finishing Inventory ............................................................................................149
132
Chapter 3: Inventory
Introduction to Inventory
Why should I do inventory?
Inventory helps you to take stock of your collection and make sure that your InfoCentre database accurately
reflects what is on your shelves. Doing an inventory can help you to find misshelved items and identify lost
materials. All of this helps to make sure that your patrons are able to find the items in their search results.
InfoCentre’s inventory process offers a lot of flexibility. The Inventory FAQs section can help you to choose
the most effective inventory strategy for your library.
Inventory FAQs
Should I weed my library before doing inventory?
Weeding isn’t required, but it will make the inventory process easier by cutting down on the number of books
to inventory. It will also give you a chance to clean and organize your shelves before inventory. This may cut
down on the number of conflicts you encounter during inventory.
You can use the Copy Activity report to help you weed your collection. Create a Copy Activity report
that targets copies with low usage and use the report results to decide which copies to weed.
Should I inventory the whole library at once or should I do a section at a time?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. You need to weigh the pros and cons of each method and
then decide which one best suits your library.
Advantages
Whole library at once
One section at a time
You don’t have to divide your library into
sections.
You can work in smaller sections.
Any cataloging inconsistencies, such as copies
in the wrong type or inconsistent use of call
numbers, are not an issue.
If you encounter any problems, it’s easier to
redo a section.
Inventory reports and statistics apply to the
entire library – they are complete.
The process of counting copies on the Start
Inventory screen will be faster.
You can continue to edit or delete materials in
sections of your library not currently being
inventoried.
Disadvantages
133
Whole library at once
One section at a time
You have to scan everything in your collection
in order to finish your inventory.
Inventory reports and statistics will apply to
each section – you will have to combine reports
to get the full picture
The process of counting copies on the Start
Inventory screen could be lengthy.
The process of specifying copy types and/or
call number ranges on the Start Inventory
screen will highlight any cataloging
inconsistencies – for example, copies in the
wrong copy type or inconsistent call number
patterns.
You can’t edit or delete any materials while
inventory is in process – this may cause
conflicts in your inventory.
There’s more to redo if you encounter any
problems.
Can I continue to check out books while an inventory is in progress?
Yes. If a copy is checked out after you have started inventory, InfoCentre accounts for it and does not
consider it missing.
What happens if I don’t finish inventory in one day and I have to log out of InfoCentre?
You can log into InfoCentre the next day and continue where you left off. If you were loading copies on the
Inventory Copies screen, click Show Inventory and InfoCentre will display all copy IDs you’ve loaded so
far.
How does InfoCentre know what books are on my shelf?
When you inventory, you load copy IDs into InfoCentre. This is done by scanning the barcodes of the books
on your shelf, then loading these copy IDs into InfoCentre.
How do I scan barcodes and load them into InfoCentre?
You have several different options for scanning barcodes and loading copy IDs:
•
Bring books to your workstation and scan copy IDs directly into the Inventory Copies screen using a
circulation scanner. For more information, see Scanning directly into Inventory Copies screen.
•
Scan books on the shelves using a portable barcode scanner such as a PT815 or a circulation scanner
attached to a laptop. Both of these methods create a text file containing copy IDs. Transfer the file to
your workstation, and then use the Load File button on the Inventory Copies screen to load the file.
For more information, see Scanning into text file and using Load File button.
•
Scan books on the shelves using an In-Hand (a remote data collection unit). This creates a file
containing copy IDs. Transfer this data from your In-Hand to your computer using the HotSync
process, and then use the Load In-Hand button to load the file. For more information, see Scanning
with In-Hand and using Load In-Hand button.
You can use any combination of these options to scan and load copy IDs.
134
Some libraries attach a circulation scanner to a laptop and place the laptop on a rolling cart. This allows
them to scan copy IDs into a text file without having to move the materials from the shelves to the
workstation.
Some libraries install the InfoCentre client on a laptop; then, using a wireless connection and a circulation
scanner, they scan copy IDs directly into the Inventory Copies screen. This allows them to scan materials at
the shelves instead of moving materials to the workstation.
What does InfoCentre do with items that are missing?
InfoCentre gives you the choice of what to do with missing items: you can mark the copy as Lost or put the
copy’s record on a book cart. You may want to create a special book cart for missing copies, with settings so
that copies do not appear in the search station. For more information about creating a book cart, see Creating
a book cart.
Will InfoCentre automatically delete the records for lost books?
No. It’s your responsibility to delete these records. You may want to hold on to these records for a period of
time in case a lost item is returned.
What happens if I find a book that was marked as Lost in Inventory?
Check in the book. InfoCentre will change the status from Lost to In. For more information, see Checking in a
Lost copy and changing its status (Standard Circulation Desk) or Checking in a Lost copy and changing its
status (Spectrum Circulation Desk).
What happens if I find a book that was missing in Inventory and that I placed on a book cart for
missing items?
Remove the copy from the book cart. For more information, see Taking items off a book cart.
135
Starting Inventory
The Start Inventory screen is where you choose which part of your collection will be inventoried. You can
inventory your entire collection all at once, or you can inventory a section of your collection. For more
information about this option, see Should I inventory the whole library at once or should I do a section at a
time?
You select the part of your collection for inventory by selecting one or more copy types; you can also use a
call number range to limit the copies within the specified copy type(s).
After you select some or all of your collection, InfoCentre counts the copies included in your selection. This
process goes through the copy records in your selection and displays the number of copies counted on the
Start Inventory screen. These counted copies are what InfoCentre expects to see when you scan and load copy
IDs. (InfoCentre includes lost copies and checked out copies when it counts copies, so the number of copy
IDs you load may be less than the number of copies counted on this screen.)
Your choice of copy type(s) and call number range on the Start Inventory screen is referred to as your
Inventory Criteria. This information appears on each screen as you progress through the inventory process.
To start Inventory
1
From the Inventory tab, click Start Inventory. The Start Inventory screen appears.
2
If you are inventorying your entire collection, accept the default copy type selection and leave the Call
Number boxes blank.
--or-If you are inventorying only a portion of your collection, limit by copy type(s) and/or call number to
specify the portion being inventoried.
136
To limit by copy type(s)
•
Click Select. The Select Copy Types window opens with all copy types selected.
•
Click Clear to deselect all copy types. Then select a copy type by clicking it.
To select more than one copy type, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or the Command key
(Macintosh) and click each of the desired types.
•
Click OK. The copy type(s) you selected will appear on the Start Inventory screen.
To limit by call number
•
Enter the starting call number in the Range From box and the ending call number in the To box.
Use whole numbers
when entering a nonfiction call number
range.
Use #AA to #ZZ to
include all call
numbers beginning
with a particular
letter.
3
Click Start. InfoCentre displays a message stating that it is counting copies. Once the count is
complete. InfoCentre displays basic information about the inventory.
4
Click OK. The number of copies counted is displayed on the Start Inventory screen.
137
Loading Copies
Loading copies refers to the process of entering the copy IDs of items on your shelves into Inventory. You
load copies from the Inventory Copies screen.
Copies Entered list. As
copies are loaded,
they are shown in this
section of the screen.
There are three methods for loading copies into inventory:
•
Scan copy IDs directly into the Inventory Copies screen using a circulation scanner.
•
Use the Load File button to load a text file containing copy IDs. This text file is created using a
portable barcode scanner such as a PT815 or by using a circulation scanner attached to a laptop to
scan barcodes into a text file.
•
Use the Load In-Hand button to load a file. This file is created by using an In-Hand to scan
barcodes.
Scanning directly into Inventory Copies screen
To enter copies directly into the Inventory Copies screen
1
From the Inventory tab, click Inventory Copies. The Inventory Copies screen appears.
2
--or-Type the copy ID in the box provided. Then click Find Copy.
InfoCentre adds the copy to the Copies Entered list.
138
Scanning into text file and using Load File button
To enter copies from a text file
1
Using your portable barcode scanner, such as a PT815, go to the shelves and scan the copies’
barcode labels. (This creates a text file of copy IDs.) For detailed instructions, consult the
documentation that came with your barcode scanner.
--or-Connect a circulation scanner to a laptop computer, put the laptop on a rolling cart, and use the
scanner to scan the copies’ barcodes into an application such as Notepad (Windows) or SimpleText or
TextEdit (Macintosh).
2
When you have finished the scanning session, transfer the text file from the portable barcode scanner
to your InfoCentre client computer or a location on your network that can be accessed by your
InfoCentre client computer. For detailed instructions, consult the documentation that came with your
barcode scanner.
--or-When you have finished the scanning session, transfer the file from the laptop computer to your
InfoCentre client computer or a location on your network that can be accessed by your InfoCentre
client computer.
3
From your InfoCentre client, access the Inventory tab and click Inventory Copies. The Inventory
Copies screen appears.
4
Click Load File. When the file selection window opens, navigate to and select the file.
5
Click Open. InfoCentre adds copies from the file to the Copies Entered list.
Scanning with In-Hand and using Load In-Hand button
To enter copies from In-Hand
1
Go to the shelves with your In-Hand and use the Inventory feature to scan the copies’ barcode labels.
For detailed instructions, consult the documentation that came with In-Hand.
2
When you have finished the scanning session, transfer the data to your InfoCentre client computer via
a HotSync process. For detailed instructions consult the documentation that came with In-Hand.
3
From your InfoCentre client, access the Inventory tab and click Inventory Copies. The Inventory
4
Click Load In-Hand. InfoCentre adds the copies that you scanned with In-Hand to the Copies Entered
list.
139
Managing the List of Inventoried Copies
As you load copy IDs into inventory, each ID is listed onscreen. If you are returning to the Inventory Copies
screen from another part of the program, or you are continuing your inventory from the previous day, you can
click Show Inventory and InfoCentre will load the list of inventoried copies.
The list of inventoried copies includes an Exception column. Click View to view each exception onscreen.
InfoCentre provides an explanation of each exception. You will have the opportunity to view these exceptions
again and try to resolve them on the List Conflicts screen of Inventory (for more information, see Using the
Inventory Conflicts Report to Resolve Inventory Conflicts). However, you may decide to remove some of the
copies with exceptions from the list of inventoried copies before you continue to the List Conflicts screen. For
example, if you have a series of copy IDs with the exception message “This copy does not meet the inventory
criteria,” this could mean that you have scanned the wrong part of your library or that you have loaded an
incorrect file of copy IDs. Remove these copy IDs from the list of inventoried copies and continue your
inventory.
For a more complete list of exceptions, see Using the Inventory Conflicts Report to Resolve Inventory
Conflicts.
To remove a copy from the Copies Entered list
1
If you have not already done so, access the Inventory tab and click Inventory Copies. The Inventory
2
Scroll through the Copies Entered list until you find the copy that you want to remove. (If the copy is
not displayed in the Copies Entered list, click Show Inventory and try finding it again.)
3
In the Copies Entered list, click the copy you want to remove.
4
Click Remove.
140
Using the Inventory Conflicts Report to Resolve Inventory
Conflicts
You create the Inventory Conflicts report from the List Conflicts screen. This report lists copies that
InfoCentre did not expect to be loaded into Inventory. Some examples of inventory conflicts include:
•
Copies with a status of checked out or lost.
•
Copies that are outside the inventory criteria.
•
Copies that belong to another library.
Create the Inventory Conflicts report and resolve the conflicts listed in the report. The table in this section
lists the most common conflicts and how to resolve them.
To create the Inventory Conflicts report
1
From the Inventory tab, click List Conflicts. The List Conflicts screen appears.
2
141
To resolve conflicts
Review the conflicts listed in the report. Refer to the table for a description of each conflict and how to
resolve it. You should resolve all conflicts listed in this report before you finish your inventory.
The Exception
column indicates the
conflict for each
copy listed in the
report.
Exception
Description
Resolution
Outside Criteria
The copy ID does not
belong to the part of the
collection you selected for
inventory on the Start
Inventory screen.
This exception could mean that the copy is misshelved. Find the copy on
the shelf and return it to its correct place. Then return to the Inventory
Copies screen and remove the copy from the list. For more information,
see Managing the List of Inventoried Copies.
If several copies have this exception, it could mean that you have
scanned the wrong part of your collection or that you have loaded an
incorrect file of copy IDs. If this is the case, return to the Inventory
Copies screen and remove these copies from the list. For more
information, see Managing the List of Inventoried Copies.
If you are doing inventory by sections, this exception could mean that the
copy is currently placed on a book cart. Look up the record in Cataloging
to see if it is assigned to a book cart. If it is, then remove the copy from
the book cart on the Manage Book Carts screen. For more information,
see Taking items off a book cart. The copy will be returned to its original
copy type and will be inventoried the next time you inventory this
section.
If you are doing inventory by sections, this exception could mean that the
item was placed in the wrong copy type when imported or cataloged.
Look up the record in Cataloging to see if it is in the correct copy type. If
it isn’t, change the copy type and save the record. The copy will be in the
correct copy type and will be inventoried the next time you inventory this
section.
142
Exception
Description
Resolution
Not in collection
The copy ID does not have This exception could mean that the copy belongs to another library. Find
a corresponding record in the copy on the shelf and investigate where it is from. Then return to the
InfoCentre.
Inventory Copies screen and remove the copy from the list. For more
information, see Managing the List of Inventoried Copies.
Checked Out
The copy is checked out.
Marked Lost
The copy has been marked This exception could mean that the copy was marked as lost in error, or
as Lost.
that it was returned to the shelf without having its status changed from
Lost to In. Check the copy back in to change its Lost status. For more
information, see Checking in a Lost copy and changing its status
(Standard Circulation Desk) or Checking in a Lost copy and changing its
status (Spectrum Circulation Desk).
Already
Inventoried
The copy ID has already
This exception means that the copy’s ID appears more than one time in
been loaded into inventory. the list of inventoried copies. Return to the Inventory Copies screen and
remove the extra copy ID from the list. For more information, see
Managing the List of Inventoried Copies.
This exception could mean that the copy was returned to the shelf
without being checked in. Check the copy back in. For more information,
see Checking in a copy (Standard Circulation Desk) or Checking in a
copy (Spectrum Circulation Desk).
143
Using the Copies Missing from Inventory Report to Confirm Missing Copies
You create the Copies Missing From Inventory report from the List Missing Copies screen. This report lists
copy IDs that are part of the inventory criteria but that haven’t been scanned or loaded into inventory. The
copies listed in this report will be loaded on the Manage Missing Copies screen, where you will mark them as
lost or place them on a book cart.
Most often, the copies listed in the report are lost, but they may also be misshelved. You may also have
missed a shelf when scanning barcodes, or forgotten to load a file of copy IDs.
Create the Copies Missing from Inventory report and confirm that the copies listed in the report are in fact
missing.
To create the Copies Missing from Inventory report
1
From the Inventory tab, click List Missing. The List Missing Copies screen appears.
2
144
To confirm that the copies are missing
Look at the report to identify missing copies. Check your shelves to confirm that the listed copies are in
fact missing and not misshelved. If you have an unexpected number of missing copies, check to see if you
missed a shelf when you were scanning barcodes, or if you forgot to load a file of copy IDs.
If you find a copy on the list, return to the Inventory Copies screen and enter the copy ID. For more
information, see Scanning directly into Inventory Copies screen. Run the Copies Missing From Inventory
report again. Repeat this process until you are sure that the copies listed in the report are missing. These
are the copies that you will process on the Manage Missing Copies screen.
145
Managing Missing Copies
The Manage Missing Copies screen lists missing copies – copies that InfoCentre expects you to find but that
have not been scanned and loaded into inventory. The copies that appear on the Manage Missing Copies
screen are the same copies listed in the Copies Missing From Inventory report. For more information about
this report and how to confirm that these copies are missing, see Using the Copies Missing from Inventory
Report to Confirm Missing Copies.
The Manage Missing Copies screen gives you two options for dealing with missing copies. You can mark the
copy as Lost or place the copy on a book cart. The following table lists the pros and cons of each option.
Choose the option which best suits your library, or use a combination of the two.
Advantages
Mark Copy as Lost
Place on Book Cart
The search station will clearly show the copy’s
status as Lost in the search results.
A book cart is a convenient storage place for
books that are not actually missing but that
cannot be inventoried for some reason – for
example, copies are on display at another
location or copies are at the bindery.
If you find a copy marked as Lost, it is simple
to update your InfoCentre database. Check in
the copy to change its status to In. This will be
automatically reflected in search station results.
The copy will also automatically be in its
original copy type and revert to original loan
periods and limits.
The book cart can be created so that copies do
not display in the search station. This means
that patrons will not see missing copies in their
search results.
If a lost copy is found during inventory, the
inventory conflict message states clearly that
the copy is marked as Lost.
Copies placed on a book cart can be easily
batch processed.
The lost copy’s record remains in its original
copy type.
You can easily create a shelf list report of your
missing copies book cart (instead of using the
Lost and Claimed Returned report).
Lost copies can be easily added to a book cart.
The Select Copy Status feature on the Add to
Book Cart window allows you to select copies
marked as Lost and add them to a book cart.
You can use the Lost and Claimed Returned
report to create a list of lost copies.
146
Disadvantages
Mark Copy as Lost
Place on Book Cart
Lost copies are viewable in the search station
and are included in patrons’ search results.
A missing copy placed on a book cart will have
a status of In rather than Lost.
You can’t batch process lost copies based on
their status as Lost. You can, however, add
them to a book cart based on their status as
Lost. You can then perform a batch process on
the book cart.
If you find a missing copy, you have to remove
it from the book cart so that it is searchable in
the search station and so that it reverts to its
original copy type, loan period, and limits.
If you are doing inventory in sections, and if a
missing copy placed on a book cart is found
during inventory, the inventory conflict
message says only “outside inventory criteria”.
This is because the copy is in a book cart rather
than its original copy type.
Missing copies placed on a book cart are not
included in the Lost and Claimed Returned
report.
As you inventory your reference section, you discover that three copies listed in the Copies Missing
From Inventory report are not really missing but instead are at the bindery. You create a book cart
called Bindery and set it so that copies are not displayed in the search station. On the Manage Missing
Copies screen, you place these three copies on the Bindery book cart. When the copies are returned,
you remove the copies from the Bindery book cart. They are now back in their original Reference
copy type and operate under the loan period and limits for that copy type.
You lend some books to another library to include in a book display at their library. Because you
know that these books won’t be back before your library does inventory for the year, you put these
books on a book cart. When you start inventory for that section and use the original copy type as your
criteria, these books will not be counted. Because they’re not counted, they will not be part of the
inventory for that section. That way, they won’t appear on the Copies Missing From Inventory report.
147
Marking missing copies as lost
To mark one or more copies as Lost
1
From the Inventory tab, click Manage Missing. The Manage Missing Copies screen appears.
Select Mark Copy as
Lost.
Missing Copies list
2
Select the Mark copy as Lost option.
3
In the Missing Copies list, use your mouse to select the copy or copies that you want to mark as Lost.
(To select multiple copies, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or the Command key (Macintosh) and
click each of the desired copies. To select all copies, click Select All.)
4
Click Process.
148
Adding missing copies to a book cart
Before you add missing copies to a book cart, make sure the required book cart or carts have already been
created. For more information, see Creating a book cart.
To place one or more missing copies on a book cart
1
From the Inventory tab, click Manage Missing. The Manage Missing Copies screen appears.
Select a book cart
from this list.
Missing Copies list
2
Select the Place on Book Cart option. Then open the adjacent list and choose the book cart.
3
In the Missing Copies list, use your mouse to select the copy or copies that you want to place on the
book cart. (To select multiple copies, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or the Command key
(Macintosh) and click each of the desired copies. To select all copies, click Select All.)
4
Click Process.
149
Finishing Inventory
In InfoCentre, finishing inventory does not make any changes to the copy records – you do that yourself by
resolving inventory conflicts, marking copies as Lost, or placing copies on a book cart. When you finish
inventory, InfoCentre simply clears all copies from the inventory and clears all inventory settings.
Before finishing inventory, make sure you’ve done the following:
•
Resolved all conflicts listed on the Inventory Conflicts Report. For more information, see Using the
Inventory Conflicts Report to Resolve Inventory Conflicts.
•
Processed all copies on the Manage Missing Copies screen. For more information, see Managing
Missing Copies.
To finish inventory
1
From the Inventory tab, click Finish Inventory. The Finish Inventory screen appears.
2
Click Finish.
Searching
Introduction to Searching .....................................................................................152
Searching with the Search Station ..........................................................................153
Using Circulation Features in the Patron Search Station ................................................165
Using Additional Features of the Patron Search Station .................................................172
Working with eBooks ..........................................................................................178
152
Chapter 4: Searching
Introduction to Searching
The patron search station (also known as the student station or OPAC) allows patrons to do the following:
•
Search the collection.
•
Create a list of search results that can be printed or saved.
•
View reading lists.
•
Access their library record.
•
Renew items and place or remove holds and bookings.
•
Check out and download eBooks.
•
Access Staff View (for patrons with this privilege).
The patron search station offers several different types of searches to accommodate different ages and skill
levels:
•
Quick search.
•
Advanced search.
•
Visual search.
•
Reading program search.
•
Other libraries search.
You can customize your search station by selecting only the types of searches appropriate for your patrons.
For example, a high school library might not want visual search, while an elementary school library might not
want advanced search. The search station displays buttons only for the types of searches you select.
Search results in the patron search station include copy status and location as well as detailed title and copy
information.
You can enable see and see also references in your search results. For more information, see Using Maintain
Authority to Create Authority Records and See and See Also References.
You can decide which search screens you want to make available in the patron search station. From
the Admin tab, click Searching, and select Miscellaneous Settings. In the Search Screens section,
select On beside the search screens you want to include and Off beside those you don’t want to
include. You can also select the screen that the search station automatically opens to. Select your
choice from the Default Search Screen list.
153
Searching with the Search Station
InfoCentre’s search station offers many options for patrons searching your InfoCentre collection. The Quick
Search, Advanced Search, and Visual Search screens are suited to different age and skill levels. The Reading
Program Search screen allows patrons to find titles at a specific reading and point or lexile level. Patrons can
also search other libraries in your district using the Other Libraries screen.
Performing a Quick Search
Quick Search is a good way for patrons to do a basic search of your library. Patrons can limit the search by
Title, Author, or Subject. Keyword searches all three of these fields as well as other information.
To perform a Quick Search
1
From the Library Search tab, click Quick Search. The Quick Search screen appears.
Enter a search term in
this box.
2
Enter a search term in the box provided. (A search term describes what you are searching for. For
example, to find materials written by the author J.K. Rowling, you might use the search term
Rowling.)
3
Indicate the search type (title, author, subject, or keyword) by clicking the appropriate option. (To
search on all categories, choose Keyword.)
4
Click Search. The Search Results screen appears. For help working with the search results, see
Working with the search results.
You can use the Browse button to help you find a search term. Enter a search term, click Browse,
then click the search term you want to use. Your choice will be entered in the search field.
You can decide which index (title, author, subject, or keyword) is automatically selected on the Quick
Search screen. From the Admin tab, click Searching, and then choose Miscellaneous Settings.
Choose an index from the Default Index for Quick Search list. The index you choose will be
automatically selected when you select the Quick Search screen.
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Performing an Advanced Search
InfoCentre’s Advanced Search allows patrons to perform more specific searches by:
•
Combining search terms with the words and, or, and not (Boolean operators).
•
Limiting searches by a specific search type (for example, series title or ISBN), to a location, or to a
copy type.
To perform an Advanced Search
1
From the Library Search tab, click Advanced Search. The Advanced Search screen appears.
2
In the Enter a word or phrase section, type your first search term in the top box, your second search
term in the center box, and your third search term (if you need one) in the bottom box.
3
For each search term, open the list to its right and choose the relevant search type. (For a broad allcategory search, choose Keyword.)
4
For each pair of search terms, choose a Boolean operator (AND, OR, or NOT) to connect the search
terms.
Boolean
Operator
Description
AND
OR
NOT
Use NOT to search for titles that contain the first search term but not the second.
cat
cat and dog
dog
cat
cat or dog
dog
cat
cat not dog
dog
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5
To search for copies at a particular location, type the location in the Location box.
6
To limit your search to a particular copy type or types, choose the desired copy type(s) from the Copy
Type list. (To select multiple types, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or the Command key
(Macintosh) and click each of the desired types.)
7
You can use the Browse button to help you find a search term. Enter a search term, click Browse,
then click the search term you want to use. Your choice will be entered in the search field.
Advanced Search allows you to perform very specific searches. In addition to title, author, subject,
and keyword, you can search by call number, copy ID, series, publisher, publication date, ISBN or
LCCN, and notes.
A teacher is looking for materials on the Civil War, but he doesn’t want items specifically about
generals in the Civil War. You help the teacher to perform an advanced search using civil war NOT
generals.
Performing a Visual Search
Patrons can use visual search buttons to perform searches that have already been set up for them. Visual
search buttons can be set up to perform a search, load a title list, or open a web page.
To perform a Visual Search
1
From the Library Search tab, click Visual Search. The Visual Search screen appears.
Visual search buttons
Note that the buttons may
vary depending on how
your administrator has
configured Visual Search.
156
2
Click the visual search button that most closely represents your area of interest.
•
If the button you choose is linked to a search, InfoCentre performs the search and displays the
Search Results screen. For help working with the search results, see Working with the search
results.
--or--
•
If the button you choose is linked to a title list or a Web page, InfoCentre displays the title list or
Web page.
--or--
•
If the button you choose has been configured to display more visual search buttons, InfoCentre
displays the next set of buttons. Narrow your search still further by clicking the button that most
closely represents your area of interest. Continue in this manner until InfoCentre performs a
search, displays a title list, or displays a Web page.
InfoCentre includes visual search buttons already set up for you. You can add to these buttons or make
changes to them. For more information, see Making Changes to an Existing Visual Search Button.
Performing a Reading Program Search
The Reading Program Search screen allows patrons to search for titles by reading level, point level, and title,
author, or subject. You can set up the Reading Program Search screen so that patrons have their choice of
more than one reading program.
To perform a Reading Program Search
1
From the Library Search tab, click Reading Program Search. The Reading Program Search screen
appears.
2
Select the reading program for your search.
3
Enter the desired reading level and point level (optional) in the boxes provided. (If you chose Lexile
from the Reading Program list, the Point Level box is not present.)
4
Enter a search term in the Enter a word or phrase box (optional).
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If you do not enter a search term, InfoCentre finds all titles with the specified reading level and point
values.
If you do enter a search term, InfoCentre finds titles with the specified reading level and point values
that also match your search term.
5
The reading programs available on the Reading Program Search screen are added in the Searching
You can search for all titles at a certain reading level. Enter the reading level and leave the other boxes
blank. InfoCentre will find all titles at that reading level.
You can choose which reading program will be automatically selected when the Reading Program
Search screen is opened. From the Admin tab, click Searching, and then choose Reading Programs.
Select Default beside the reading program that you want to appear first.
You can choose how you want InfoCentre to perform reading level searches. You can specify how
much you want InfoCentre to expand lexile measure values and reading level values; you can also
specify whether InfoCentre treats a number as a single number only (5 means 5.0) or entire range (5
means 5.0-5.9). From the Admin tab, click Searching, and select Reading Programs. Adjust your
search preferences in the Reading level search options section of the screen.
158
Performing an Other Libraries Search
The Other Libraries screen allows patrons to search other InfoCentre libraries in your district. Patrons select
the library or group of libraries they want to search and then search on a single search term or combined
search terms.
To perform an Other Libraries Search
1
From the Library Search tab, click Other Libraries. The Other Libraries screen appears.
Groups section. If your
administrator has not set
up groups, this section
will not be present.
Libraries section.
2
Enter one or more search terms in the boxes provided. For each term, open the adjacent list and
choose a search type. (For a broad all-category search, choose Keyword.)
3
For each pair of search terms, choose a Boolean operator (AND, OR, or NOT) to connect the search
terms.
Boolean Operator Description
AND
OR
NOT
Use NOT to search for titles that contain the first search term but not the second.
cat
cat and dog
4
dog
cat
cat or dog
dog
cat
dog
cat not dog
To search groups of libraries, select the desired group in the Groups section of the screen. To search
specific libraries, select those libraries from the Libraries section of the screen.
5
159
Like Advanced Search, Other Libraries allows you to perform very specific searches. In addition to
title, author, subject, and keyword, you can search by call number, copy ID, series, publisher,
publication date, ISBN or LCCN, and notes.
The libraries available for searching are added in the Searching section of the Admin tab. Libraries are
also organized into groups here.
Performing a Standards Search
The Standards Search feature lets you search your library's catalog for titles that meet academic standards for
your state or province.
This feature is available only if your library has purchased a Standards subscription and validated it.
(You validate your subscription from InfoCentre client’s State Standards screen. You can access this
screen from the Admin tab, by clicking Circulation, and then choosing State Standards. In addition,
State Standards is sometimes configured so that it can only be accessed from Staff View. For more
information about Staff View, see Using the Staff View Feature.
How Standards Search works
Standards are organized hierarchically by subject area and then grade. You simply choose the subject area and
grade level of interest. InfoCentre then lists the relevant standards so that you can choose the one that you
want to search. For detailed instructions, see below.
To perform a state standards search
1
From the Library Search tab, click State Standards. The State Standards Search screen appears.
Browse the
Standards for list
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2
Open the Browse the Standards for list and choose the state or province that you want to search.
InfoCentre expands the display to include subject areas.
Subject areas
3
Click the subject area that most closely represents your area of interest. InfoCentre expands the
display to include grade levels.
Grade levels
4
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Choose a grade level by clicking it. InfoCentre displays the standards for the specified subject area
and grade level combination.
Many standards contain one or more sublevels of progressively more specific standards. If a standard
contains sublevels, it is preceded by a folder icon ( ).
5
To search a standard and all of its sublevels, click its adjacent Find It button.
--or-To display the next sublevel of a standard, click the standard. You can then search one of the
standards at this sublevel by clicking its Find It button. Alternatively, continue displaying sublevels
until you find the standard that you do want to search, and then click its Find It button.
After clicking the Find It button, the Search Results screen appears. For help working with the search results,
see Working with the search results.
162
Working with the search results
InfoCentre’s search results provide the following:
•
Basic information about the titles that match the search term.
•
Detailed information about individual titles and copies.
•
Options to add search results to a list, or to place a booking or a hold.
Basic title information
The initial search results screen provides basic information about each item, including its title, call number,
and status. This is enough information for a patron to see if the item is available and where to find it.
Total number of
results
Status
Title
Call number
•
To sort search results in a different order, choose the order from the Sort By list. Options include
Title, Author, Call Number, Publication Date, and Reading Points.
•
Use the Previous and Next buttons to move through the search results.
•
Click Back to return to the search screen.
The icons that display in the search results are assigned to each copy type in the Searching section of
the Admin tab.
You can set the number of results that display on each page of search results. From the Admin tab,
click Searching and select Miscellaneous Settings. Enter the number of results you want InfoCentre to
display in the Results Per Page box.
163
Detailed title and copy information
To see more information about the title and its copies, click the title. InfoCentre will display one of up to five
views of the title or copies.
This is an example of the Show Copies screen.
Other views that you
can select.
You can select different screens depending on the kind of information you are looking for.
Screen
Description
Show Full
Shows the full title record.
Show Copies Shows detailed information about each copy.
Show MARC
Shows the full title record in MARC format.
Show Card
Shows the full title record in card catalog format.
More Info
Shows additional information about the title. In order for this additional
information to display, you need to subscribe to Sagebrush Enhanced
Content. You also need to specify the enhanced content that you want
InfoCentre to display. This is done in the Searching section of the
Administration.
All of these screens give patrons the option to
•
•
View records from the list of search results.
o
Click Previous to view the previous record in your search results list.
o
Click Next to view the next record in your search results list.
Browse the shelves.
o
Click Look Left to view the record for the item shelved immediately to the left of the current
item.
o
Click Look Right to view the record for the item shelved immediately to the right of the
current item.
You can choose which screens are available in your search results. From the Admin tab, click
Searching and select Miscellaneous Settings. Scroll down to the Display Title Screens section. Select
On beside the screens you want to display and Off beside the ones you don’t want to display. You can
also select the screen that appears first. Select your choice from the Default Title Display Screen list.
You can choose which copy fields display on the Show Copies screen. From the Admin tab, click
Searching and select Miscellaneous Settings. Scroll down to the Displayed Copy Fields section.
Select the fields that you want to appear.
164
Adding to a list, placing a hold, or booking
As patrons review their search results, they have the option of adding some or all of their search results to My
List.
•
To add the item to a list, click Add To List. For more information, see Using the My List feature.
Patrons can be given the privilege to place a hold on a title.
•
To place a hold, click Place Hold. For more information, see Placing a hold in the patron search
station.
Patrons can be given the privilege to place a booking on a copy. This option is available only on the Show
Copies screen.
•
To place a booking, click Book Item. For more information, see Placing a booking in the patron
search station.
The Book Item option is available only on the Show Copies screen because a booking is placed on a
specific copy. Because holds are placed at the title level, the Place Hold option is available on all
screens. For more information about titles and copies, see Appendix A: Title/Copy Structure.
165
Using Circulation Features in the Patron Search Station
InfoCentre’s search station gives patrons the opportunity to perform certain circulation tasks, both in their
search results and on the My Library Info tab. Patrons can
•
View their library accounts.
•
Renew items.
•
Place and remove holds.
•
Place and remove bookings.
If your library does not use InfoCentre’s holds or bookings features, either or both of these features can be
disabled in the Searching section of the Admin tab.
Logging in to My Library Info
The My Library Info tab allows patrons to view their library account. This is also where patrons can renew
materials and remove holds and bookings.
To log in to My Library Info
1
Click the My Library Info tab. InfoCentre displays a login screen.
The information you enter
to log in may vary
depending on how
InfoCentre has been
configured.
2
Provide the requested login information.
166
3
Click Login. InfoCentre displays information about your library account.
Click the Start Over
button to log out of
My Library Info.
The information needed to log in to My Library Info is set in the Searching section of the Admin
tab. Login information can be set to include up to three pieces of information.
To log out of My Library Info
Click the Start Over button.
Remind your patrons to log out of My Library Info after they have finished viewing their library
account.
Renewing copies in My Library Info
Patrons can renew items on the My Library Info screen. In order for patrons to be able to renew checkouts on
this screen, the Renewals option must be selected for the patron’s type. For more information, see Patron
types.
To renew copies
1
If you have not already done so, log in to My Library Info. For instructions, see Logging in to My
Library Info.
2
In the Checkouts section of the screen, select the check box adjacent to each of the copies that you
want to renew.
Any selected copies are
renewed when you
click Renew.
3
Click Renew.
167
Placing a hold in the patron search station
Patrons can place a hold on a title in their search results. In order for patrons to be able to place a hold, the
Enable Holds option must be turned on in the Searching section of the Admin tab and the Holds option must
be selected for the patron’s type. For more information, see Patron types.
To place a hold on a title
1
Use the Library Search feature to search for the title. You can use any of the search methods
described in Searching with the Search Station. The Search Results screen appears.
2
Click the title that you want to put on hold. The Details screen appears.
Place Hold button
3
Click Place Hold. The Place Hold window appears.
to identify yourself may
vary depending on how
InfoCentre has been
configured.
4
Identify yourself by entering the requested information in the appropriate boxes.
168
5
Click Place Hold. InfoCentre places the Hold and updates the window to show the hold position.
6
Click OK.
The login information required to place a hold is set in the Searching section of the Admin tab. It is
the same as the information required to log in to My Library Info.
Removing a hold in the patron search station
Patrons can remove a hold on the My Library Info screen. In order for patrons to be able to remove a hold on
this screen, the Holds option must be selected for the patron’s type. For more information, see Patron types.
To remove holds
1
Library Info.
2
In the Holds section of the screen, select the check box adjacent to each of the holds that you want to
remove.
Any selected holds are
removed when you click
Remove.
3
Click Remove. A message appears asking if you are sure that you want to remove the selected holds.
4
Click OK.
169
Placing a booking in the patron search station
Patrons can place a booking on a copy in their search results. In order for patrons to be able to place a
booking, the Enable Bookings option must be turned on in the Searching section of the Admin tab and the
Booking option must be enabled for the patron’s type. For more information, see Patron types.
To book a copy
1
2
Click the title. The Details screen appears.
Show Copies link
3
Click the Show Copies link. InfoCentre displays information about the title's copies.
Book Item button
170
4
Locate the copy that you want to book and click its Book Item button. The New Booking window
appears.
5
Identify yourself by entering the requested information in the appropriate boxes. Then click Login.
InfoCentre updates the window to show any existing bookings for the item as well as calendars to
help you specify the booking start and end dates.
Existing booking
6
Use the calendars to specify the booking start and end dates. (To select a date, simply click it. You
can change months using the arrows near the top of the calendar.)
7
In the Start Time and End Time fields, enter the starting and ending times for the booking. (Use a 12hour format and specify AM or PM--for example, 9:00 AM.)
8
Click OK.
The login information required to place a booking is set on the Patron Access screen in the Searching
section of the Admin tab. It is the same as the information required to log in to My Library Info.
A teacher wants to make sure that a specific solar system video is available when she teaches her unit
on outer space. She books the video in advance to make sure that it is not checked out on the day she
plans to show it.
171
Removing a booking in the patron search station
Patrons can remove a booking on the My Library Info screen. In order for patrons to be able to remove a
booking on this screen, the Bookings option must be selected for the patron’s type. For more information, see
Patron types.
To remove bookings
1
Library Info.
2
In the Bookings section of the screen, select the check box adjacent to each of the bookings that you
want to remove.
Any selected bookings
are removed when you
click Remove.
3
Click Remove. A message appears asking if you are sure that you want to remove the selected
bookings.
4
Click OK.
172
Using Additional Features of the Patron Search Station
The search station has other features. My List allows patrons to create a list of search results and print or save
the list. The Staff View feature allows certain patrons to view items that have been set to not display in the
patron search station. The Reading Lists feature provides a way for lists of resources for specific subjects to
be easily made available to patrons.
Using the My List feature
As patrons review their search results, they can click the Add button to add items to a list. This list can be
edited, then saved or printed.
To add a single title to the list
1
2
From the Search Results screen, locate the title that you want to add to the list.
3
Click the title's Add button.
To add all titles from a search to the list
1
Use the Library Search feature to specify a search. You can use any of the search methods described
in Searching with the Search Station. The Search Results screen appears.
2
Scroll to the top of the screen.
3
Click Add All.
To edit the list
1
Click the My List tab. The My List screen appears showing all titles that you have added to the list.
2
To remove a title from the list, click Remove.
3
To sort the titles in a different order, choose the order from the Sort By list. Options include Title, Call
Number, Author, and Publication Date.
4
When you have finished making changes to the list, print or save it.
173
To print the list
1
Print button
2
Click Print. InfoCentre opens a new window containing a printable version of the list.
3
Scroll to the bottom of this window and click Print. Then follow your standard procedure for printing
from your computer. (Alternatively, use your browser's Print feature.)
4
When you have finished printing, click Close.
To save the list
1
2
Click Save. Then follow your standard procedure for saving a file from your computer.
174
Using the Staff View Feature
InfoCentre’s Staff View feature allows patrons in selected patron types, usually staff, to view items in copy
types that have been set to not appear in patron station search results. Patrons with Staff View privileges will
be able to view hidden items along with the rest of their search results. You may want to use this feature for
equipment, or for a professional resource collection.
Patrons with Staff View privileges can renew, place holds, or place bookings on items accessible only through
Staff View. For more information, see Using Circulation Features in the Patron Search Station.
In order to access Staff View, a patron must be in a patron type that has the Staff View option
selected. For more information, see Patron types. Materials that are accessible through Staff View are
included in a copy type that has been set to not display in the patron search station. For more
information, see Copy types.
To use Staff View
1
If you have not already done so, access a patron search station. Notice the Books icon near the top
left corner of the screen.
2
Click the Books icon. InfoCentre displays a login screen.
Books
icon.
to log in may vary
depending on how
InfoCentre has been
configured.
3
Identify yourself by entering the requested information in the appropriate boxes.
4
Click Login. A search screen appears.
175
To verify that you are
in staff view, look for
these words at the top
of the page.
Click the Start
Over button to
log out of Staff
View.
5
Now you can search and perform your other tasks using exactly the same methods as you would
when using the standard patron search mode.
6
When you have finished, click the Start Over button to log out.
Remind your staff to log out of Staff View after they have finished their search.
The login information required for Staff View is set on the Patron Access screen in the Searching
section of the Admin tab. It is the same as the information required to log in to My Library Info.
You have a collection of resources for the teachers in your school. You want these resources to be
available only to the teachers. You catalog this material in a copy type set to not display in the search
station – this way, these resources are not visible to the rest of your patrons. You create a patron type
for your teachers and select the Staff View option. The teachers in your school can use the Staff View
feature to search this resource collection.
Using Reading Lists
InfoCentre’s Reading Lists feature allows you to make a list of resources available to patrons on the patron
search station. For example, a teacher wants to post a summer reading list for her students. You can create a
reading list containing these titles and post it to the Reading Lists screen of the search station. The students
can access this list from the Reading Lists screen.
You can organize reading lists in folders. For example, you might want to create a folder for a class or for a
subject area. You place the related reading lists within each folder. This is especially helpful if you have many
reading lists.
Reading lists can be created in three different ways:
•
A reading list can execute a search. In other words, when a patron selects the reading list, InfoCentre
performs a search that has already been set up.
•
A reading list can load a title list. In other words, when a patron selects the reading list, InfoCentre
displays a title list. For more information, see Creating a Title List.
•
A reading list can display a Web page. In other words, when a patron selects the reading list,
InfoCentre opens the selected Web page.
176
The following instructions tell you how to create a reading list folder, create a reading list, and view a reading
list on the patron search station.
To create a reading list folder
1
From an InfoCentre client, access the Admin tab and click Searching. Then choose Reading Lists.
The Reading Lists Setup screen appears.
Lists and Folder panel.
If you have not
created any folders or
reading lists yet, this
panel will be empty.
Details panel. It
contains information
about the folder or list
currently selected in
the Lists and Folder
panel.
2
To create a folder, click Add Folder. InfoCentre adds the new folder to the Lists and Folders panel and
displays the Name field for the new folder in the Details panel at the right of the screen.
3
In the Name field, enter a name for the folder.
4
Click Save.
To add a list
1
From an InfoCentre client, access the Admin tab and click Searching. Then choose Reading Lists.
The Reading Lists Setup screen appears.
2
In the Lists and Folders panel, click the folder that will contain the new list.
3
Click Add List. InfoCentre adds the new list to the Lists and Folders panel and displays the fields for
this list in the Details panel at the right of the screen.
4
In the Name field, enter a name for the list.
5
177
Open the Action list and choose the action. The chart below lists the required information for each
action.
Action
Required information
Execute a Search
Enter the search that will be performed. For more information about
creating a search using Boolean operators, see Performing an Advanced
Search.
Load a Title List
Choose a Title List. For more information, see Creating a Title List.
Display Web Page Enter the URL of the Web page to be displayed.
6
Click Save.
To view a reading list in the patron search station
From the Library Search tab, click the Reading Lists button. Select the reading list folder you want to
open, and then select the reading list you want to view. The reading list appears onscreen.
Reading list
displayed
onscreen.
Reading Lists
button
178
Working with eBooks
eBooks are electronic books that your library purchases from Follett Library Resources. Patrons can use
InfoCentre to search for, preview, and even check out eBooks from your library's collection.
Depending on how InfoCentre has been configured, some or all of the following features may not be
available in your library.
How it works
Here is a basic description of the steps involved in checking out and accessing eBooks from a patron search
station.
1
Search for titles. After a search, relevant eBooks are included in the search results along with other
materials. Patrons can then preview the contents of an eBook from the search results. For
instructions, see To preview an eBook.
2
Check out the eBook. After finding the eBook, patrons can check it out without leaving the patron
search station. For instructions, see To check out an eBook.
3
Download the eBook. After checking out an eBook, patrons must download it. They do this from the
My Library Info tab. For instructions, see To download an eBook.
4
View the eBook. After downloading, patrons can view the eBook. For instructions, see To view an
eBook.
About check in
You do not need to check in eBooks. When the loan period ends, InfoCentre automatically checks in the
eBook for you. At this point, the eBook expires and cannot be viewed until it is checked out again.
179
Detailed instructions
The following section provides instructions for previewing, checking out, and accessing eBooks from patron
search stations.
To preview an eBook
To preview an eBook, you need Adobe Reader. If you do not already have this software on your
computer, you can download it from the Adobe Web site (http://www.adobe.com.)
1
Use the Library Search feature to search for the eBook that you want to preview. (You can use Quick
Search, Advanced Search, or any other search method.)
2
From the Search Results page, click the eBook's title to display detailed information about the title. (If
InfoCentre shows the MARC record, Catalog Card, or Copies display, click Show Full.)
Preview eBook
button
3
Click Preview eBook. (Depending on how InfoCentre has been configured, you may be asked to
identify yourself. If so, supply the requested information and click OK.) The eBook opens in a viewer
window.
180
Navigation and
search buttons
4
Return Book link
The viewer contains a variety of navigation and search features that allow you to browse through an
eBook one page at a time, go to a particular page, or search for specific text. Use these navigation
buttons to preview the eBook. When you have finished, click the Return Book link to close the viewer.
To check out an eBook
1
Use the Library Search feature to search for the eBook that you want to check out. (You can use Quick
Search, Advanced Search, or any other search method.)
2
From the Search Results page, click the item's title. The title’s detailed information appears.
3
Click the Show Copies link. InfoCentre displays information about the title's copies.
Checkout eBook
button
181
4
Locate the copy that you want to check out and click its Checkout eBook button. A window appears so
that you can identify yourself.
5
Identify yourself by entering the requested information in the appropriate boxes. Then click OK.
To download an eBook
Important! After checking out an eBook, you can download it only once and to only a single
computer. Make sure that you download the eBook from the same computer that you will use to read
it.
1
If you have not already done so, check out the eBook. For instructions, see To check out an eBook.
2
If you have not already done so, click the My Library Info tab and log in. For instructions, see Logging
in to My Library Info.
3
Once the My Library Info screen shows your account information, scroll to the Checkouts section of
the screen and click the eBook's title.
Click the eBook’s
title.
4
After you click the title, InfoCentre connects to the eBook server. A download page appears providing
instructions for downloading the eBook. Follow these instructions.
5
When the download is complete, clear your account information from the My Library Info page by
clicking Clear.
To view an eBook
To view an eBook, you need Adobe Reader. If you do not already have this software on your
computer, you can download it from the Adobe Web site (http://www.adobe.com.)
1
If you have not already done so, use InfoCentre to check out and download the eBook. For
instructions, see To check out an eBook and To download an eBook.
2
Double-click the eBook file that you downloaded to your computer. The eBook opens in a viewer
window so that you can use it to navigate and read the eBook.
Reference Topics
Introduction to Reference Topics ............................................................................185
Creating a Database Backup .................................................................................186
Using the Find Patron Button.................................................................................188
Using the Find Copy Button...................................................................................191
Using the Find or Find Title Button ..........................................................................194
Printing and Using Command Barcodes ....................................................................197
Using Shortcut Keys ...........................................................................................199
Viewing, Saving, Printing, or Emailing Report Results ..................................................200
Using Select and Sort By Options in Reports ..............................................................202
Using Limit To Options in Reports...........................................................................206
Adding, Removing, Reordering, or Editing Fields in a Report ..........................................208
Selecting Barcode Label Settings ...........................................................................212
Creating a Title List............................................................................................215
Updating WebMARC ...........................................................................................218
184
Chapter 5: Reference Topics
Updating Cross-Reference....................................................................................219
Exporting MARC records ......................................................................................220
Adding a Notice Board Message.............................................................................221
Making Changes to an Existing Visual Search Button ....................................................222
Administration..................................................................................................226
Setting up InfoCentre for eBooks ............................................................................236
185
Introduction to Reference Topics
Reference Topics provides step-by-step instructions and additional information for the following:
•
Topics that apply throughout InfoCentre, such as Using the Find Copy Button.
•
Topics that apply throughout one part of InfoCentre, such as Using Select and Sort By Options in Reports.
•
Housekeeping topics, such as Creating a Database Backup.
•
Fundamentals, such as Administration.
The User Guide includes cross-references to these topics whenever they apply. You may also want to use this
chapter as a resource to learn about InfoCentre features.
186
Creating a Database Backup
InfoCentre’s Database Backup feature allows you to easily create a backup of your database. A backup is an
extremely important part of protecting your data. You can use a backup to restore your data. Backups are
especially important if you are making changes to a large number of records – doing a batch process, for instance.
When you use this feature, InfoCentre backs up the following data:
•
Circulation data.
•
Patron data.
•
Copy and title data.
•
MARC authority record data.
InfoCentre does not back up program files, configuration files, or log files.
If your InfoCentre installation includes multiple libraries, all libraries are included in the backup.
Discuss your database backup routine, including alternate storage of your backups, with your
InfoCentre Administrator.
Patrons and other users may find that performance drops while the backup is in progress. Where
possible, perform backups when your library is closed.
To create a database backup
1
From the Admin tab, click Station. Then choose Database Backup. The Database Backup screen appears.
3
In the Backup location box, specify a location for the backup. For example, to have InfoCentre write
backups to the InfoCentre\backups folder on the C drive of the machine where the InfoCentre database is
located, enter a backup location of c:\InfoCentre\backups
Note: The backup folder must be on the same computer as the SQL database containing InfoCentre data.
(Although other configurations are possible, the database is most often located on the same computer as
the InfoCentre Server program.)
4
Click Backup.
187
Copying the backup
The backup file is written to the backup location you specified. The backup file is automatically named according
to the format: YYYYMMDDHHmm_[databasename].backup
where:
•
YYYYMMDDHHmm is the year/month/day/minute the backup was made.
•
[databasename] is the name of the SQL database containing the InfoCentre data. If the defaults were
accepted when InfoCentre server was installed, the database name will be IC.
After making a backup, copy the backup file to a different machine. That way, if something happens to the
computer containing your InfoCentre database, your backup is still safe.
Restoring a backup
For help restoring your InfoCentre database from a backup, call Technical Support.
188
Using the Find Patron Button
Many circulation functions ask you to enter a patron ID. If the patron’s ID is not available, you can use the Find
Patron button to look up the patron.
InfoCentre offers several different ways for you to look up a patron:
•
Surname.
•
First Name.
•
Patron ID.
•
Grade.
•
Homeroom.
•
Photograph.
The first set of instructions describes how to search by Surname, but these instructions are applicable to almost all
types of patron searches.
The second set of instructions describes how to search by photograph. In InfoCentre, photographs are organized
in groups. Each group has a leader, usually a teacher. When you search by photograph, you begin by choosing a
group leader. InfoCentre then displays the photographs of all patrons in that group, including the group leader.
You select a patron from this group of photographs. For more information, see Importing patron photos.
You can decide which search option will be automatically selected when you use the Find Patron
button. From the Admin tab, click Circulation and choose Miscellaneous Settings. Choose your
preference from the Default Patron Lookup Index list.
To find a patron by surname
1
Click Find Patron. (If the screen contains an Enter a Patron ID box, leave it empty.) The Identify Patron
window opens.
Make sure that
Surname is selected
in this list.
2
If Surname is not already selected in the Identify By list, select it now.
3
In the Search For box, enter the surname of the patron that you want to find.
4
189
Click Find.
•
If there is only one matching patron, InfoCentre loads that patron, and then automatically proceeds
with the next phase of whatever task you are performing.
--or--
•
If there are several matching patrons, InfoCentre lists them all in lower portion of the Identify Patron
window.
Matching patrons
Use your mouse to select the desired patron. Then click Select. InfoCentre loads that patron, and then
proceeds with the next phase of whatever task you are performing.
If you search by grade or homeroom, InfoCentre will list all patrons in that grade or homeroom.
To find a patron by photograph
1
Click Find Patron. (If the screen contains an Enter a Patron ID box, leave it empty.) The Identify Patron
window opens.
2
Open the Identify By list and choose Photograph. InfoCentre displays photographs of the group leaders.
(In school libraries, group leaders are usually teachers.)
Group Leaders
190
3
Click the patron's group leader. InfoCentre displays photographs of every patron in the group, including
the group leader.
Group
Leader
The group’s patrons
4
Click the patron that you want to identify. InfoCentre loads the patron, and then automatically proceeds
with the next phase of whatever task you are performing.
Group leaders belong to the same patron type. You choose which patron type will be the patron photo
group leader in the Circulation section of the Admin tab. InfoCentre uses the information in the
Homeroom field of the patron record to match patrons with their group leader.
191
Using the Find Copy Button
The Find Copy button appears throughout InfoCentre, mostly in Circulation, but also in Inventory and
Administration. The Find Copy button allows you to look up a copy’s ID when the physical copy is unavailable
or when a barcode is damaged. Most often, the Find Copy button appears as part of a circulation function, giving
you the option to look up a copy’s ID when you are asked to enter it. In Inventory and Administration, the Find
Copy button is available as one of several ways you can identify a copy.
InfoCentre offers several different ways for you to look up a copy:
•
Title.
•
Author.
•
ISBN.
•
LCCN.
•
ISSN.
•
Series.
•
Keyword.
•
Copy ID.
•
Call Number.
•
Copy Type.
The first set of instructions describes how to search by keyword, but these instructions are applicable to almost all
types of copy searches. The second set of instructions describes how to search by copy type. This search works
differently from the first. When you select Copy Type, InfoCentre asks you to select a copy type from a list.
InfoCentre displays all copies in the selected copy type.
You can decide which search option will be automatically selected when you use the Find Copy
button. From the Admin tab, click Circulation and choose Miscellaneous Settings. Choose your
preference from the Default Copy Lookup Index list.
192
To find a copy by keyword
1
Click Find Copy. (If the screen contains an Enter a Copy ID box, leave it empty.) The Identify Copy window
opens.
Make sure that
Keyword is selected in
this list.
2
If Keyword is not already selected in the Identify By list, select it now.
3
In the Search For box, enter the word or phrase that you want to use as a search term.
4
Click Find. InfoCentre lists all titles that match your search term.
Titles that match your
search term
Copies for the
selected title
5
Click the desired title. InfoCentre lists the copies for this title in the lower portion of the window.
6
Click the desired copy.
7
Click Select. InfoCentre loads the copy, and then automatically proceeds with the next phase of whatever
task you are performing.
193
To find a copy by copy type
1
Click Find Copy. (If the screen contains an Enter a Copy ID box, leave it empty.) The Identify Copy window
opens.
2
If Copy Type is not already selected in the Identify By list, select it now.
3
Open the Search For list, and click the copy type that you want to use as a search term.
4
Click Find. InfoCentre lists all titles that have a copy with the specified copy type.
Titles that match your
search term
Copies for the
selected title
5
Click the desired title. InfoCentre lists the copies for this title in the lower portion of the window.
6
Click the desired copy.
7
Click Select. InfoCentre loads the copy and automatically proceeds with the next phase of whatever task
you are performing.
Searching by keyword is the broadest search and will return the largest number of results. You can
also perform very specific searches – by ISBN, for example. You can also view the contents of a
copy type.
194
Using the Find or Find Title Button
The Find button – called the Find Title button in Title Merge and Title Lists – allows you to search for a title in
InfoCentre. You can search by
•
Title.
•
Author.
•
ISBN.
•
LCCN.
•
ISSN.
•
Series.
•
Keyword.
•
Copy ID.
•
Call Number.
•
Copy Type.
The following instructions describe how to search by call number or by ISBN. These instructions are applicable to
almost all types of title searches.
To find a title by call number
1
Click Find or Find Title. The Identify Title window opens.
Make sure that Call
Number is selected in
this list.
2
If Call Number is not already selected in the Identify By list, select it now.
3
In the Search For box, enter the call number that you want to find.
4
Click Find. InfoCentre lists all titles that have a copy with this call number.
195
The title that matches
your search term
5
Click the desired title.
6
Click Select. InfoCentre loads the title into the related screen.
To find a title by ISBN
1
Click Find or Find Title. The Identify Title window opens.
2
If ISBN is not already selected in the Identify By list, select it now.
3
In the Search for box, enter the ISBN that you want to find.
4
Click Find. InfoCentre lists all titles that have this ISBN. (Normally there is just one.)
196
The title that matches
your search term
5
Click the desired title.
6
Click Select. InfoCentre loads the title into the related screen.
The search option that is automatically selected when you use the Find button is the same one used
when you use the Find Copy button. To set this option, click the Admin tab, then click Circulation
and choose Miscellaneous Settings. Choose your preference from the Default Copy Lookup Index
list.
Searching by keyword is the broadest search and will return the largest number of results. You can
also perform very specific searches – by ISBN, for example. You can also view the contents of a
copy type.
197
Printing and Using Command Barcodes
You can use command barcodes to help you move between InfoCentre screens or to perform certain functions
without using your mouse. Instead, you use your circulation scanner to scan a command barcode and InfoCentre
opens the corresponding screen or performs the corresponding action. For example, if you want to open the Copy
Status screen, you simply scan the Copy Status command barcode. Command barcodes work from all InfoCentre
screens and tabs but not from popup windows.
InfoCentre includes a Command Barcodes report. You choose the command barcodes you want to use and then
print the selected barcodes.
There are different command barcodes available for the Standard Circulation Desk and the Spectrum Circulation
Desk. InfoCentre automatically displays the available command barcodes based on the circulation desk you are
using. If you’re not sure which circulation desk you’re using, see How do I know which circulation desk I’m
using?
To print command barcodes
1
From the Reports tab, click Other Reports. Then choose Command Barcodes. The Command Barcodes
screen appears.
2
Select the command barcodes that you want to print.
3
Click Create. InfoCentre generates the barcodes and displays them in the Print Preview window. From
here, you can preview or print the command barcodes. For more information, see Viewing, Saving,
Printing, or Emailing Report Results.
198
To use command barcodes
Using your circulation scanner, scan the command barcode that corresponds to the screen you want to open
or the action you want to perform.
If you are a former Spectrum customer, be aware that Spectrum command barcodes will not
work with InfoCentre. You will need to print new command barcodes to use with InfoCentre.
199
Using Shortcut Keys
A shortcut key is a unique key combination you can use to access various InfoCentre screens without using your
mouse. For example, if you want to open the Check In screen, you would hold down the CTRL key and then type
the letter i (Windows) or hold down the COMMAND key and then type the letter i (Macintosh).
Shortcut keys work from all InfoCentre screens and tabs but not from popup windows.
Shortcut keys are not available on the Spectrum Circulation Desk. If you’re not sure which
circulation desk you’re using, see How do I know which circulation desk I’m using?
Screen
Windows Shortcut Key
Macintosh Shortcut Key
Check Out
CTRL + o
COMMAND + o
(Hold down the CTRL key and
press o)
(Hold down the COMMAND or
Apple key and press o)
Check In
CTRL + i
COMMAND + i
Patron Status
CTRL + s
COMMAND + s
Copy Status
CTRL + u
COMMAND + u
Holds
CTRL + r
N/A
Bookings
CTRL + b
COMMAND + b
Maintain Patrons
CTRL + m
COMMAND + m
Maintain Titles/Copies
CTRL + t
COMMAND + t
From within the Check Out feature, you can also use a shortcut key to clear the current patron from the screen so
that you can identify a new patron. (This is equivalent to clicking the Next Patron button.)
Function
Windows Shortcut Key
Macintosh Shortcut Key
Nest Patron
CTRL + n
COMMAND + n
200
Viewing, Saving, Printing, or Emailing Report Results
When you create a report in InfoCentre, it appears onscreen in the Print Preview window. You have several
options for your report results:
•
View the report results onscreen.
•
Print the report results.
•
Email the report results. The report results are sent as an Adobe PDF file.
•
Save the report results as an Adobe PDF file or as a CSV (Comma delimited) file.
File Formats
Adobe PDF file
PDF stands for Portable Document Format. A PDF document cannot be edited or changed, and the document’s
format will be the same as the original document. It is platform independent – in other words, you can view the
file whether you are using Windows or Macintosh. You also don’t need to have the program used to create the
original file in order to view the document. You do need to have Adobe Reader to view Adobe PDF files. You can
download Adobe Reader for free at www.adobe.com.
CSV (Comma delimited) file
CSV stands for Comma Separated Value. When you save a report as a CSV, or comma delimited, file, you can
open the report in an application such as Excel. This allows you to edit your report data according to your
library’s needs.
File menu
Printer icon
Zoom list
Email icon
Arrow buttons
To view the report results onscreen
The report results automatically appear onscreen in the Print Preview window. You can zoom in and zoom out
of the results by selecting a value from the Zoom list. Use the arrow buttons at the bottom of the screen to
move forward and backward through the pages. Click Close to close the Print Preview window.
201
To print the report results
Click the printer icon to print the report to your default printer.
--or-Click File and choose Print. Then select the printer you want to use from your network.
To email the report results
1
Click the email icon. An Enter Email Address window appears.
2
Enter the email address and then click OK. A message appears when the email has been sent. Click OK.
Before you can email report results, the email settings need to be configured. This is done in the
Station section of the Admin tab. If you’re not sure whether these settings have been configured,
consult your InfoCentre Administrator.
Report results are emailed as an attachment, in Adobe PDF format.
To save the report results
1
Click File and choose Save as.
2
Choose to save the report as a CSV (Comma delimited) File or as an Adobe PDF File.
3
A Save As window opens. Enter a name for the file and browse to a convenient location to save it to. A
window appears when the file has been saved. Click OK.
You need to calculate the average copyright date of your non-fiction section for a collection
development report. In InfoCentre, you create a Shelf List report for the non-fiction section and save
the report as a CSV file. You then open the report in Excel and use Excel to calculate an average year
for the Copyright column.
202
Using Select and Sort By Options in Reports
Many InfoCentre reports include a Select and Sort By section.
Circulation and patron reports that include a Select and Sort By section typically have three indexes. When you
open one of these reports, you’ll see that the index lists are already set to Grade, Homeroom, and Surname. You
can change any of the index lists: each index list includes all fields in the patron record.
Select and Sort By
section included in many
circulation and patron
reports.
Cataloging reports that include a Select and Sort By section typically have one index. When you open one of
these reports, you’ll see that the index list is set to Call Number. You can change the index list to Author, Copy
ID, or Title.
Select and Sort By
section included in some
cataloging reports.
The Select and Sort By options can affect your report in two ways:
•
They determine how your report results will be sorted.
•
They can be used to limit your report to a range of patrons or copies. (optional).
Sorting reports
InfoCentre uses the value in the first index to sort the report results. For example, if you choose Call Number for a
cataloging report, InfoCentre will sort the results by call number.
Because circulation and patron reports have three indexes, InfoCentre continues to sort the report results. When
two or more results match the value in the first index, InfoCentre sorts these results by the value in the second
index. When two or more of these results match, InfoCentre sorts these results further by the value in the third
index.
For example, if you choose Grade, Homeroom, and Surname, InfoCentre first sorts the report results by Grade.
All results in the same Grade are further sorted by Homeroom. Finally, all results in the same Homeroom are
sorted by Surname.
203
1. Patron list is sorted
first by Grade.
3. Finally, each
Homeroom is
sorted by
Surname
2. Each Grade is then
sorted by Homeroom
To sort a report
1
Open the first Select and Sort by list and choose the primary index.
2
Open the second Select and Sort by list (if present) and choose the secondary index.
3
Open the third Select and Sort by list (if present) and choose the final index.
Using page breaks
When there is more than one index, InfoCentre includes a page break option. This option allows you to choose
whether the report results will be printed on the same page, or whether InfoCentre will begin a new page each
time the index value changes.
Page Break
option
The page break option is helpful if you plan on distributing the report results. For example, if you are creating an
overdue list and you want to provide a list of overdue items to each homeroom teacher, choosing the page break
options means that the list of overdues will begin printing on a new page each time the grade and homeroom
changes. This way, your report results will be printed on separate pages, making it easy for you to distribute a list
of overdue items to each homeroom teacher.
InfoCentre uses the page breaks to format the report results in the Print Preview window. The page breaks are also
used if you email your report results or save your report as an Adobe PDF file. InfoCentre does not use the page
breaks if you save your report as a CSV (comma delimited) file.
Limiting reports
You can use the Select and Sort By options to limit your report to a range of patrons or copies. For example, if
you want to limit your report to a specific call number range, you would enter starting and ending call numbers in
the Range From and To fields. The report would then include only items that fall within that call number range.
204
Because circulation and patron reports have three indexes, you can limit your report in up to three ways. For
example, you want to create a report that considers only some of the students in a particular homeroom. You
could limit the report first by Grade, then by Homeroom, and, finally, by Surname.
1. The report is
limited to Grade 6.
3. Within
DONOVAN
Homeroom, the
report is limited
by this range of
Surnames.
2. Within Grade 6, the
report is limited to
DONOVAN
Homeroom.
Here are the results of this report.
3. Within
DONOVAN
Homeroom, the
report results are
limited to
Surnames between
Anderson and
Miller
1. The report results
are limited to Grade 6.
2. Within Grade 6, the
report results are
limited to DONOVAN
Homeroom.
When you specify a range, you can leave either the Range From or To box blank. This allows you to use openended ranges that are up to and including a certain value, or including and beyond a certain value. See the table in
the instructions for more information.
To limit a report to a specific range of patrons or copies
1
Open the first Select and Sort by index list. Then choose the field that you want to use to specify the
range.
2
Specify the range by entering the appropriate values in the Range From and To boxes.
To include:
Do this:
All records
Leave the Range From and To boxes empty.
Records less than or
Leave the Range From box empty and enter the maximum value in
equal to a specific value the To box. For example, to specify all patrons in grade 4 and below,
choose Grade from the Select and Sort by index list. Then leave the
Range From box empty and enter 4 in the To box.
Records greater than or Enter the minimum value in the Range From box and leave the To
equal to a specific value box empty. For example, to specify all patrons in grade 4 and above,
choose Grade from the Select and Sort by index list. Then enter 4 in
the Range From box and leave the To box empty.
Records falling within a Enter the starting value in the Range From box and enter the ending
specified range
value in the To box. For example, to specify all patrons in grades 3-6
inclusive, choose Grade from the Select and Sort by index list. Then
enter 3 in the Range From box and enter 6 in the To box.
3
To specify a secondary range, open the second Select and Sort By index list (if present) and choose the
field that you want to use to specify the range. Then specify the range using the adjacent Range From and
To boxes.
4
205
To limit the report still further, open the third Select and Sort By index list (if present) and choose the
field that you want to use to specify the range. Then specify the range using the adjacent Range From and
To boxes.
When entering call number ranges:
•
Use whole numbers when entering a non-fiction call number range.
•
Use #AA to #ZZ to include all call numbers beginning with a particular letter.
206
Using Limit To Options in Reports
Many InfoCentre reports include a Limit To section. Limit To options vary from one report to another and can
include general options such as copy type or patron type as well as specific options related to a particular report.
For example, the Fine List report can be limited to fines greater than or equal to a specific amount.
The Limit To section for the Fine
List report.
The Copies on Hold report can be limited by hold status.
The Limit To section for the Copies
on Hold report.
Whatever the options available in a Limit To section, these options always allow you to limit the range of records
included in the report. Instead of getting results about all patrons or your entire collection, you can focus your
report and get only the results you need.
When you open a report that includes a Limit To section, you will notice that most of the limit boxes are blank.
Leave these boxes blank if you do not want to limit your report by that option. For example, leave the Patron
Type box blank if you want your report to include all patron types.
To limit a report
In the Limit To section of the screen, enter the limit values. The method that you use to do this depends on the
type of field. There are three basic types:
•
Text box.
•
List.
•
Date box.
To enter a limit into a text box
Fund is a common text box limit.
Type your limit value directly into the box.
•
When entering a dollar amount such as a fine value, you can type the amount without the dollar sign ($).
For example, to specify a value of one dollar, you could type 1.00
•
When entering a copyright year, make sure that you use a four-digit number, for example 2006.
207
To select a limit from a list
Copy Type is a common list box limit.
1
Open the list by clicking its arrow.
2
Choose the value that you want by clicking it.
3
If the list remains open, close it by clicking the arrow immediately to its right.
Note that for copy and patron types, you can select multiple limit values from the list. Simply hold down the Ctrl
key (Windows) or the Command key (Macintosh) and click each of the desired types.
To enter a date limit
Due Date is a common date box limit.
1
Click the date field. The calendar appears.
Clicking these
arrows changes the
month.
2
If necessary, use the arrows at the top of the calendar to change to the desired month.
3
Select the date you want by clicking it. InfoCentre closes the calendar and enters that date into the date
box.
208
Adding, Removing, Reordering, or Editing Fields in a Report
Many reports in InfoCentre allow you to make changes to the information included in a report. These reports
include a Customize button. In general, all reports are customizable except for statistics, labels, unused copy and
patron ID lists, and the General Information report.
After you have made your changes to the report and saved the customization, InfoCentre automatically uses this
customization each time the report is created. InfoCentre saves one customization for each report.
Customize button
The Customize feature allows you to make the following kinds of changes to your report:
•
Add a field.
•
Remove a field.
•
Move a field to a new position.
•
Change font, style, size, and alignment.
In order to make any of these changes, you need to open the Custom Report Designer.
209
To open the Custom Report Designer
From the screen that you use to generate a particular report, click Customize. The Custom Report Designer
appears.
Design area
Available Fields area
To add a field
1
In the Available Fields area of the Custom Report Designer, click the field that you want to add. Then, hold
down the mouse button and drag the field a small distance. Notice that InfoCentre draws a border around
the field.
2
Continue holding down the mouse button and drag the field to the Design area. Before releasing the
mouse button, position the field where you want it to appear in the report.
3
Once the field is positioned properly, release the mouse button. InfoCentre adds the field to the report and
shows it in the Design area.
4
Click Save.
To remove a field
1
In the Design area of the Custom Report Designer, right-click the field that you want to remove (Windows)
or hold down the Open Apple key and click (Macintosh). A shortcut menu appears.
Shortcut menu
2
Choose Remove from the shortcut menu. InfoCentre removes the field from the Design Area and the
report.
3
Click Save.
210
To move a field
1
In the Design area of the Custom Report Designer, click inside the field that you want to move. Then, hold
down the mouse button and drag the field to its new position.
2
Once the field is positioned properly, release the mouse button.
3
Click Save.
To change font, style, size, and alignment
1
In the Design area of the Custom Report Designer, right-click the field containing the text you want to
change (Windows) or hold down the Open Apple key and click (Macintosh). A shortcut menu appears.
2
Choose Font from the shortcut menu. The Choose Font window appears.
3
Specify the changes you want to make to the font.
4
•
Choose a font from the Name list.
•
Choose a size from the Size list.
•
Select a Style.
•
Select an Alignment.
Click OK. The Choose Font window closes. The changes you made to the field’s text will be visible in the
design area of the Custom Report Designer.
Repeat these steps for each field containing text that you want to change.
5
When you have finished making your changes, click Save on the Custom Report Designer window.
211
Using your customized report
After you have made your changes to the report and saved the customization, InfoCentre automatically uses this
customization each time the report is created. If you want to return to the original report format, click Default on
the Custom Report Designer window.
InfoCentre saves one customization for each report. If you make further changes to a report that has already been
customized, InfoCentre displays a message asking if you want to overwrite the existing customization. Click Yes
to save your latest changes to the report.
Click Yes to save
your latest
changes to the
report.
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Selecting Barcode Label Settings
To print patron barcode labels, copy barcode labels, and spine labels, use the corresponding cataloging and patron
reports. For more information, see Printing patron barcodes, Printing copy barcodes, and Printing spine labels.
The settings for each of these reports are available in the Labels section of the Admin tab. This is where you
select the label stock you are using, enter the text of a comment you want to include on a label, and set margins.
The patron barcode and copy barcode setting screens also include a Customize button. This allows you to select
the fields that you want to include and the order in which they appear. You can also change the font, its size and
style, and its alignment. For more information, see Adding, Removing, Reordering, or Editing Fields in a Report.
The Patron and copy barcode label settings allow you to customize all fields except for the field
containing the barcode number.
To select patron barcode label settings
1
From the Admin tab, click Labels. Then choose Patron Barcode Labels. The Patron Barcodes screen
appears.
2
Select the label stock you are using.
3
In the Label Settings section,
•
If you want to include a comment on the patron barcode, enter the text in the Comment box.
•
If you want to add a check digit or print a Leading “P” on the barcode, select either option.
4
In the Page Setup section, make adjustments as required to the margins, label size, and label spacing. To
return to the original settings, click Default.
5
Click Customize to add, remove, or reorder fields in the patron barcode, or to make changes to the font in
a field. For more information, see Adding, Removing, Reordering, or Editing Fields in a Report.
6
Click Preview to view your patron barcodes.
7
When you have made all necessary changes, click Save.
8
213
To print patron barcodes, click the Reports tab. Then click Patron Reports. Choose Patron Barcode
Labels. For more information, see Printing patron barcodes.
If you’re not sure which label stock you are using, count the labels on one sheet. Portrait 30 label
stock means there are 30 labels per sheet. Portrait 33 label stock means there are 33 labels per sheet.
To avoid wasting label stock, check the label settings first. Print a page of barcodes on regular paper,
then hold the paper and label stock together to make sure the barcodes will fit on the labels.
To select copy barcode label settings
1
From the Admin tab, click Labels. Then choose Copy Barcode Labels. The Copy Barcodes screen
appears.
2
3
In the Label Settings section,
•
If you want to include a comment on the copy barcode, enter the text in the Comment box.
•
If you want to add a check digit, select the option.
4
5
Click Customize to add, remove, or reorder fields in the copy barcode, or to make changes to the font in a
field. For more information, see Adding, Removing, Reordering, or Editing Fields in a Report.
6
Click Preview to view your copy barcodes.
7
8
To print copy barcodes, click the Reports tab. Then click Cataloging Reports. Choose Copy Barcode
Labels. For more information, see Printing copy barcodes.
If you’re not sure which label stock you are using, count the labels on one sheet. Portrait 30 label
stock means there are 30 labels per sheet. Portrait 33 label stock means there are 33 labels per sheet.
To avoid wasting label stock, check the label settings first. Print a page of barcodes on regular paper,
then hold the paper and label stock together to make sure the barcodes will fit on the labels.
214
To select spine label settings
1
From the Admin tab, click Labels. Then choose Spine Labels. The Spine Labels screen appears.
2
3
In the Call Number Font section,
•
Choose the Font Face that you want to use for the call number.
•
Choose the font size.
•
If you want the call number to be centered or bold, select Yes for either option.
4
5
Click Preview to view your spine labels.
6
7
To print spine labels, click the Reports tab. Then click Cataloging Reports. Choose Spine Labels. For
more information, see Printing spine labels.
If you’re not sure which label stock you are using, check to see if your labels are Portrait (labels
placed vertically) or Landscape (labels placed horizontally). Then, count the labels on one sheet.
Select the label stock option that matches the orientation of your labels as well as the number per
page.
To avoid wasting label stock, check the label settings first. Print a page of spine labels on regular
paper, then hold the paper and label stock together to make sure the spine labels will fit on the labels.
215
Creating a Title List
A title list is a list of titles or copies that you create in InfoCentre. You can use title lists in several different ways.
•
Link a title list to a visual search button.
•
Make a title list available to patrons on the Reading Lists screen of the search station.
•
Use a title list to add copies to a book cart.
To create a title list, you first add a title list on the Title Lists screen. You then add items to the title list using the
Maintain List window.
To create a title list
1
From the Admin tab, click Searching. Then choose Title Lists. The Title Lists screen appears.
Existing title lists
table. If you have not
created any title lists
yet, this area of the
screen is empty
2
Click New. InfoCentre adds a blank row to the Existing title lists table.
3
In the Title List Name box near the top of the screen, enter a name for the new title list.
4
Click Save. A message appears when the title list has been successfully saved. Click OK.
216
To add items to a title list
1
2
Highlight the Title List you want to add items to. Then click Maintain List. The Maintain List window
appears.
3
Add items to the title list using one or more of the methods listed below. When you have finished adding
items, click Save. A message appears when the title list is successfully saved. Click OK. Click Close to
close the Maintain List window.
To add an item by specifying its copy ID
In the Add item by copy ID box, enter the copy's ID. Press your computer's Enter key (Windows) or Return
key (Macintosh). InfoCentre adds the copy to the title list.
To add an item using Find Copy or Find Title
1
To add all of a title’s copies to the list, click Find Title. The Identify Title window appears.
--or-To add just a single copy to the list, click Find Copy. The Identify Copy window appears.
2
Identify the copy or title. For more information, see Using the Find or Find Title Button and Using the Find
Copy Button.
217
To add items by searching
1
Click Searching. InfoCentre opens your browser and launches a Patron Search Station.
2
Search for the items you want and add them to My List. For instructions, see Using the My List feature.
3
When you have finished adding items, display the My List tab. For instructions, see Using the My List
feature.
Load To link
4
Notice that the My List tab includes a Load To link that is named using your title list. Click this link. A
message appears stating that title list was updated successfully. Click OK.
5
Close the Patron Search Station and return to InfoCentre's Maintain List window.
6
Click Refresh. InfoCentre updates the Maintain List window with the new items.
To add items from an In-Hand title list
1
If you have not already done so, create a list of copies using In-Hand's Title List feature. Then transfer the
data to your computer via a HotSync process. For instructions, consult the documentation that came with
In-Hand.
2
3
Highlight the Title List you want to add items to. Then click Maintain List. The Maintain List window
appears. Click In-Hand. InfoCentre processes the In-Hand data and adds the copies to the title list.
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Updating WebMARC
WebMARC is a subscription service from Sagebrush Corporation that provides records for educational Web sites.
You can purchase records for elementary, middle, and high school, or for the entire K-12 age group. For more
information about WebMARC, contact Sagebrush Corporation.
When you import WebMARC records, they are immediately added to your collection and are searchable in patron
search stations. WebMARC subscriptions include regular updates.
The following instructions can be used if you are importing WebMARC records for the first time, or updating
your current records.
If your library uses a proxy server, it must be set up before you can import your WebMARC records.
If you don’t know whether your library needs to set up a proxy server, consult your InfoCentre
Administrator.
To update WebMARC records
1
From the Admin tab, click Cataloging. Then choose Update WebMARC. The Update WebMARC screen
appears.
2
For the WebMARC Records option, select the record set that you want to update.
Option
Description
K-6
Updates records that are relevant to students from kindergarten to grade 6.
5-9
Updates records that are relevant to students from grade 5 to grade 9.
8-12
Updates records that are relevant to students from grade 8 to grade 12.
k-12
Updates all records.
3
Enter your library's WebMARC user name and password.
4
Click Update WebMARC.
219
Updating Cross-Reference
Cross-Reference is a feature available from Sagebrush Corporation that provides authority records. These
authority records are imported into InfoCentre and used to create See and See Also references in search results as
well as to authority-check headings during cataloging. For more information, see Using Maintain Authority to
Create Authority Records and See and See Also References.
The following instructions describe how to import Cross-Reference records into InfoCentre.
If your library uses a proxy server, it must be set up before you can import your Cross-Reference
records. If you don’t know whether your library needs to set up a proxy server, consult your
InfoCentre Administrator.
To update Cross-Reference records
1
From the Admin tab, click Cataloging. Then choose Update Cross-Reference. The Update CrossReference screen appears.
2
Enter your library's Cross-Reference user name and password.
3
Click Update Cross-Reference.
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Exporting MARC records
You can use InfoCentre’s Export MARC Records screen to copy MARC records from InfoCentre to a file. You
can then make these records available to another library, or use them with another program, such as BenchMARC
or EnrichMARC.
To export MARC records
1
From the Cataloging tab, click Export. The Export MARC Records screen appears.
2
In the Select and Sort By section, specify the sort order and range. For more information, see Using Select
and Sort By Options in Reports.
3
In the Limit To section, specify any limits that you want to apply. For more information, see Using Limit To
Options in Reports.
Limit To
Description
Copy Type
Choose one or more copy types. InfoCentre will export all MARC records in the
selected copy type(s).
To select a single copy type, click it. To select multiple copy types, hold down
the Ctrl key (Windows) or the Command key (Macintosh) and click each of the
copy types you want to select.
Date Title
Modified
Use the calendar feature to specify a range of dates in the From and To boxes.
InfoCentre will export all MARC records that were modified during this time
period.
4
Set Export Copies to Yes if you want InfoCentre to include copy information in the exported MARC
records.
--or-Set Export Copies to No if you do not want to include copy information in the exported MARC records.
5
In the Export File Name and Location section, specify the file name and location for the exported MARC
records. There are several ways to do this.
Enter the file name in the Export File box. The file is automatically placed in the exportfiles subfolder of
InfoCentre.
--or-Enter the file name and path in the Export File box. This allows you to specify a location other than the
exportfiles subfolder of InfoCentre.
--or-Click Browse. Then choose the file and location, or enter a file name, for the exported MARC records.
6
Click Export. A message appears when the export is complete, and includes the total number of titles and
copies exported. Click OK.
221
Adding a Notice Board Message
You can add a message that appears on the Quick Search screen of the search station. Use this feature to notify
your patrons about events or concerns. The notice board message is added in Searching Administration.
To add a notice board message
1
From the Admin tab, click Searching. Then choose Notice Board. The Notice Board screen appears.
Enter the notice board
message in this box.
2
Type your message in the space provided.
3
Click Save. A message appears when the notice has been saved successfully. Click OK.
The notice as it appears
on the Quick Search
screen.
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Making Changes to an Existing Visual Search Button
InfoCentre includes visual search buttons already set up for you. You can make changes to these buttons on the
Visual Search Setup screen in the Searching section of the Admin tab.
These instructions describe how to rename an existing button as well as how to change the picture on a visual
search button. This can be done two ways:
•
You can use one of the images that are included with InfoCentre.
•
You can use an image from another source. Images must be in either JPG or GIF format.
Visual search buttons are organized hierarchically. On the Visual Search Setup screen, visual search buttons are
organized in folders and subfolders. It will help you to find the button you want to change if you know which
folder or subfolder it is in.
As you click each folder or visual search button, the current picture is displayed beside it.
Click the +
beside a
folder to view
its contents.
visual search
button
folder
Button picture for
highlighted folder or
visual search
button.
223
To rename a visual search button
1
From the Admin tab, click Searching. Then choose Visual Search. The Visual Search Setup screen
appears.
Visual Search Buttons
panel
Button Edit Panel.
2
In the Visual Search Buttons panel, click the button that you want to rename. (It will help you to find the
button if you know which folder or subfolder it is in.) InfoCentre displays the fields for that button in the
Button Edit panel at the right of the screen.
3
In the Button Edit panel, enter the new name in the Button Name box.
4
Click Save.
To change a visual search button's picture using an InfoCentre image
1
appears.
2
In the Visual Search Buttons panel, select the desired button. InfoCentre displays the current picture for
that button in the Button Edit panel at the right of the screen.
3
In the Button Edit panel, click Change Picture. The Picture Chooser window appears.
224
4
Double-click the picture that you want to use. The Picture Chooser window closes and the new picture
appears in the Button Edit panel.
To change a visual search button's picture using an image from another source
1
appears.
2
In the Visual Search Buttons panel, select the desired button. InfoCentre displays the current picture for
that button in the Button Edit panel at the right of the screen.
3
In the Button Edit panel, click Change Picture. The Picture Chooser window appears.
225
4
Click Browse. A file selection window appears.
5
Navigate to and select the file that you want to import. (Files must be in either JPEG/JPG or GIF formats.)
After you select the file, InfoCentre displays its path in the box at the bottom of the Picture Chooser
window.
Path to the
file you want
to import.
6
Click Import. The Picture Chooser window closes and the new picture appears in the Button Edit panel.
226
Administration
InfoCentre’s Admin tab contains tasks and settings that are related to the rest of the program.
In this User Guide, key tasks are covered as topics in the chapter where they apply. For example, the circulation
task Batch Process Patrons is covered in the Managing Patrons section of the Circulation chapter.
Settings fall into two general groups. One type of setting is best described as a preference: this type of setting
allows you to choose defaults (the default Identify By value for the Find Patron or Find Copy buttons, for
example) or to choose the way InfoCentre functions in a particular situation (for example, carrying patron details
from one function to another on the Standard Circulation Desk, or clearing patron information after each
transaction on the Spectrum Circulation Desk). In this user guide, these preference settings are covered in the You
get to choose sections and placed immediately after the feature of the program that they affect.
Other settings on the Admin tab are fundamental structural elements in the program: settings such as patron types,
copy types, schedules, loan periods, and limits. These settings structure patron records and copy records and
provide the basic rules for the circulation of library materials.
Typically, patron types, copy types, schedules, loan periods, and limits are established as part of the process of
setting up InfoCentre for your library. However, you may find that you need to create additional types, schedules,
loan periods, and limits, or edit or delete existing ones, as you perform your daily tasks. For example, you may
want to create a patron type to move graduated students into, or you may want to create a copy type for lost items.
This section provides instructions for creating, editing, and deleting patron types, copy types, schedules, loan
periods, and limits.
227
Patron types
Patron types are used to organize your patrons into groups and are one of the building blocks of InfoCentre. All
patrons in InfoCentre must belong to a patron type.
Patron types come into play when you create loan periods and limits, assign schedules, and create reports. There
are different ways to structure your patron types. You may want to have a patron type for each grade or each
graduating year, or you may choose to create a general patron type for all your patrons. Choose the structure that
works best for your library.
To create a patron type
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Patron Types. The Patron Types screen appears.
2
Click New Type.
3
Enter the patron type’s name in the Type Name box.
4
Select a Schedule from the list.
5
Select Set As Default if you want this to be the default patron type in InfoCentre. The default patron type is
automatically selected when you add a new patron on the Maintain Patrons screen. For more information,
see Adding a new patron to InfoCentre.
6
Use the calendar feature to enter a Privileges Expire date. Patrons in this patron type will not be able to
check out copies after this date.
7
Enter a Fine Limit. When patrons in this type have a fine total greater than this limit, InfoCentre alerts you
by requiring an override password before a circulation transaction can continue. For more information,
see Checking out a copy when an override password is required (Standard Circulation Desk) or Checking
out a copy when an override password is required (Spectrum Circulation Desk).
228
8
In Search Station Access, choose the features you want patrons in this type to have access to in the
search station.
Option
Description
Renewals
Select this option to allow patrons in this type to renew copies on the My
Library Info screen in the search station. For more information, see
Renewing copies in My Library Info.
Holds
Select this option to allow patrons in this type to place or remove a hold in
the search station. For more information, see Placing a hold in the patron
search station and Removing a hold in the patron search station.
Bookings
Select this option to allow patrons in this type to place or remove a booking
in the search station. For more information, see Placing a booking in the
patron search station and Removing a booking in the patron search station.
eBook Checkouts Select this option to allow patrons in this type to check out eBooks from
patron search stations. For more information, see Setting up InfoCentre for
eBooks.
Staff View
9
Select this option to allow patrons in this type to have Staff View privileges.
Staff View privileges allow patrons to view items that are normally not
available for viewing in the search station. For more information, see Using
the Staff View Feature.
Click Save. A window appears when the patron type has been successfully saved. Click OK.
To edit a patron type
From the Patron Types screen, highlight the patron type you want to edit, make the required changes, and
then click Save. A window appears when the patron type has been successfully saved. Click OK.
To delete a patron type
From the Patron Types screen, highlight the patron type you want to delete, and then click Delete. A message
appears asking if you want to continue. Click Yes.
You cannot delete a patron type that contains patron records. Move these records to another patron
type or delete these records if they are no longer required. For more information, see Using Batch
Process Patrons to edit patron records or Using Batch Process Patrons to delete patron records.
You can create a patron list report to see which patron records are in the patron type you want to
delete. Limit the patron list report by the patron type you want to delete. For more information, see
Creating a Patron List report.
229
Copy types
Copy types are one of the building blocks of InfoCentre. All items in your collection must belong to a copy type.
Copy types come into play when you are doing inventory, creating reports, and establishing loan periods and
limits. There are different ways to structure your copy types. You may want to create a general copy type for
certain types of materials: a Book copy type, or an Equipment copy type, for example. You could also create
specific copy types: for certain age levels (Easy, Young Adult) or for certain subject areas (by Dewey
classification number), for example. Choose the structure that works best for your library.
Copy types can be designated as book carts, entry collections, or eBooks. For information about book carts, see
Creating a book cart. For information about entry collections, see Creating an Entry Collection book cart. For
information about eBooks, see Setting up InfoCentre for eBooks.
To create a copy type
1
2
Click New Type.
3
Enter the copy type’s name in the Type Name box.
4
Select Set As Default if you want this to be the default copy type in InfoCentre. The default copy type is
automatically selected when you add a new copy on the Copy Information screen. For more information,
see Adding a new title and copy.
5
Enter the Call Number Patterns that will be used for this copy type. These are the patterns used in call
numbers for the copy type. Call number patterns are used during the import process to assign copies to
copy types. For more information, see Using call number patterns to assign copy types.
230
6
Select Yes or No for Display in Check Out and Display in Search Station.
Option
Yes
No
Display in
Check Out
Copies in this type will display on
the Check Out screen.
Copies in this type will not display on the
Check Out screen.
Select this option for copy types
containing items that you don’t want to
appear in a patron’s list of checked out
copies – for example, textbooks.
Display in
Search
Station
Copies in this type will display in Copies in this type will not display in
search results in the search station. search results in the search station.
Select this option for copy types
containing items that you don’t want to
appear in search results – for example, a
copy type containing missing items or a
copy type containing items accessible
through staff view. For more information,
see Managing Missing Copies and Using
the Staff View Feature.
7
Click Save. InfoCentre informs you when the copy type has been successfully saved. Click OK.
Use the Test Call Number Pattern feature to see which copy type InfoCentre will assign a call
number pattern to. Enter the call number pattern and then click Test. The assigned copy type appears
beside the box.
To edit a copy type
From the Copy Types screen, highlight the copy type you want to edit, make the required changes, and then
click Save. A window appears when the copy type has been successfully saved. Click OK.
To delete a copy type
From the Copy Types screen, highlight the copy type you want to delete, and then click Delete. A message
You cannot delete a copy type that contains title and copy records. Move these records to another
copy type or delete these records if they are no longer required. For more information, see Deleting
titles and copies using Batch Process Copies.
You can create a shelf list report to see which records are in the copy type you want to delete. Limit
the shelf list report by the copy type you want to delete. For more information, see Creating a Shelf
List report.
231
Schedules
Schedules provide InfoCentre with information about your library’s operating hours and days your library is
closed. This information is used when calculating due dates and fines.
InfoCentre allows you to have multiple schedules. This is useful if you have groups of patrons with different
schedules. For example, a year-round school may have three or four tracks of students, with each track having a
different end date.
To create a schedule
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Schedules. The Schedules screen appears.
2
Click New.
3
Enter the schedule’s name in the Schedule Name box.
4
Select Set As Default if you want this schedule to be the default schedule in InfoCentre. The default
schedule is automatically selected when you create a new patron type.
5
If you wish, use the calendar feature to enter a Global Due Date. This is the last valid due date for this
schedule. InfoCentre will not assign a due date later than this date when patrons using this schedule check
out items. A global due date is a useful way to make sure that patrons return items by a certain date.
6
In the Library operating hours section, specify the days that the library is open and the hours for each
open day. Click the day name. The Specify Operating Hours window appears.
Select Open or Closed
for each week day.
For days the library is
open, enter the time the
library opens and closes.
232
7
When you have finished, click OK.
8
Use the calendar in the Days Closed section to specify other days that the library will be closed for this
schedule. This includes days such as holidays or professional development days. To select a closed day,
click the date on the calendar.
9
Click Save. A window appears when the schedule has been successfully saved. Click OK.
To edit a schedule
From the Schedules screen, highlight the schedule you want to edit, make the required changes, and then click
Save. A window appears when the schedule has been successfully saved. Click OK.
To delete a schedule
From the Schedules screen, highlight the schedule you want to delete, and then click Delete. A message
You cannot delete a schedule that has been assigned to a patron type. Review your patron types and
assign a different schedule. For more information, see Patron types.
Creating a loan period
InfoCentre uses loan periods to calculate due dates. If your library charges fines for overdue materials, the loan
period also provides information used to calculate the fine amount.
When you create a loan period, you tell InfoCentre two things:
•
The checkout situation that must occur before InfoCentre applies the loan period.
This is done by selecting a patron type and copy type. Loan periods can be very broad: one or both of the
patron type and copy type fields can be left blank if you want the loan period to apply to all patrons or all
copies.
You can also create very specific loan periods: select one patron type and one copy type, for example.
These types of loan periods are useful if you want a shorter loan period for a certain type of material, such
as AV or magazines. You may also want to create a unique loan period for items on a book cart. For more
information, see Creating loan periods and limits for a book cart.
•
What InfoCentre will do when it encounters the checkout situation.
This is done by specifying the length of the loan period (the number of days or hours), or by selecting a
specific date when items will be due. You can also tell InfoCentre how to deal with overdue copies by
indicating a grace period, fine amount, and maximum fine.
233
To create a loan period
1
2
Click New Period.
3
4
Enter the number of days patrons can check out copies in the Loan Period box.
--or-Choose Hour(s) from the list and enter the number of hours patrons can check out copies in the Loan
Period box.
--or-Enter a date in the Specific Date box. All copies will be due on this date.
5
Leave the Patron Type box blank to have the loan period apply to all patrons.
--or-Choose a patron type from the list. The loan period will apply to patrons in this patron type only.
6
Leave the Copy Type box blank to have the loan period apply to all copies.
--or-Choose a copy type from the list. The loan period will apply to copies in this copy type only.
7
Enter a Fine Amount.
8
Enter a Grace Period.
9
Enter a Maximum Fine to be charged for an overdue copy.
--or-Select Use Copy Price to set the maximum fine at the cost of the copy.
10 Click Save. A window appears when the loan period has been successfully saved. Click OK.
To edit a loan period
From the Loan Periods screen, highlight the loan period you want to edit, make the required changes, and then
click Save. A window appears when the loan period has been successfully saved. Click OK.
To delete a loan period
From the Loan Periods screen, highlight the loan period you want to delete, and then click Delete. A message
234
Limits
InfoCentre uses limits to create restrictions on patron borrowing privileges. For example, you may want to limit
the number of copies that a patron can borrow at one time or the number of times a patron can renew a copy.
When a patron exceeds the limits that apply to a situation, InfoCentre alerts you by requiring an override
password before the circulation transaction can continue. For more information, see Checking out a copy when an
override password is required (Standard Circulation Desk) or Checking out a copy when an override password is
required (Spectrum Circulation Desk).
When you create a limit you tell InfoCentre two things:
•
The situation when the limit should be applied.
This is done by selecting a patron type and copy type. Limits can be very broad: one or both of the patron
type and copy type fields can be left blank if you want the limit to apply to all patrons or all copies.
You can also create very specific limits: select one patron type and one copy type, for example. These
types of limits are useful if you want to restrict circulation of certain types of material, such as AV or
magazines. You may also want to create a unique limit for items on a book cart. For more information,
see Creating loan periods and limits for a book cart.
•
The limits to be applied in the situation.
This is done by entering values for the number of checkouts, renewals, bookings, overdues, and holds
permitted for that limit.
To create a limit
1
From the Admin tab, click Circulation. Then choose Limits. The Limits screen appears.
2
Click New Limit.
3
Enter the limit’s name in the Limit Name box.
4
Leave the Patron Type box blank to have the limit apply to all patrons.
--or-Choose a patron type from the list. The limit will apply to patrons in this patron type only.
5
Leave the Copy Type box blank to have the limit apply to all copies.
--or-Choose a copy type from the list. The limit will apply to copies in this copy type only.
6
Enter limits for the following fields.
7
Limit
Description
Checkouts
The maximum number of copies that a patron can check out at one time.
Renewals
The maximum number of times a copy can be renewed.
Bookings
The maximum number of bookings that can be placed on a copy.
Overdues
The maximum number of overdue copies allowed to a patron.
Holds
The maximum number of holds that can be placed on a copy.
235
Click Save. A window appears when the limit has been successfully saved. Click OK.
To edit a limit
From the Limits screen, highlight the limit you want to edit, make the required changes, and then click Save. A
window appears when the limit has been successfully saved. Click OK.
To delete a limit
From the Limits screen, highlight the limit you want to delete, and then click Delete. A message appears
asking if you want to continue. Click Yes.
236
Setting up InfoCentre for eBooks
eBooks are electronic books that your library purchases from Follett Library Resources. Before circulating
eBooks, you must perform some basic setup tasks.
Step 1: Add copy types for eBooks
You should create at least one copy type specifically for eBooks. Use the same process as you would to create any
other copy type but select the This Copy Type is an eBook option from the Copy Types screen. For help creating
copy types, see Copy types.
Important! Only copy types that have the This Copy Type is an eBook option selected are treated as eBooks by
InfoCentre. If an eBook is assigned some other copy type, patrons will not be able to preview or download the
eBook. In addition, InfoCentre will not automatically check in the material at the end of the loan period, or
perform other processes essential to circulating eBooks. (For more information about circulating eBooks, see
Circulating eBooks.)
Step 2: Provide patron types with eBook checkout privileges (optional)
You can provide any patron type with the ability to check out eBooks from patron search stations. Once you have
done this, patrons with the specified patron type can check out eBooks themselves.
To provide a patron type with eBook checkout privileges, select the eBook Checkouts option from the Patron
Types screen. For help creating and editing patron types, see Patron types.
Step 3: Enable eBooks on patron search stations (optional)
Before patrons can check out eBooks themselves, you must set the Enable eBooks Checkouts option to On from
the Miscellaneous Settings screen (Searching). You can also specify whether patron access to the eBook server is
controlled by IP or password authentication.
To access the Miscellaneous Settings screen (Searching), display the Admin tab. Then click
Searching, and select Miscellaneous Settings.
Step 4: Disable automatic override password
Before circulating eBooks, you should set the Automatically Use Override Password option on the Miscellaneous
Settings screen (Circulation) to No.
To access the Miscellaneous Settings screen (Circulation), display the Admin tab. Then click
Circulation, and select Miscellaneous Settings.
237
Step 5: Create loan period(s) for eBooks
Create a loan period for each of your eBook copy types. For help creating loan periods, see Creating a loan
period.
Since InfoCentre automatically checks in eBooks at the end of the loan period, these materials can
never be overdue. Therefore, when creating a loan period for eBooks, the following fields must be set
as shown below.
Field on Loan Periods
screen
Set to
Fine Amount
0 (zero)
Grace Period
0 (zero)
Maximum Fine
0 (zero)
Use Copy Price
Not selected
Step 6: Create limit(s) for eBooks
Create limits for each of your eBook copy types. For help creating limits, see Limits.
Since InfoCentre automatically checks in eBooks at the end of the loan period, these items can never
be overdue. In addition eBooks should not be renewed or placed on hold. Therefore, when creating
limits for eBooks, the Renewals, Holds, Bookings, and Overdues fields should all be set to 0 (zero).
Step 7: Catalog eBooks
When you purchase an eBook from Follett Library Resources, you also receive a MARC record that you can
import into your InfoCentre collection. For help importing MARC records, see Importing MARC records.
When importing MARC records for eBooks, use the following import options:
Import tab
Option
Set to
Add New Titles and
Copies
Select
If the incoming title
does not have any
copies...
Select
238
Default Copy Values tab
Option
Set to
Use call number
patterns to assign
copy type
No
Default Copy Type
Select the copy type that you have designated
for eBooks. For more information, see Step 1:
Add copy types for eBooks.
Copy ID
If you are importing a single record, enter the
copy ID that you want used for this eBook.
--or-If you are importing multiple records, enter the
starting copy ID. (During the import,
InfoCentre will assign copy IDs sequentially
starting with the value you enter in this field.)
Importing adds the eBook title to your collection and creates one copy. If you have purchased
additional copies of the eBook, you must add the remaining copies manually. For help adding copies,
see Adding a new copy to an existing title.
Glossary
240
Chapter 6: Glossary
14-digit Barcode
See Spectrum 14-digit Barcode.
Adobe PDF File
Portable Document Format. A PDF file is platform- and program- independent
– in other words, you don’t need to have the program used to create the
original file in order to view it, and you can view the file whether you are using
Windows or Macintosh. PDF documents cannot be edited or changed, and the
document’s format will be the same as the original document.
Adobe Reader is required to view Adobe PDF files. You can download Adobe
Reader for free at www.adobe.com.
ASCII Format
American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standard format that
allows data to be transferred from one computer to another.
Authority Record
See MARC Authority Record.
Auto-Discriminate Barcode
A feature in the Standard Circulation Desk that allows InfoCentre to determine
whether a barcode scanned in Check Out is a patron or copy ID.
For this feature to work, the Auto-Discriminate Barcode option must be set to
Yes in the Circulation section of the Admin tab. Partitioning of patron and
copy IDs must also be in place.
Backup
See Database Backup.
Barcode
A patron or copy ID printed in a standard barcode font. Some barcodes contain
other values in addition to the patron or copy ID, such as a patron and copy
barcode indicators, check digits, leading zeros, or library code prefix (see
Barcode Configuration). When a barcode is scanned, it is decoded and the copy
or patron ID is automatically loaded into the current InfoCentre task.
Barcode Configuration
Information that allows InfoCentre to interpret your library’s barcodes. Details
include the barcode length, characters and leading zeros to remove, characters
to skip or use, library code prefix, and patron and copy barcode indicators.
Barcode configurations are entered in the Station section of the Admin tab.
Barcode Label
A sticky label with a barcode printed on it. These labels are attached to library
materials or patron library cards.
Batch Process
A change to or deletion of multiple records at one time. InfoCentre performs
batch processes on patron records and on MARC records at both the title and
copy level.
BenchMARC
A Sagebrush collection development program. BenchMARC compares your
collection to a standard developed from award-winning libraries in order to
help you identify areas that are strong and areas that require further
development.
Book Cart
A temporary copy type that allows you to separate items from the rest of your
collection for circulation or storage purposes. Book carts allow you to manage
materials in high demand by creating special privileges, such as a shorter loan
period. Book carts also function as storage for title and copy records – for
example, missing items. Book carts can also be designated as an entry
collection. When items are removed from a book cart, they are automatically
returned to their original copy type.
Booking Prep and Cleanup
Time
The amount of time immediately before and after a booking that a copy is not
available for checkout. This is a buffer period that allows your staff time to
prepare the item for the booking and, after the booking, for circulation.
Chapter 6: Glossary
241
Boolean Search
A search using multiple search terms linked by the Boolean operators AND,
NOT, and OR.
Browse
A button available on the Quick Search and Advanced Search screens in the
search station. Click the Browse button to view a list of search terms.
Call Number Pattern
One or more alphanumeric characters that appear at the beginning of a call
number. In InfoCentre, call number patterns can be associated with copy types
(for example, FIC for Fiction, 1 for 100-199). InfoCentre’s Import MARC
Records feature includes an option to assign incoming copies to a copy type
based on call number patterns.
Check Digit
A digit added to the end of a patron or copy barcode. A check digit is
calculated from the other numbers in the barcode using a formula (Modulus
43) and is used to make sure that the barcode has been scanned correctly.
Checkout History
A record of past checkout transactions. InfoCentre tracks patron checkout
history, copy checkout history, and checkout statistics. Some or all of this
history can be deleted.
Circulation History
A blanket term that refers to Fines History, Patron History, and Copy History
reports. InfoCentre can be configured to require a password before generating
any of these reports.
Circulation Override
Password
A password that allows you to proceed with a circulation transaction after
encountering a condition that would normally force you to cancel. For
example, the override password must be entered before checking out items to a
patron who has exceeded the fine limit.
InfoCentre can be configured to automatically supply the override password, or
it can require library staff to manually enter it when needed.
Command Barcodes
Barcodes that can be used instead of InfoCentre buttons, tabs, and commands.
For example, scanning the Check Out command barcode starts the Check Out
feature.
Copy
A specific holding of a particular title. Each copy has a unique Copy ID. Copyspecific information includes call number, copy type, vendor, fund, price,
location, date added, and public and private notes.
Copy Barcode Indicator
A specific indicator that appears at the beginning of each copy barcode. For
example, “3”.
Copy History
A report that lists the patrons who have checked out a copy. This report is
available from the Copy Status screen.
The Show Copy History Button option must be set to Yes in the Circulation
section of the Admin tab in order for this button to be available.
Copy ID
A number or alphanumeric combination assigned to an individual copy in
InfoCentre. Each copy has a unique copy ID.
Copy Status
Information about the current circulation status of a copy. View copy status
information to determine whether a copy is on the shelf, checked out, or lost, as
well as to see information about current bookings and holds.
Depending on the situation, copy status can also include information about the
patron associated with a circulation transaction, as well as information about
due dates, booking dates, and so on.
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Chapter 6: Glossary
Copy Type
A category of copies. Copy types can be based on format (book, video),
audience (Easy, Young Adult), or content (Fiction). InfoCentre allows you to
assign loan periods and circulation limits to each copy type. Copy types can
also be used to organize and limit reports or inventory.
Cross-Reference
A feature available from Sagebrush Corporation that provides MARC authority
records. These records can be easily imported into InfoCentre from the Update
Cross-Reference screen in the Cataloging section of the Admin tab.
CSV (Comma delimited) File
Comma Separated Value. A standard format for sharing spreadsheet data
between programs. When you save a report as a CSV, or comma delimited,
file, you can open the report in an application such as Excel.
Database Backup
A copy of your library’s InfoCentre database that includes circulation data,
patron data, copy and title data, and MARC authority record data. When
necessary, a backup can be used to restore your InfoCentre database.
Default Copy Lookup Index
The Identify By value that appears automatically when the Identify Copy
window opens. The Default Copy Lookup Index can be set in the Circulation
Default Patron Lookup Index
The Identify By value that appears automatically when the Identify Patron
window opens. The Default Patron Lookup Index can be set in the Circulation
Delimited ASCII format
An ASCII data format where each field in a record is separated by a delimiter
such as a comma, tab, or other character or symbol.
eBook
Electronic books that your library purchases from Follett Library Resources.
EnrichMARC
A data enhancement service offered by Sagebrush Corporation that adds
reading program information to MARC records.
Entry Collection
A type of book cart that provides temporary storage for new MARC records
while you verify that they meet your cataloging standards. An entry collection
can be configured so that it is not displayed in the patron search station. Once
the cataloging has been verified, the MARC records are transferred to your
collection.
Fixed Width ASCII
An ASCII data format where each field in a record begins at a set column
position and has a set width.
Grace Period
The number of days that patrons can exceed the due date before they are fined.
HotSync
In InfoCentre, the process of transferring data from your In-Hand unit to your
computer. Once the data is transferred, it can be processed by InfoCentre.
InfoCentre Client
The program used by librarians and staff to access and work with InfoCentre.
The InfoCentre client provides Circulation, Cataloging, Inventory, Reporting,
and Administrative features.
Chapter 6: Glossary
243
InfoCentre Server
The InfoCentre database and related files required to make this data available
to InfoCentre clients and patron search stations.
In-Library Use
The use, within in the library, of a copy that has not been checked out.
InfoCentre allows you to track and keep statistics on In-Library Use.
Inventory
The process of comparing your InfoCentre database records with your physical
collection. Inventory helps you to identify copies that are lost as well as resolve
conflicts such as misshelved copies or copies that have been reshelved without
having been checked in. The inventory process ensures that your InfoCentre
database is an accurate record of your collection.
Label Stock
Sheet of labels used for printing barcode and spine labels. Choose the Label
Stock option that matches the number of labels per sheet and the orientation of
the labels (i.e., Portrait or Landscape).
Leading “P”
The letter “P” added to the beginning of a patron barcode. A Leading “P” is
used to differentiate between a patron ID and a copy ID when there is overlap
in the range of numbers used – for example, you have both a patron record
with an ID of 500 and a copy record with an ID of 500.
When you select this option, make sure that you set Strip Patron Indicator to
Yes in the Spectrum Circulation Desk Settings in the Circulation section of the
Admin tab.
Lexile
A standard used to measure the reading level of a text as well as the reading
comprehension level of readers. In InfoCentre, Lexile is a reading program
search option that allows patrons to search for items with a specific Lexile
measure.
Library Code Prefix
A group of characters or numbers that identifies your library. The library code
prefix is used in certain barcode configurations.
Limits
The maximum number of checkouts, renewals, bookings, overdues, and holds
allowed to a patron. In InfoCentre, limits are determined by patron type and/or
copy type.
Loan Period
Information that allows InfoCentre to determine how long a patron can borrow
a copy and the amount of any fine that may be charged if the copy is returned
late. Loan periods can specify a number of days or hours, or a specific due
date. Loan periods also specify the Grace Period, the Maximum Fine, and the
Fine Amount. Loan periods can be limited to a patron and/or copy type.
Location
The normal physical location of a copy in your library. Location is a field on
the Copy Information tab.
Login
A Login Name and Password (optional) that provides access to InfoCentre.
InfoCentre permits multiple Logins. A Login can be configured to allow
limited access to InfoCentre features.
MARC Authority Record
A record containing a name or subject heading and a list of cross-references to
other related headings stored in a MARC format. InfoCentre uses authority
records in two ways: to create See and See Also references in search results
and to authority check headings during cataloging.
MARC Format
MAchine-Readable Cataloging format. A standard format used to structure
authority, bibliographic, and holdings information in machine-readable form.
There are several MARC formats. InfoCentre uses the MARC 21 format.
244
Chapter 6: Glossary
MARC Record
A bibliographic record for a single title stored in a MARC format.
MARC Subfield
A subdivision of a MARC tag.
MARC Subfield Code
A designated character used to identify a subfield within a MARC record.
MARC Tag
A three-digit number assigned to a category of catalog information in a MARC
record.
Notice Board
A feature in InfoCentre patron search stations that displays a message on the
Quick Search screen. The notice board message is entered on the Notice Board
screen in the Searching section of the Admin tab.
OPAC
Online Public Access Catalog. A generic term to describe any online library
catalog.
Override Password
See Circulation Override Password.
Page Break
An option available in the Select and Sort By section of certain reports. When
the Page Break option is selected, InfoCentre starts a new page each time there
is a change in the related Select and Sort By value.
Partitioning
An option in Barcode Setup that allows you to reserve one range of numbers
exclusively for patron IDs and another separate range exclusively for copy IDs.
Partitioning allows InfoCentre to auto-discriminate barcodes.
Patron Access
The information that patrons must provide in order to access their circulation
information in the patron search station. This information is specified in the
Searching section of the Admin tab.
Patron Barcode Indicator
A specific indicator that appears at the beginning of each patron barcode. For
example, “2”.
Patron Details
Detailed information about the current patron that can be displayed in certain
circulation tasks by clicking the patron’s ID in the patron information area.
This feature can be set so that a password is required before the patron details
are displayed.
Patron History
Information about copies that have been checked out by a particular patron.
This information is available from the Patron Status screen.
The Show Patron History Button option must be set to Yes in the Circulation
section of the Admin tab in order for the Patron History button to appear.
Patron Photo Group Leader
The patron type used to designate group leaders when identifying patrons by
photograph. Typically, this is the patron type assigned to teachers. The Patron
Photo Group Leaders become the top level in the hierarchical structure of
Identify by Photograph.
Patron Search Station
See Search Station.
Patron Status
Information about a patron’s current circulation activity, including the number
of checkouts, overdues, holds, and bookings. Patron Status also includes the
amount of any fines and the details of any copies lost or claimed returned.
Patron Type
A category of patrons. InfoCentre allows you to assign loan periods and
circulation limits to patron types. You can also organize and limit reports by
patron type.
Chapter 6: Glossary
245
Public Note
A note about a copy that is visible in the search station. Public Note is a field
on the Copy Information tab.
Private Note
A note about a copy that is visible only on the Maintain Title/Copy screen or in
certain reports. Private Note is a field on the Copy Information tab.
Reading Lists
Lists of resources available on the search station. Reading lists can execute a
search, load a title list, or display a Web page. Reading lists can be organized
by folders and subfolders.
Remember Current Patron
A feature in the standard circulation desk that carries a patron record from one
circulation activity to another without having to re-identify the patron.
Remote Circulation
A blanket term for basic circulation functions – checkouts, checkins, and inlibrary use – performed away from your workstation using an In-Hand.
Circulation transactions are stored in the In-Hand unit and must be transferred
to your computer via a HotSync process in order to be processed by
InfoCentre.
Remote Library
See z39.50 Library.
Schedule
Information about your library’s operating hours and days your library is
closed. InfoCentre uses this information when calculating due dates and fines.
Search Station
A Web-based module that allows patrons to search the InfoCentre database and
access their individual circulation records.
Search Term
A word or phrase used to specify a search.
Server Address
The IP address of the InfoCentre Server.
Server Port
The port number used to connect to the InfoCentre Server.
Slip Printer
A printer used to print checkout, hold, and fine summaries for patrons.
Spectrum 14-digit Barcode
Configuration
A specific barcode configuration used in Sagebrush Spectrum. Former
Spectrum customers can create a Spectrum 14-digit Barcode Configuration in
InfoCentre. This allows InfoCentre to process Spectrum 14-digit barcodes.
Spectrum Circulation Desk
An alternative circulation interface in InfoCentre that provides checkout,
checkin, and renewal functions from a single screen.
Staff View
A searching mode in patron search stations that allows certain patron types,
usually staff members, to find copies not included in normal search results. In
Staff View, the search results include all copies that match the search criteria –
even those in copy types that have the Display In Search Station option set to
No.
Stand-alone Circulation
In InfoCentre, a circulation mode used when the connection to the InfoCentre
Server is disrupted. Stand-alone Circulation stores checkout and checkin
transactions performed during the disruption; these transactions can be
incorporated into your InfoCentre database once the connection to the
InfoCentre Server is restored.
Standard Circulation Desk
The default circulation interface in InfoCentre. Each circulation function
occurs on its own screen and is accessed by clicking the button on the left hand
side of the Circulation tab.
Student Information System
(SIS)
A blanket term that refers to any program used to manage student information.
Student information can be exported from a SIS and imported into InfoCentre.
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Chapter 6: Glossary
Title
The bibliographic record for a particular work.
Title List
In InfoCentre, a list of titles or copies created from search results or by
identifying titles and copies. Title lists can be linked to a visual search button,
made available as a Reading List, or used to add copies to a book cart.
User Defined Labels
A feature in the Circulation section of the Admin tab used to assign labels to
the user-defined fields appearing on the Maintain Patrons screen. You can also
use this feature to rename the Home Room and Grade fields.
Visual Search
A search method that lets patrons perform predefined searches, display title
lists, or access Web pages simply by clicking buttons. Visual search buttons
typically have a graphic representing the subject area of the search, title list, or
Web page.
WebMARC
A subscription service from Sagebrush Corporation that provides MARC
records for curriculum-focused Web sites.
zMARC
An InfoCentre feature that allows you to search for and download MARC
records available on other libraries’ z39.50 servers.
z39.50 Library
In InfoCentre, a remote library that has made its collection available via a
z39.50 server. Before InfoCentre can search a z39.50 library, you must
configure it using the zMARC Configuration feature in the Cataloging section
of the Admin tab.
Appendix
Appendix A: Title/Copy Structure ............................................................................248
Appendix B: Import Options for MARC Records ...........................................................252
Appendix C: Patron Import Format and InfoCentre Patron Record Fields .............................269
248
Appendix
Appendix A: Title/Copy Structure
InfoCentre structures information about a title and its holdings in two parts: Title and Copy.
Title information includes bibliographic information about the title, including title statement, author, and subject.
This information is entered on the Title Information tab of the Maintain Title / Copy screen.
Copy information includes details about each physical item, including copy ID, call number, copy type, and
location. This information is entered on the Copy Information tab of the Maintain Title / Copy screen. For more
A title can have more than one copy. A copy cannot exist independently; it must be connected to a title.
Title
Copy
The Identify Title window
shows InfoCentre’s
title/copy structure.
The title
appears in the
top part of the
window.
The title’s copies
appear in the
lower part of the
window.
Title
Copy
Copy
Copy
Copy
Appendix
249
InfoCentre uses the title/copy structure not just for books, but for all items in the database. Items such as videos,
DVDs, kits, software, Web sites, and equipment are all cataloged in the same way.
Use the Title Information tab to record information about the item. Selecting the appropriate template will help
you to know what kind of information you should enter. Use the Copy Information tab to assign a copy ID to the
item and to place it in a copy type. You can also use the Call Number and Location fields to indicate where the
item is stored.
The Title Information tab
for the DVD player.
Using the
Equipment template
to catalog a DVD
player.
The Copy Information tab
for the DVD player.
The library has 3
Sony DVD
players, so there
are 3 copies
connected to the
title record.
250
Appendix
Here is the Sony DVD
player in the patron
station search results.
Here is the Show Copies
screen. Notice that all 3
Sony DVD players appear.
The Status of
each DVD
player is
displayed.
Appendix
251
Copy information fields
This chart explains the various fields of the Copy Information screen.
Field
Description
Copy ID
The copy’s ID. You can enter the copy ID for each new copy, or you can
have InfoCentre add the copy ID automatically. For more information, see
Automatically assigning copy IDs.
Call Number The copy’s call number.
Copy Type
The copy type you are putting the new copy in.
Public Note
A public note about the copy. Public notes can be seen in the search station.
Private Note A private note about the copy. Private notes can only be seen on the
Maintain Title/Copy screen or in certain reports.
Vendor
The name or identification code for the vendor that provided the copy.
Fund
The name or identification code for the fund used to purchase the copy.
Price
The price of the copy.
Location
The copy’s normal physical location.
Date Added
The date the copy was added to your collection. InfoCentre automatically
adds today’s date.
252
Appendix
Appendix B: Import Options for MARC Records
The options available on the Import MARC Records screen allow you to perform different kinds of actions as you
import MARC records. This appendix provides import options for several different scenarios:
I. Refresh titles only.
II. Import new copies and refresh existing title records.
III. Import title information and add copies using default copy values.
IV. Import titles and copies but overwrite imported copy ID.
V. Import new and existing titles and copies that have not been barcoded and don’t have copy IDs assigned.
VI. Import records with Spectrum 14-digit barcodes.
You can find instructions for importing MARC records provided by a vendor for barcoded copies in Importing
MARC records. You can find instructions for importing MARC records into an entry collection in Importing
MARC records into an entry collection book cart. You can find more information about importing MARC records
for eBooks in Setting up InfoCentre for eBooks.
Import File Name and Location
For each import scenario, you will need to enter the import file name and location. The import file is usually
called microlif. Its location can vary, depending on whether it is on a floppy disk or CD, or if it is a file you have
downloaded from a vendor’s Web site or received from another library.
Method of sending
MARC import file
Location
Floppy disk
Browse to your floppy disk drive (usually your A:\ drive).
CD
Browse to your CD drive (usually your D:\ drive).
Download from Web
site
Browse to where you saved this file. Many librarians find
that their desktop is the most convenient place to download
the file.
MARC record matching
Some import scenarios look for a match between the MARC records being imported and existing title records. In
order for MARC matching to occur during the import process, you need to make sure that this option has not been
turned off. You also choose whether you want InfoCentre to match using ISBN or using other information such as
title and author.
Appendix
253
To set up MARC record matching
1
From the Admin tab, click Cataloging, and select Miscellaneous Settings.
2
Select the option you want InfoCentre to use when importing MARC records.
3
Option
Description
ISBN Required
InfoCentre will require matching ISBNs for records to be considered the
same.
ISBN Not Required
InfoCentre will not require matching ISBNs. Matching will be based on
other information, such as title and author.
Off
InfoCentre will not check for matching MARC records. When you select
this option, new records are added to the collection without any checking.
Click Save. A message appears when the settings have been saved successfully. Click OK.
What happens when MARC records match?
There are two possible results of a MARC record match:
•
InfoCentre will add a new copy to the title record. This occurs when you are importing a combination
of new titles and additional copies for existing titles. (See Importing MARC records.)
•
InfoCentre will overwrite the title record. This occurs when you choose an import option that updates
or refreshes titles. (See I: Refresh titles only and II: Import new copies and refresh existing title records.)
Overwriting title records is a powerful way to enhance your existing records. However, if you have done a lot of
cataloging unique to your library, this will be lost if an incoming MARC record matches and overwrites your title
record. Choose this option carefully and make sure you have a current backup of your data in case the import does
not achieve the results you want.
Using call number patterns to assign copy types
When you are importing copy information, you can instruct InfoCentre to assign each incoming copy to a copy
type based on call number patterns.
Call number patterns are assigned to each copy type. For example, you may assign the call number pattern FIC to
the Fiction copy type.
254
Appendix
You must have call number patterns set up for your copy types in order for this import option to assign
incoming copies to a copy type. For more information, see Copy types.
If you have not set up call number patterns, or if the incoming copy does not contain a call number, InfoCentre
will put the copy in the copy type selected in the Default Value box.
You can change the default copy type by selecting No. When you select this option, the Default Value box
becomes available.
Default Value box is now
available.
Select the copy type you want to set as the default from the list. Then choose Yes. The new copy type you
selected will now appear in the grayed out Default Value box.
Appendix
255
I: Refresh titles only
Use this scenario when you want to enhance or refresh existing title records. When you perform this type of
import, InfoCentre looks for a match between existing MARC records and incoming MARC records. When
InfoCentre finds a match, the incoming record overwrites the existing title record (copies are not affected).
This import scenario will overwrite existing title records. Make sure you have a recent backup of your
InfoCentre database before performing this import in case you need to restore your original title
records. For more information, see Creating a Database Backup.
record matching.
To refresh titles only
1
2
--or-Save the file containing your MARC records to a convenient location on your computer or network.
3
In the Import Options section of the Import tab, select Refresh Titles Only. Make sure that all other
options in that section are not selected.
Notice that when you choose this option, the Default Copy Values tab is no longer available. Because you
are refreshing title records only, you do not need to provide any instructions for copy values.
Default Copy Values
tab is unavailable.
Refresh
Titles Only
4
In the Import File Name and Location section, click Browse and browse to your floppy disk drive or CD
drive. Select the file of MARC records you want to import.
--or-Browse to the location of your MARC records on your computer or network and select the file.
5
Click Import. A window appears asking if you want to perform the import. Click Yes. A message appears
explaining that the import is in process.
256
Appendix
6
Type of
Description
Information
Records read The number of MARC records in the file.
Rejected
records
Bad records
Appendix
257
II: Import new copies and refresh existing title records
This import scenario allows you to achieve two goals:
•
Add new copies to existing titles.
•
Refresh the records of the titles you add new copies to. This will overwrite existing title records.
The new copies you add may or may not have copy IDs already assigned to them.
This import scenario will overwrite existing title records. Make sure you have a recent backup of your
InfoCentre database before performing this import in case you need to restore your original title
record matching.
To import new copies and refresh existing title records
1
2
3
In the Import Options section of the Import tab, select the following settings:
•
Add New Titles and Copies.
•
If the incoming title is already in the collection, update the existing title’s bibliographic
information.
Add New Titles
and Copies
If the incoming
title is already in
the collection,
update the
existing title’s
bibliographic
information.
4
5
258
Appendix
--or-Select No to have InfoCentre place all incoming copies in one copy type. Choose this copy type from the
Default Value list.
If your new copies already have a copy ID assigned to them, leave the Copy ID Starting Value box blank.
--or-If your new copies do not have a copy ID assigned to them, and you want InfoCentre to assign a copy ID
to each new copy, enter the first ID you want to use in the Starting Value box. InfoCentre will assign an ID
to each new copy beginning from this value.
6
7
Type of Information Description
Records read
The number of MARC records in the file.
Rejected records
Bad records
Appendix
259
III: Import title information and add copies using default copy values
This scenario gives you flexibility when importing a file of MARC records. You can use the file of MARC
records to add a title record to your collection and you can use the Default Copy Values settings to create a copy
record for each new title.
You can use a file of MARC records with no copy information, or you can use a file of MARC records that
contains copy information you do not want to use.
For example, you are setting up the library in a new elementary school and you have the same titles as an existing
elementary school in your district. The existing school sends you their MARC records, including copy
information. You want to use the MARC records to create title records, but you want to create your own copies in
order to enter location information for your library as well as to use different copy IDs. You use the second option
in this scenario, importing a file containing copy information that you do not want to use, to achieve your goal.
•
The file does not contain copy information.
Use the file of MARC records to create title records. Then use the Default Copy Values tab to create
copies.
•
The file contains copy information that you do not want to use.
Use the file of MARC records to create title records only. Then use the Default Copy Values tab to create
copies.
To import a file that does not contain copy information
1
2
3
a. Add New Titles and Copies
b. If the incoming title does not have any copies (or if you have chosen not to import copies), create
a copy using the default copy values
Add New Titles
and Copies
If the incoming title
does not have any
copies (or if you have
chosen not to import
copies), create a copy
using the default copy
values
260
Appendix
4
5
In the Copy Type section, select No and choose the copy type that you want InfoCentre to place the new
copies in.
If you have Location, Fund, and Vendor information that you want InfoCentre to add to each new copy,
enter the information in the appropriate box.
In the Copy ID section, enter the first ID you want to use in the Starting Value box. InfoCentre will assign
an ID to each new copy it creates beginning from this value.
6
7
Type of
Description
Information
Rejected
records
Bad records
Appendix
261
To import a file containing copy information that you do not want to use
1
2
3
b. Do not import copies
c. In the incoming title does not have any copies (or if you have chosen not to import copies), create
Add New Titles and
Copies
Do not import copies
If the incoming title does
not have any copies (or if
you have chosen not to
import copies), create a
copy using the default
copy values
4
5
262
Appendix
copies in.
If you have Location, Fund, and Vendor information that you want InfoCentre to add to each new copy,
enter the information in the appropriate box.
In the Copy ID section, enter the first ID you want to use in the Starting Value box. InfoCentre will assign
an ID to each new copy it creates beginning from this value.
6
7
Type of
Description
Information
Rejected
records
Bad records
Appendix
263
IV: Import new titles and copies but overwrite imported copy ID
This scenario allows you to use the title and copy information in a file of MARC records, but to assign your own
copy ID.
To import new titles and copies but overwrite imported copy ID
1
2
3
In the Import Options section of the Import tab, select the following setting:
Add New Titles and
Copies
4
5
264
Appendix
Default Value list.
In the Copy ID section, enter the first ID you want InfoCentre to assign in the Starting Value box.
InfoCentre will overwrite the copy ID in the import file with a new ID beginning from this value.
6
7
Type of
Description
Information
Rejected
records
Bad records
Appendix
265
V: Import new and existing titles and copies that have not been barcoded and do not
have copy IDs assigned
Use this scenario if you have purchased items and a file of MARC records from a vendor, but you haven’t had the
vendor assign copy IDs or attach barcodes to the items.
After you have imported the copies and titles, you can print copy barcode and spine labels for each item. For
information, see Printing copy barcodes and Printing spine labels.
This import scenario may overwrite existing title records. Make sure you have a recent backup of
your InfoCentre database before performing this import in case you need to restore your original title
You can choose how InfoCentre matches incoming MARC records. For more information, see
MARC record matching.
To import new and existing titles and copies without barcodes
1
2
3
b. If the incoming title does not have any copies (or if you have chosen not to import copies), create
Optional:
To have InfoCentre update matching title records, select If the incoming title is already in the
collection, update the existing title’s bibliographic information. When you choose this option,
InfoCentre will overwrite your existing title record with the incoming title record. Do not select this
option if you do not want InfoCentre to change your existing title record.
Add New Titles and
Copies
If the incoming title is
already in the collection,
update the existing title’s
bibliographic information
(optional)
If the incoming title does
not have any copies (or if
you have chosen not to
import copies), create a
copy using the default copy
values
4
266
Appendix
5
copies in.
In the Copy ID section, enter the first ID you want InfoCentre to assign in the Starting Value box.
InfoCentre will assign a copy ID to each new copy starting from this value.
6
7
Type of
Description
Information
Rejected
records
Bad records
Appendix
267
VI: Import records using Spectrum 14-digit barcodes
This scenario is directed at former Spectrum customers who are moving to InfoCentre, who used Spectrum 14digit barcodes, and who wish to import into InfoCentre title and copy records they have exported from Spectrum.
You must have a Spectrum 14-digit barcode configuration set up in InfoCentre before you import
these records.
To import records using Spectrum 14-digit barcodes
1
2
3
In the Import Options section of the Import tab, select the following setting:
a. Add New Titles and copies
b. Use barcode configurations to change incoming copy IDs
InfoCentre will use the Spectrum 14-digit Barcode configuration to remove the copy barcode
indicator, the location code (called library code prefix in InfoCentre), leading zeros, and checksum
digit. This will leave the original Spectrum material number which InfoCentre will assign as the
copy ID.
Add New Titles and
Copies
Use barcode
configurations to
change incoming copy
IDs
4
268
Appendix
5
Default Value list.
In the Copy ID section, leave the Starting Value blank. InfoCentre will assign the copy ID contained within
the Spectrum 14-digit barcode.
6
7
Type of
Description
Information
Rejected
records
Bad records
Appendix
269
Appendix C: Patron Import Format and InfoCentre Patron Record
Fields
Formats for patron data exported from a student information system
When patron data is exported from a student information system, it must be in one of two formats in order to be
imported into InfoCentre:
•
Delimited ASCII format.
•
Fixed-width ASCII format.
Data in either of these formats can be imported using Patron Porter.
Delimited ASCII format
•
All the data for a single patron is stored on one line. A more technical way of saying this is: there
cannot be a carriage-return line-feed pair within a record.
•
Each line contains information for only one patron. In technical terms: each record ends with a
carriage-return line-feed pair.
•
Within a single line, each piece of information (field) is separated from the next field by a
delimiter. Often, a comma is used as a delimiter, but the delimiter can be a semicolon, a space, a
tab, etc.
•
The data contained within a field is usually enclosed by a pair of text qualifiers. Most often, a
double quote is used as the text qualifier.
Fixed-width ASCII format
•
All the data for a single patron is stored on one line. A more technical way of saying this is: there
cannot be a carriage-return line-feed pair within a record.
•
Each line contains information for only one patron. In technical terms: each record ends with a
carriage-return line-feed pair.
•
Data is stored in columns. Each column holds one character.
•
Each piece of data is allocated a certain amount of space (number of columns). Furthermore,
each piece of data starts at a specific position in the line and ends at a specific position.
270
Appendix
InfoCentre patron record fields
InfoCentre patron records contain the following fields. When patron data is exported from InfoCentre, the fields
are exported in this order.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Patron ID.
Surname.
First Name.
Middle Name.
Grade.
Homeroom.
Home Phone Number.
Alternate Phone Number.
Email Address.
Address 1.
Address 2.
City.
State/Province.
ZIP/Postal Code.
Patron Type.
Privileges Expire (format CCYYMMDD).
Empty field.
Empty field.
User Defined 1.
User Defined 2.
User Defined 3.
User Defined 4.
User Defined 5.
User Defined 6.
User Defined 7.
User Defined 8.
User Defined 9.
User Defined 10.
Patron Date Added (format CCYYMMDD).
Patron Date Last Used (format CCYYMMDD).
Patron Date Edited (format CCYYMMDD).

Sagebrush InfoCentre Library Manager

Transcription

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