Access Services Updates - August 27, 2018
It's that time again to share your thoughts on an Access Services proposal!
This month we're looking at standardizing what location codes and statuses mean across the libraries.
The Problem
Location codes and statuses have been used for varying purposes across the libraries and departments. This has made it difficult for Collection Development to have an accurate picture of each library's collection to make sure they are ordering material appropriately.
The Workgroup
Members:
Erin Bedford (LM – BE), Judie Matthews (EM – DN), Janeal Walker (AM III – NW), Zachary Branstetter (AM II – DC), Brittany Mays (AM I – SO), Anton Littlejohn (AS II – MC)
Purpose:
To identify which of the following location codes and statuses are currently being used, which libraries are using them, how they are being used, and best practices going forward:
- Awards – JAW, SEQ, YAA, YAS
- Backroom – BKR (while also On Shelf)
- Displays – D 1-5, Display Status, In Process Status, Alternate On Shelf Display Status
- Minicats – AP, JP, YP
- Old Codes – 999/Misc, FAM, JNB, JOB, NBK, SEA, VF, YNB
- Special Nonfiction – BPR, JNF, JRF, JSC, OVZ, OVR, SC, YNF
General Findings:
- The primary use of location codes and statuses is to help staff and customers know where to find materials (location), to identify an intended age group or audience (audience), and to know whether materials are available for checkout (status).
- Additionally, consistent use of location codes and statuses will aid in having a more accurate collection inventory by:
- Allowing libraries to complete inventory lists by location code and status on an annual basis
- Assisting Collection Development in having an accurate picture of what is currently in each library’s collection
- Assisting Access Services/IT in correctly identifying which materials are safe to remove from the database after a period agreed on with Collection Development
- After presenting initial recommendations to Library Managers and Access Managers, a poll was provided to the same group to register their library’s preference on any options that were listed. This report incorporates the results of that poll and discussion from the Access Manager meeting in August.
Recommendations:
Because so many location codes and statuses were reviewed, please see the attached document for the recommendations on each one. The last 3 pages are a brief summary of the recommendations for each one.
Next Actions:
- Though libraries could work ahead of this proposed schedule, the expectation is that libraries will achieve these actions by the timeline listed below.
- Final recommendations will be brought to the September Access Manager meeting on September 18 for approval.
- Beginning October 1, libraries will use the approved guidelines when making new changes to statuses and location codes at their library.
- Beginning in October and ending no later than the end of December 2018, libraries will review and recode active materials at their locations with the statuses and location codes that will become obsolete or reserved for uses not at their location.
- The Manager of Access will coordinate recoding inactive materials so that obsolete codes can be deleted by the end of June 2019.
- Libraries will update any local procedures on assigning collections from which to pull holds to include new location codes (graphic novels, display areas, etc.).
- By the end of June 2019, all libraries will have completed an inventory of their collections to ensure materials have the correct statuses and location codes.
- An annual inventory is recommended to continue so that these guidelines can continue to be enforced, correcting human mistakes along the way.
- CollectionAnywhere will set a timeline to review materials in the In Process status to ensure they reflect active usage by their departments.
- Codes that are rendered obsolete will require old materials to either be deleted or recoded if the obsolete codes will be removed from the available location codes. If old materials are not deleted or recoded, the possibility of accidentally coding something with an obsolete code remains.
Please share your feedback here or with your Access Manager by September 11th.
UPDATE: The recommendations have been approved and will go into effect on October 1, 2018 as described above.
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Comments
Can you post the recommendations?
Sorry about that! I missed a checkbox when making the post, so they weren't showing up. Thanks for pointing it out!
I do have a question about the In Process status. That is what we are currently placing missing pieces that are being sent to Greg, will we have to change that status to something else? Or since it should be temporary is it ok?
Great question! The recommendation is to use Custom Status 1 specifically for materials that have missing pieces and are located in (or are being sent to Greg) in Collection Development and are not currently on a customer’s account. If this doesn't answer your question though, please let me know.
Am curious how other locations are creating their new book sections. We are still using the NBK code here at Belle Isle and it works great for us. We have a full and popular section and are able to find those items easily. Will there be another location code we will be able to use instead?
Hi David,
Thanks for your question. Generally, New Book collections have transitioned into New Book display areas where the materials are much more transient to reflect a constant turnover in the area. In fitting with this, libraries could use the temporary display location codes to indicate new books that are on display. These locations do need to be manually managed (similar to the old NBK code) to make sure materials are only keeping the code for 30 days.
Thanks!
Risa
Out of curiosity, is it possible to re-name "Custom Status 1" as something else to make it more obvious what the status is for?
(I'm really glad to see that being implemented since we really need to know what's on its way to Greg.)
Hi Katie,
Thanks for the question. Yes, but TLC would need to make that change for us. Since we have several other projects and tickets currently in the works with them, it may not be a speedy change because it would be a low priority. In our initial review of the statuses and location codes, we could have potentially been using several of the Custom Statuses. It ended up that this was the only use that was recommended by the group though. We wanted to wait to decide which and how many of the Custom Statuses we might use before asking TLC to edit any of the names of them.
Once the recommendations are finalized, Anne and I will discuss the next steps in possibly editing the name of the status. If/when it is updated, I'll be sure to keep everyone in the loop.
Thanks,
Risa