Materials Services Division Updates for September 2014

The regular meeting being cancelled, the Materials Services Managers provided updates of departmental activities in lieu of minutes.

Department Highlights

Materials Selection

• Since the beginning of July Materials Selection received 2,912 suggestions to purchase material, averaging 265 suggestions per week.  During the first week on Carl-X, MSL received only 44 suggestions to purchase titles.  The “Suggest a Title” function was not working properly the first week of operation.  During the second week on the new system, we received 208 suggestions, which is much closer to the average weekly total.

• From July 1 to August 21, Materials Selection entered orders on the old ILS, entering a total of 5,253 titles and 35,793 items. This averaged out to 657 titles and 4,474 items per week.  Orders were suspended from August 21 until September 3rd, preparing for the move to the new Carl-X system.  After the Carl-X was live, MSL submitted small test orders for the first several days, testing order entry and running purchase orders.  During the first 3 weeks of September 1293 titles and 8183 items were ordered, averaging 431 titles and 2,727 items were week. 

• MSL Staff spent a total of 129 hours working in the MSL basement from July 1 through the end of August.  During that same time period, 199 boxes were received from libraries.  155 boxes sent to the Friends and 19 boxes of transfers sent to CAT.

Cataloging

Due to the migration to the CarlX system and ITSi cataloging product, no cataloging or interlibrary loan statistics are available for August.  It is not certain when statistics will again be available.

• Just prior to the CarlX transition, it was discovered that call numbers which extended past 10 characters in any line, or 5 lines total, do not format correctly when barcode labels are printed.  All materials with affected call numbers are being held in Cataloging until the problem is resolved.  TLC has been working to develop a fix; it should be implemented the week of September 22.  Pauline will work with Heidi in Technical Processing to arrange to get these materials to libraries as quickly as possible.

• Since there is no longer a temporary loan function, library staff are asked NOT to change location codes to SY CAT or CAT CAT.  If library staff want to route materials to Cataloging, please create a hold using the Cataloging card and BM as the pickup location; then route the material to fill the hold.  Alternatively, please check the material out to Cataloging on the department card, then route it.

Interlibrary Loan

• Materials sent to libraries for ILL customers are holds the same as MLS materials, and are to be received and checked out the same way.  There is no longer a separate tab for ILL circulation.

• Libraries are asked to check reserve shelves and make sure that all ILL materials have been received and show up as “Hold shelf”.  This is the only way that customers receive notice that ILL materials are waiting.

• ILL staff cannot create an ILL hold for an MLS customer UNLESS that customer has a PRIMARY or ANNUAL FEE card.  Customers with Reciprocal or School cards are not eligible for ILL service.  To avoid unnecessary work, library staff are asked to please make sure to check the customer’s card type before forwarding requests to ILL.

• If an ILL customer receives photocopies, the material does not have to be returned.  Circulation staff will need to check the material out, then check it back in before giving it to the customer.

• Materials placed on hold for ILL will have a pickup location of ILL.  Please fill the hold and route the materials to ILL.

Technical Processing

• Due to the migration to the CarlX system, no receiving or daily barcode statistics are available for August.

• The processors are current on processing all rush materials received from Cataloging and are processing non-rush materials from the run 5 days ago. Study guides and dated materials like continuations are also current. TP is not sure when any statistics might become available again.

• During August, TP received a daily average of 44 boxes of materials a day, for a total of 922 boxes.  The daily average in September so far is 41 boxes. 

Materials Selection update – Janet Brooks

Annual Library Visits

• During August, Selectors completed visits to CT, Book Centers and Books by Mail.

• In September, Selectors are conducting visits to DC.

• In October, Selectors are scheduled to do annual visits to VI and JN.

TP Staff Assistance

• Lenard and Tony assisted with work in the MSL basement at the end of August, while TP suspended receiving and processing prior to the switch over to Carl-X. 

• Lenard and Tony helped prepare material to go to the booksale and boxed up material. 

• Their assistance took care of some of the backlog of material and was very much appreciated by Janet and Kristine.

Carl-X

• Materials Selection went “Live” on September 3^rd.  Staff began placing small orders to test the system and had a small order of 15 titles go out the next day. 

• Staff are getting more comfortable with the new system and purchase orders are going out every day except for Monday mornings.  Kristine arranged with the major vendors to email purchase orders.  This should expedite getting orders in a quicker timeframe. 

• Selectors are expediting patron recommendations (suggestions for purchase) much quicker now as well.  If Selectors don’t add a title that was recommended, the customer will receive an email notice with a reason why the item was not added. 

• MSL is still working out processes and discovering the best way to work with the new system. 

• Susan, Kristine and Lauren are getting the periodicals and continuations entered into the new system.

Meetings/Workshops Attended

• Melissa conducted OPAC training on 8/27.

• Ruby attended United Way Committee meetings on 8/27 and 9/10.

• Lauren attended a benefits meeting on 9/10.

• Janet is attending the managers’ meetings with the Executive Director candidates on 9/23.

• Lisa is scheduled to attend the Staff Association meeting on 9/25.

Technical Processing update – Heidi Johnson

• Baker & Taylor’s and Ingram’s accounts continue to be current. 

• The last purchase orders generated in the ILS system were printed on August 22, 2014, in TP. Purchase orders generated after that date will be sent out by Materials Selection from the DN location. TP staff no longer needs to take purchase orders to DN’s mailroom on Fridays. 

• The Processors were kept busy during the time Cataloging was unable to produce barcodes. They converted all of BC’s Books on Tape from being processed in hanging bags to being shelf-ready in white containers.

• The Receiving and Data Entry Techs were busy receiving open orders still placed through the old ILS system prior to the conversion.

• TLC was able to incorporate Big Bin into the new Carl.X receiving function. Staff have been able to bin received items and retrieve them after barcodes have been produced for them without any problems.

• TP has been able to receive the first orders placed through the CarlX system. There were some initial details to be worked out, like which fund to use to pay for shipping and handling. Staff had to get used to dealing with the new type of workslips, and currently the three Receiving Techs have to share one printer for printing all of the new workslips. Anne is working on this issue.

• CarlX tries to connect any invoice input for payment to an order placed through CarlX. MSL is trying to determine whether and what type of order records to input so database invoices and other standing order invoices can be entered. Karen is working on this issue.

• TP has been able to perform most all of their tasks in the new system. However, TP so far has not been able to make any corrections to an invoice once it has been entered into CarlX, even before approval and payment. If an invoice number has been entered incorrectly (like a number has been transposed), TP has not found a way yet to correct the error. Anne is working on this issue. .

• The sorter has been very temperamental of late. First there was a problem with a timing regulator; once that was fixed, one of the sensor got sheared off by a sorter bin. IT is working on getting it back into working order. In the meantime, the drivers and TP staff are hand sorting materials to get them to customers quickly.

• The new stools/chairs for the Processors were received on September 15^th. The Processors are very exited about their new chiars which can be used in a lower setting when working on a desk, or set higher, to provide support when working at a higher work level surface. Being able to change positions like this has helped to alleviate some back strain when working in a sitting position for 6-7 hours a day.

• Katie Herd recently visited the department with her daughter Sloan, born on August 4, 2014. Katie’s expected return date is still September 29 and she says she is ready to return to work outside the home.

Cataloging/Interlibrary Loan update – Pauline Rodriguez-Atkins

• Cataloging and Interlibrary Loan have been all hands on deck since both departments resumed full operations on September 4.  Staff are doing a great job of adapting to new ways of doing familiar tasks.

• No materials were added to the collection after August 22; materials began to be added again on September 4.  New materials received during this time were held in Cataloging until they could be cataloged and have barcode labels printed.

• Cataloging has completed cataloging and barcode labeling for all materials held back while cataloging was frozen August 25-September 3, except for materials that are on hold until call number printing issues are resolved.

• Pauline presented training for the Catalogers on original cataloging for AV materials using RDA during the week of September 25, while Cataloging operations were frozen.

• Cataloging staff are working to create records for unclassified mass market paperbacks, formerly known as “uncataloged” paperbacks.  Operations in this area are not completely up to speed, but the team is making progress and paperbacks are being routed to libraries.

• Pauline is working to figure out how records for periodicals will be handled in CarlX.  Cataloging will need to create MARC records for new subscription titles.  There are still a number of unanswered questions.

• Questions about how to handle materials that need to be sent to Cataloging should be directed to Pauline at ext 3552 or through her e-mail.

• ILL operations were suspended beginning on August 20 and resumed on September 4.  All materials received for MLS customers were held in ILL during that time, as were new requests to borrow for MLS customers.

• ILL staff have completed routing all borrowed materials that were held back to MLS customers, and has submitted all requests that were held back.

• Pauline presented training on MARC formatting for all Cataloging and ILL Technicians during the week of September 25, when both departments’ operations were frozen.  Training will resume once staff are comfortable working with CarlX.

• ILL lending will resume late in the week of September 18.  Libraries should begin to see holds for ILL during that week.

• Questions about ILL issues or materials should be directed to Pauline at ext. 3552 or through her e-mail.

• The Maintenance staff organized a cookout for Service Center staff on September 10.  The Maintenance staff cooked hamburgers, hot dogs, etc., and other staff brought side items.  It was a nice break and a good time for all.

The next Materials Services Managers’ meeting is scheduled for October 16, 2014, at 8:30 AM, at the Service Center.  Janet Brooks will chair.