Bio-Med Library Access Services Blog

All pages should be inputting each journal volume (and any unbound issues with the library barcodes--there are a few, mostly copy 2's) into the in-house use window before the volumes get shelved for this week and the following week (and probably for a couple more weeks, later in the semester). Each volume must be scanned and recorded in the database on one of the computers at one of the service desks. Here are the steps to follow, subject to clarification over the next few days.

When starting a new truck of journals for shelving, put an “uncounted” (red) indicator in the pocket on the end of the truck. (If there are two pockets, two labels may be used—but mainly make sure that we don’t have two conflicting messages). Put journals on the truck as usual, whether you’re collecting them from tables in the stacks areas or by the copy machines, and then take them to a counting station at the 2nd or 3rd level desk.

Read each barcode into the "in-house use" window in the Aleph client at the circulation desks. For Sunday and possibly Monday, photocopy the cover of any unbarcoded unbound journal issues, and leave that for me on my chair or in my box. Presumably by Monday there will be a new database up in FileMaker, perhaps called "2008 March Journal Statistics". There we will record the unbound issues by title.
Once the FileMaker counting database, 2008 March Journal Statistics, is up and running, look up each unbound issue title and record the number of issues that you’re shelving. Then:

When the truck is finished, change the “uncounted” red indicator to a green “counted” tab, and the truck is ready for shelving as usual. After emptying a counted truck, change the indicators back to uncounted.

• Obviously, do NOT pick up any loose journals along the way to shelving and add them on to the truck—these must be counted first.
• All journals should be counted before they are shelved.
• Books with call numbers are NOT included in this process, so just handle them as usual--Bri will take care of inputting them.

If the FileMaker database is not up, you may need to sign in: use the pull-down menu command “Open Remote,” and choose the listed file, "2008 March JOURNAL STATISTICS"---Do NOT use the old “JOURNAL_STATISTICS” file, further down the list. Like most FileMaker files, put in the usual password, and the user name should be "Circstaff." The password should appear in the place where we keep the passwords, known to all desk staff.

I’m not going to try to fully discuss using the database to record these counts, but if no one has gone over this with you, please stop and ask to review this with either one of the desks students who is familiar with the process, or preferably with me (if I’m available) or Melissa or Steve. If there are particular points that you think should be highlighted, please add them in the comments that you can attach to this memo. Please at the least initial this memo, so that I know that everyone has read it.

This process obviously adds a bit to the time it takes to pickup, sort and put away the journals. As I’ve previously discussed, this work can and ought to be shared between the pages & the desk staff.

Thanks for your help with this project. --David