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NIC Library Manual

Inventory

Once per year at the beginning of the spring semester the library collection is inventoried, and any missing items are identified and searched for. 

Once a year a total count of all library materials is taken.  This is usually done at the end of June or beginning of July when the Coordinator Library Services receives instructions from CPSLD (The Council of Post Secondary Library Directors). This count includes periodical back issues, newspaper subscriptions, student computers and the seat count.  Periodical back issues are counted by the year and partial years.  A report is run by Tech. Services for all catalogued items; uncatalogued items are counted manually at the local level.   

Use the “Annual Library Count” sheet, found at SharePoint > Library Services > Library > Forms 2019 to help you with this count.  The total count is to be sent to the Coordinator Library Services for compilation. 

  1. Do a thorough shelf-reading to get the collection in correct call-number order. 

  1. Contact the Coordinator Library Services, who will make arrangements with computer services to have a laptop set up with Workflows.  

  1. Notify Library Tech Services when you are ready to start.  They will run a report of all the items in your collection that are currently checked out, including items checked out to ‘repair’ and ‘display’.  These, plus what you inventory, should be a total of your whole collection.  Missing items will appear on reports done after sections are inventoried. 

  1. Set up your laptop on a wheeled cart so that you can scan each item in your collection.  You need:  

  • Wheeled cart 

  • Extension cord (about 40 feet) 

  • Scanner 

  • Mouse 

  • Post it notes, pen, new barcodes 

If necessary, have a computer service technician assist you to set the computer up. 

Once the checkout report has been run you can begin: 

  1. In Workflows select: Circulation > Special > Inventory Item  

  1. The suggested starting point is with everything shelved separately from the regular collection: The videos/CDs/DVDs/disks, Reference, Reserves, Easy Readers, Graphic Novels, Equipment (laptops, headphones etc.) etc.  

  1. Scan each item and make sure it shows up on the ‘inventoried’ list (you should hear a beep) and check that the call number is accurate. 

  1. Make note of any errors that you find in call number, copy number, or barcode. You can create a spreadsheet to keep track of items to address later, or use post-it notes to place a note on the item and set them aside for immediate correction.  Common errors include: 

  • Wrong copy number on the spine label.  Rather than have Library Tech Services print out a new label, you can just make the correction on the label yourself.   
  • Incomplete barcode - usually the barcode did not scan completely when it was added to the record.  What you will see is “item not in catalogue”. Rescan the barcode. If this doesn’t work, go to Item Search and Display and enter the title of the book.  It will come up with the incomplete barcode.  If you then go back into Inventory Item, that barcode will be showing.  Click OK to accept it for now so that the item gets inventoried.  (Later you can correct the barcode). 
  • Wrong barcode - Sometimes when you check Item Search, you will see that the barcode is totally different from what is on the book.  Again, go back into Inventory Item and inventory it.  Later, you can change the barcode to the one that is on the book. 
  • Wrong call number - make a note on the book and later notify Library Tech Services so that they can correct the record or print out a correct spine label for the item. 
  • Wrong location - if the book belongs to another campus, the system will let you know and put it in transit to the correct location.  Return the book to the correct campus. 

  1. Let Library Tech Services know when you have finished inventorying the non-regular collection, and they will run a report of the items not inventoried. Try to locate these items.  If found, inventory them.  If the item cannot be located follow the procedures in missing items.

  1. Begin the regular collection. Keep track of where you start, pause, and end during the course of doing the inventory so nothing is missed. 

  1. If items are returned while you are doing inventory, discharge them but do not inventory them. Put them aside on a trolley until inventory is finished.  If the item is long overdue or billed, notify Library Tech Services. 

  1. Discharge any missing items you find so they will be removed from the missing location in WorkFlows. If any items are marked lost, discharge it and email Acquisitions with the title of book and barcode.  

  1. Notify Library Tech Services periodically of your progress.  They will run reports for you as often as you need if you advise them of the call number range that you have completed.  You can also wait until the inventory is fully completed and request a single report.  

  1. Once the inventory is complete:   

  • Determine what is still missing and send a message to the other campuses to check their collection.  If the items can’t be located, they’ll need to be checked out to “Missing” (see Missing Items).  Missing items that have been missing for one year or longer will be evaluated by the Public Services Librarian for replacement.  Those not being replaced will have records shadowed and set to “Discard”.  
  • Email a list to Library Tech Services of any errors that you encountered so that they can make corrections as needed.  Make sure to include Title, Call #, Copy #, Barcode and any other distinguishing information if required (i.e. publication date, CIP call #). 
  • Make corrections to barcodes or copy numbers as needed.   

If you want to double check if an item was properly inventoried, you can go to Common Tasks >  Item Search and Display, look up the item you just scanned, and look at the date on the lower left under “Date Inventoried”.