SCA Workflow Overview
- Andrea Payant
Analytics
New Materials
Special Collections either orders materials themselves or through the Acquisitions Department. Therefore, materials can come directly to Special Collections where they are passed on to the appropriate curator or they can come through the Acquisitions Department where certain new materials are directed to the curators while others are sent directly to the Special Collections Cataloging staff.
Gift Materials
Special Collections & Archives (SCA) also receives many materials as gifts. These items do not go through the acquisition dept., but come directly to Special Collections & Archives. The curators will then go through them and/or process them before passing the item(s) onto Cataloging. Most of items will require a gift note in the bibliographic record, which is supplied by the Special Collections’ Curator.
Catalogers and Assistant Catalogers search for bibliographic records (or bib records) using a bibliographic database (OCLC) for each new item. Adjustments are made to the individual records, as well as the creation of entirely new records, according to the rules of general cataloging practices and the needs and specifications of our library. After creating or editing the bib records in OCLC, they are then imported into the Integrated Library System (ILS) which is currently Innovative Interfaces’ system called Sierra. Sierra is the database we use to format and control what the patron sees in the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC or simply Library Catalog).
Books
When bib records are imported into Sierra, they can replace, or overlay, order records created by the Acquisitions Department or, if the book did not come from Acquisitions, the bib record will be imported without the need for overlaying or replacing another record in Sierra. All records imported into Sierra need item records, which are usually created upon import into Sierra, but if not, can be created and attached to the bib record in Sierra. Item records must always accompany a bib record, which allows the library catalog to display the call number and proper location information to patrons. After bib records are imported into Sierra, the cataloger should perform a search for the item in Sierra and the public Library Catalog and make sure that all the information displays correctly for patrons. Next, the items will be passed onto the cataloging student workers for physical processing.
Physical processing of SCA books:
MUST DO for all books
Create a call number label(s).
For all books except those in the USU Archives:
a. Print a call number label, attach it to the top of a “flag”, trim the flag to the correct height for the book and place it in the back of the book with the top sticking out, allowing the call number to be visible.
b. Add barcode to flag, placement is at the top of the flag on the opposite side of the flag from the call number label (top of flag: front side has call number label, reverse side has barcode)
c. Add RFID tag to flag, after trimming the flag to the correct length the RFID tag goes in 1 of 3 positions from the bottom of the flag. RFID tags position 1 is very bottom of flag, position 2 has the bottom edge of the RFID tag up two inches from the bottom of the flag, position 3 has the bottom edge of the RFID tag up four inches from the bottom of the flag.
For books in the USU Archives:
a. Print/type a call number label (1 in. x 4 in.) and place it on the bottom of the front cover near the spine of the book with the call number running parallel to the spine of the book.
b. Add barcode to right side of 1 inch x 4 inch call number label.
c. Add RFID tag to book in one of three positions on the inside of the back cover next to the spine. For position 1 place RFID tag near the bottom edge of the rear cover next to the spine and up about ¾ of an inch from the bottom edge of the book; position 2 inside rear cover near spine and approximately 3 inches from the bottom edge; position 3 inside rear cover near spine and approximately 5 inches from the bottom edge.
Write the call number in pencil on the title page verso in the bottom left (fore-edge) corner; writing should be parallel to the fore-edge of the book.
Done as needed
Cover dust jacket with mylar
Create a custom-fit pambinder & print title and call number labels for front cover of enclosure
Put in a pre-made 4-flap enclosure & print title and call number labels for front cover of enclosure
Create OVERSIZE markers for items being shelved in the OVERSIZE section of the SCA stacks
Send items to preservation: change item codes, fill out large blue Preservation shelf card, take item over to the preservation lab or vault and put on appropriate shelf
Everyone on staff, including students, are expected to track their work by keeping daily statistics, which are used to measure activities of the department and to identify useful information about cataloging operations.
After materials have been cataloged and processed, they are placed on the corresponding collection re-shelving shelf in the stacks for a SCA student worker to shelve.
All Special Collections & Archives materials are Non-Circulating, meaning that they cannot be checked out and can only be used in the SCA reading room.