Student Training

Searching for an Item

Searching for an item is done for several reasons. There are searches for overdue items, missing items, items needed by a staff member and inventory follow-up searches. There are two kinds of searches: Simple and Exhaustive.

General Note

If you need a clearer picture of the item for which you are looking, Search (link to Patron Services, Reference, Helping…link the entire document)the item on PRIMO.

• how thick/tall is the item
• is there a picture of the item’s cover (these may not always match the cover of our copy
• any other identifying information

Note: If there are multiple searches and you find some but not others that are on a search slip/list, Highlight in Yellow the items you DO NOT find and put the search slip/list with the items that are found.

Simple Search

• These searches are used for
• locating items for displays
• 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd overdue notices
• patron needs
• ILL
• staff requests
• inventory searches from summary and mark up reports

Procedure

• Check the Simple Search tray in the Back Office
• Sign and date the search slip/list
• Check the search slip/list for location information
•    If there is a call number, go to the area where the item would be found
•    If there is not a call number, search for it using Primo  and write it on the search slip/list
• Go to the location where the item should be and look for it. If it is not there, search the entire shelf on which it should have been shelved.
• Return to the Front Office with the search slip and the item (if it was found)
•    If the item was found, put the search slip inside and put both into the Found Tub
•    If the item was not found, put the search slip into the Not Found tray

 Exhaustive Search

These searches are used for

• 3^rd Overdue notices
• missing items
• some  inventory items
• claimed lost items

Procedure

• Check the Exhaustive Search tray in the Back Office next to DVD storage in Front Office 
• Sign and date the search slip/list
• Check the search slip/list for needed information
•    If there is a call number, go to the area where the item would be found
•    If there is not a call number, search for it using Primo  and write it on the search slip/list
• Go to the location where the item should be and look for it in the place it should be. If it is not there, search the entire shelf on which it should have been shelved. If you still can’t find it, follow the procedure in Inventory Searching from the Summary Report  starting with step two.
• Return to the Front Office with the search slip and the item (if it was found)
•    If the item was found, put the search slip inside and put both into the Found Tub
•    If the item was not found, put the search slip into the Exhaustive Not Found tray

Follow Up

 The Library Assistant will follow up with all items that are not found after having been search 3 times by 3 different people for a period of one week.