Student Training

Allen Memorial Library at VCSU subscribes to hundreds of print serials: magazines and journals annually. In this manual we will be covering topics on how to receive, check -in, maintain and withdraw them.

Browsing Only Titles  - not in the Subscription List.

Economist - new subscription added as of August 2015!

Make:  Technology on Your Time - new subscription as of 2016 March

Sound on Sound - new subscription as of 2015 November.

Library magazines arrive at the library after 10:30am on weekdays. Then the print magazines addressed to the library specifically are placed in the “NEW MAGAZINE BOX.” The most common addresses used for magazine subscriptions are:

1.      C E Allen Lib VCSU, 101 College St SW, Valley City ND 58072

2.      Allen-Mem, VCSU, 101 College St SW, Valley City ND 58072

3.      Allen Memorial Library, Valley City State University, 101 College St SW, Valley City, ND 58072

If the magazine is not addressed to the library, check the MAIL ROUTING LIST and look for the title; this will tell you where it goes. If it is not on the list, route it to Library Assistant , following the note writing procedure.

Gather the Supply basket and the folder from the Student Project cupboard in the Front Office.

1.     Before you start checking –in magazines, make sure that they are addressed to the library and remove all loose subscription cards.

2.      If there is an insert, place it inside the issue

3.      You will need to catalog Supplements individually later, so don’t leave them with the issue

4.      Sort the magazines alphabetically by title & then stamp them with Allen Memorial Library Periodical stamp (black ink) on the lower right corner of the front          cover.

• If the cover is dark or glossy use white labels that are located in the folder

5.      To check-in magazines in Aleph, first log in to the Acquisitions Module:

• User name: NDVACQS

• Password: ACQ1

6.      Then, search for the matching bib: (see the screen shot below):

• Make sure that the first two search boxes are set to Titles and Collection.

• Type in the title of the magazine in Titles.

• Type in PERR in Collection.

• Click OK to continue.

7.      A magazine bib record should automatically be selected.  If not, click the SHOW at bottom right corner.

• Double check the magazine title to be sure that you have the correct magazine record.
• Then click on  to open the magazine item records.
• ( See screenshot below)

8.      The screen changes to Serials tab.   You should see list of expected issues on the top right pane.

9.    Check the date, issue and volume number of the magazine that you have in hand and select the matching issue on the pane.If the information on the screen matches the information in the magazine, select the Arrive button.(If you don’t find an exact match, fill out MESSAGE FORM with the required information and give to the Systems Specialist.)

10.      Using the bottom pane, change/fill in the information as shown on the example below.

In the Arrival Form:

• Check mark √ Temp Loc:
• Change Collection: to CMAG from the dropdown (Type the letter "c" and you will be taken to the correct area of abbreviations)
• Change the Item Status to Overnight (01) from the dropdown as well.
  • Exception: If the magazine is a Claimed Issue, the Item Status needs to be 3 days (10). After completing the following steps,  the issue goes directly to the Periodical Room.
• Then place the 14-digit barcode which is in your folder on the top left corner, about ½ away from the top edge of the magazine cover
  • Note: When you are running out of barcodes, contact the System Specilaist for more.
• Always watch for Check-In Note and/or Internal Note for special instructions
• Then write the date above the barcode as year, month, date; for instance, 2013 July 04. If the cover is dark, please use white labels, so it can be read easily!
• Now scan the 14-digit barcode in the Barcode field to replace the 8-digit one.
•  A serial activity log will display your barcode, description and sublibrary to indicate the check-in was successful. Click Close

10.      Now select the prior issue (not the issue you just checked-in)  

11.      Change its Item Status to Three Days (10) from the dropdown.

12.      Uncheck Temp Loc: and then click the Update on the right.

Check point! The most recent issue was checked-in must have Overnight (01) status and the location must be Current Magazine-1^st Floor Lobby! Any other issues must have Three Days (10) and Periodical Room respectively.

New issues

Once you have checked  in all new magazines, go the Information Desk/ Main Circulation computer and scan-in  each magazines barcodes in Items tab (green) before shelving. You should be able to see each magazine records and verify that it has checked in correctly. If you see a message " Item is not found", please re-check-in the issue again.                (added by TD on 1/27/2014)

Place them out in the Lobby magazine stand in the appropriate slots.       

• If a magazine is too thick, you can move its name tag to the top slot of the stand temporarily. Just remember to swap it back when the next thinner issue arrives!

• If a magazine is large, fold it in half vertically and place it in the appropriate slot.

Older issues

1.      Place the older issues in “BACK ISSUES to shelve” basket for shelving in the Periodical Room.

2.      Then take them to Periodical room to shelve and check their retentions which are found on the front of their box.

3.      While shelving these magazines make sure to put the latest one on the right and take out the oldest issue from the left if it complies with the retention notice .  

4.      Double check the dates and publication frequency: weekly, monthly, semiannually, triennially, quarterly...etc.  For instance, if it says Retain 3 years, there should be at least 3 years’ worth of magazines depending on its publication frequency!

• Blue box – retained 6 months

• Green box – retained 12 months

• Red box – retained for more than 2 years… to Indefinitely

• If it says indefinitely, do not remove any issues at all!  

• If the box is not color coded or has no retaining status on it, DO NOT pull any issues from it.

• Do not remove any magazines if the box has black sticker on it even though they may seem to be outdated! They are marked for later removal[BF1] .

5.      Put the pulled issues in the “WITHDRAWAL to delete” box/tub. See the “WITHDRAW” section for instruction.

You will find the outdated issue in the “WITHDRAWAL to delete” box/tub.

Be aware! Do not remove titles that have INDEFINITE retention status!

 To withdraw outdated issues:

1.    First you need to delete the item record in Acquisitions module. Log in to the Acquisitions module using your user name and password.

2.   Scan the barcode in the Issue Barcode of the Serial bar and search indexes at the top of the screen. The item record should locate directly and just to be  sure that you have the correct item record.  You must double check the barcode to avoid mistakes of deleting the wrong issue!

3.      Confirm Confirm that the issue is older than the retention time specified in the Internal Note field. If it is not, then return the issue to the Shelve in Periodical Room basket. If you come across several issues that are not to be withdrawn, notify the Library Assistant, since this means magazines are being pulled from the Periodicals Room prematurely.

4.      Also, check in the list of issues in the title to see that there are no older issues (not including others in the withdraw basket). If there are, notify the library assistant and mention that some other issues will need to be pulled.

5.      Then select the matching item record and click Delete on the right. Delete Confirmation log will display and click Yes to complete the deletion process.

6.      Then stamp each issue with “WITHDRAWN” red stamp on the lower right corner of the cover.

7.      Cross out the barcode. Make sure the Valley City State University on it is totally blacked out.

8.      Most of the withdrawn magazines are placed in the FREE table or stand. However, there are few that must be routed to library staff or faculty after deletion of barcode. Check the note field for routing information.

9.      If the magazine is to be routed to someone on the library staff, put the magazine in his/her mailbox. If the magazine is to be routed to a campus mailbox, fill out a Campus Mail to: slip and clip it to the cover. Put the magazine with the slip into the outgoing mailbox.

When a duplicate issue of a magazine is received:

1.      Find both issues and check the addresses on both. Are they addressed to the library?

2.      If one of them is addressed to another entity (not library), send it through CAMPUS MAIL to the appropriate person/ department.

3.      If both issues are addressed to the library photocopy both covers and give them to Acquisitions.

4.      Check in one of the issues (the one with the longest expiration date).

5.      Write duplicate on the extra copy, stamp it with “WITHDRAWN” red stamp and place it on the Free Table.

Sometimes magazines will come with a supplement issue. First, check the MAIL ROUTING LIST for the title; this will tell you what to do with the supplement.

Supplements

1.      Select the last issue checked-in.

2.      Click Duplicate button on the right hand side. 

3.      A new issue form will be displayed in the Arrival Form, with all fields duplicated. Change volume, issue and date information to reflect Supplement issue.

4.      In the Description field, add “Suppl.” Example:  v.132: no.13 (2007:Aug. 01) Suppl.

5.      Click the ADD button. 

6.      Return to the Check-in node and arrive the supplement issue f(How to Check –in Magazines.)            

7.      If there is still a problem, fill out the MESSAGE FORM and route to the Systems Specialist.

For inserts : keep it with the current issue that it came with!

It often happens that two issues are published together as a “merged” issue.  In Serials tab, to merge single issues, use the group node under Control root. Via the group node:  this method allows you to check in multiple issues and to merge issues when necessary.  (This step requires higher level of acquisitions clearance!) Route the issue with a MESSAGE FORM to the Systems Specialist to merge.