Reviewing Donations Before Item Record Creation:

• Make sure to look for defective and damaged (rip, tears, water damage, stains, etc). If you find something like this, please flag the donation for the Serials Processing Specialist's to review.
• If an item is moldy, please pass it to the Serials Processing Specialist immediately. It does not need to be with the other donations in risk of cross-contaminating the other donations with mold.
• Flatten out all curled and bent pages to the best of your ability. If the pages are bent badly, please flag the donation for the Serials Processing specialist to review. Most likely the donation can be taken to Binding so it can be placed in the press machine.
• Clear out all the trash and unwanted papers/bookmarks out of each donation. Please be careful to not harm the donation during this process. For example, if you find Post-It notes, inside the item, please gently take the Post-It off and recycle it.
  • If you are unsure of what to do, please ask the Serials Processing Specialist about it before doing anything.
• Flag all the duplicate copies. These will most likely not be added to the collection but that is up to the subject selector(s).
• Once you have identified damaged copies, fixed the bent pages, cleared out all the trash from donations, identified duplicate copies, you are ready to move on to applying barcodes, applying security strips, and applying the University of Arkansas Libraries property stamp/label.

1. Applying Barcodes:
   • ​​Barcodes always go on the outside of the back cover at the top right corner closest to the spine of the issue.
   • Do NOT put the barcode too close to the spine of the issue.
   • Do NOT put the barcode too close or off the edge of the back cover. If the sticky side of the barcode is exposed, it could potentially damage other library materials.
   • It is okay to cover up text on the back cover. Most likely the text is inside the issue or the back cover is all advertisements. If you are unsure, you can ask the Serials Processing Specialist.
   • 
2. Property Stamping & Applying Security Strips:
   • ​​Please follow the property stamp & security strip procedures here.

A listing of acceptable Item Record Abbreviations:

When creating an item record you will be asked to choose an I-Type. I-Types identify what type of material a particular item is. As a library, we have many possible I-types:

For Serials purposes, the most common I-types you encounter will be:

Single Item Record Creation in Sierra (See below for how to add multiple item records): 

Before starting, make sure you know what needs to be in the item records. Your supervisor/Serials Processing Specialist will let you know how the volume fields should be done as well as what the fixed fields should be. You will need to know what to put in the following fixed fields: I Type, ICODE2, Location, Status, and Sticky Status=5 (if applicable. Only if the item is going to STORC/STORM).

Getting started: 

1. Open Public Display before creating item records.
   1. Go to "View" on the left hand side of the screen.
   2. Choose "Public Display"
2. You want to view the item record summary.
   1. Click on the “Attach New Item” button.

This will open the "New Item Options" box. From here you can decide to add a single item or multiple items.

Adding a single item: 

• Select Single Item from the "New Item Option" box and click OK.
• This will open up the New item template.
  • Select Template: You are going to use either "bind: Binding" or "linxgift: Gift to Linx"
    • ​Use this template for non-LINX items: "bind: Binding" 
    • ​Use this template for LINX items:"linxgift: Gift to Linx"
      • Remember that you must change the I TYPE to a serials I TYPE (1, 2, 36, etc.) if you use the linxgift item template.
      • Serial item records never use 0=Monographs.

• Copy #: 1.
  • However, if you are creating an item record for an additional copy, please use the appropriate copy number.
    • For example, if we already have a copy of v.1 and we are adding an additional copy of v.1, then the copy # of what you are adding will be "2".
• Select "Next".
• Volume field: Fill in the volume field with the correct enumeration, cover date, and abbreviations of the item in hand based on the criteria specified by the Serials Processing Specialist and/or Serials Cataloging Supervisor. If you are unsure, please ask the Serials Processing Specialist and/or Serials Cataloging Supervisor. Select "Next".
• Barcode field: Scan the barcode into the barcode field with your barcode scanner.Select "Next".
• I Type: Fill in the correct I Type (1, 2, or 36), Location, ICODE 2=g (For serials donations only), Status, Sticky Status=5 (If applicable. For items going to STORC/STORM ONLY).If you are unsure, please ask the Serials Processing Specialist and/or Serials Cataloging Supervisor.
• Next click Save and go back to the item record summary.
  • Move the item to the correct place in the item record summary by using the move button.
  • Items are always listed in chronological order (newest to oldest or v.10, v.9, v.8, etc.) within location groupings.
• Print off monographic labels for the item. Within the item record, go to Tools-->Print Spine Label or you can use CTRL-L.

Adding multiple items:

• Select Multiple Items from the "New Item Option" box and fill in all the appropriate information.
• In the volume caption box type the set of letters to be inserted in front of each item's volume field (e.g., v., pt., no.). Whatever you put into this field will precede any volume or issue numbers of each item.
• The first volume number is "1" and the last volume number is the number of items you are adding.
• Add the correct location and # of copies (usually 1).
• Now click OK.

• This will open up the new item template. Fill out all appropriate information just like with a Single Item template. Then save.
• Modify Group:
  • Next, go back to the item summary. you will now highlight and drag/select the iem records you need to add/update fields in the item records.
  • Then go to Edit-->Modify Group.
  • Proceed to make sure that the location is correct then check I Type, ICODE 2, Status, Sticky Status=5 (Only if the item is going to STORC/STORM), volume field, and scan barcodes.
    • You will double click into the Field box at the top middle of the window to choose what field you want to edit.
  • Remember that even if you fill in the fields, Sierra doesn't auto save your work. It lets you know that the field was "modified" in the status column (to the left of the window).Always click on Save after modifying the fields.
• After you are done with modifying the fields and scanning the barcodes, proceed to move the items to the correct placement in the item record summary by using the move button. Serial items are always listed in chronological order (newest to oldest or v.10, v.9, v.8 etc.) within location groupings.
• Print off monographic labels for the items. To print multiple labels, highlight/drag/select the item records in the item summary that you need labels for. Then go to Tools or you can use CTRL-L.