Spine and Spine Pocket Label Printing by PDF

Printing spine labels can be frustrating if the text and labels do not line up.  Due to the increasing variables in computers, browsers and printers, that job has become more difficult using HTML pages.   We therefor implemented spine label printing using PDF files, similar to how local bar codes can be printed, which is highly accurate.    All the options are same.  The old HTML version will remain available.

To print spine labels or spine/pocket labels using PDF:

1. Go to the Reports Modules.
2. Select 'PDF Spine and Pockets Labels' under 'Other Reports' section. 
3. Select the Source and other options, then select the Print labels button.
4. A new tab or window will appear in your browser with a PDF document displaying the labels.  Use the Print command in the File menu to print.  
5. In the print dialog box make sure footers and headers are turned off and  'Actual Size' option set.   If you do not see the 'Actual Size' option, you may need to save the PDF to your desktop and print using Acrobat Reader with 'Actual Size' set.  

The special spine and spine/pocket label stock can be purchased from LibraryWorld using the 'Market' link at the top of any page.  The spine only stock is $40 for 3,000 labels.   The spine and pocket label stock is $40 for 1,000 label sets (1 spine and 2 pocket labels).

Shelflist Order Checking During Inventory

The inventory process has been enhanced to check for miss-shelved items during scanning. When you are scanning barcode numbers into the inventory module (this does not work for uploading a file) the service will provide several types of alerts.  An alert will appear if you are scanning an item from a new branch or location.  A warning will be displayed if an item being scanned should be before the last item scanned, indicating one of the items may be out of order.  This works for up to two parts of the call number: both LC and DEWEY standards are supported. An error will appear if the item does not have a status of 'IN'.  Last, an error will appear if the system can not recognize the number.

Checkout Button in Patron Module

A new checkout button has been added to the patron edit page.  If you are reviewing a patron, perhaps seeing what they may have out or due, you can now quickly checkout to that patron.  Also remember that you can check an item in by scrolling down and clicking on the status of an item that is checked out to that patron.

While we are in the 'hints' business, here is another one.  If you are checking an item out in the Circulation module,  you can use either the patron number or the patron name to identify a person.  We recently updated the prompt to make that clear.    Just enter the patron's name instead of their number.  If the name is not unique, a list will appear for you to choose from.

Using LibraryWorld for Textbook Management

At the request of our customers a few years ago, we implemented several features to help manage textbook distribution and tracking.   Although often used by schools to track textbooks being distributed to classrooms, it has also become popular in special libraries to track items being distributed to different departments.  Here is  a detailed description on how it works. 

First,  you need to catalog your textbooks.   Use the ‘New’ command in the Catalog module to create a new title.   Looking up textbooks from the built-in Z39.50 Web client may not be as successful as normal material, but worth a try.  If you do not get a hit, briefly enter bibliographic information.  Since the book will not be used in a normal library manner, the brief record should do well;  enter ISBN, title, author and perhaps publication information.  

Next, use the Add Copy command when viewing the record to add a copy.  Make sure you use a consistent location field such last ‘TEXTBOOK ROOM’ or even ’TBR’ or something similar to indicate the book is in the textbook collection area.   Place a barcode label on the book and make sure it matches the online barcode for the copy.   The call number can be simply the first eight characters of the title.  Again, this will not be shelved in a normal manner.  Last, use the ‘Save and Add Another Copy’ button to quickly add another copy to the same title and repeat. 

Now that you have all the titles and copies cataloged with the Location field consistent with the value ‘TBR’ or something similar, you are ready to start distributing your collection.    Take a set of copies, go to the circulation module and click on the Location button.   You will be prompted for a location. Enter the location the books will be sent to. This could be a classroom, teacher’s name, class subject or perhaps combination ‘SMITH 101 BIO’. Then simply using the scanner to scan each copy’s barcode.   The  location field in the copy record will be changed from ’TBR’ to ‘SMITH 101 BIO’.   There is  no due date, policies or other normal circulation activity done, you are simply changing the location field.   

So how does tracking work?  If  you go to the Reports module, there is a special report called ‘Textbook Summary by Location’ which if you run with a find set on the title,  you will  get a report displaying how many copies are in each location.  If all your titles in the library are textbook, then the report can display all titles with the number of copies in each location.   

Checking textbooks back in at the end of the school year or period is the reverse of signing them out.   Go to the Circulation module and click on the Location button.  Enter the ‘TBR’ name or what ever you used, and just start scanning.   The location of the scanned items will be updated to ‘TBR’.   After all the books are changed, you can then run the Textbook report and discover which copies are outstanding and their locations.  If there are copies outstanding you can find the catalog record and it will display which specific copies  (barcode numbers) are still missing.  

Taking it to the next level.  You can track not only which copies are assigned to a class, but also to a specific student.   After assigning the textbooks to a class, you can then checkout the book to a student.  Using the Temp Due date to assign the due date to the end of the school year or class period, will bypass the traditional circulation policies.    This might be difficult at the central textbook room, but the teacher could write down the barcode number of the copy next to a students name when distributing. They can simply send that back to you for the normal check out process.  This might be more control then necessary, but does provide two levels of tracking; by location and by student.  

We are pleased that the textbook tracking features in LibraryWorld are now being used by hundreds of school and special libraries.