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Unit Automation of Circulation: Objectives
Unit Automation of Circulation: Objectives
Unit Automation of Circulation: Objectives
Structure
10.0 Objectives
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Functions of Automated Circulation Systein
10.2.1 Master Files
10.3 Membership
10.3.1 NewIBackup of Old Members
10.3.2 Entitlement
10.3.3 Clearance
10.3.4 Membership Statistics
10.3.5 Membership Disqualification
10.4 Transaction
10.4.1 Issue
10.4.2 Return
10.4.3 Renewal
10.4.4 Reservation of Issued Docutnents
10.4.5 Recall of Documents
10.4.6 Write Off
1 0.5 OverduetReminders
106 Maintenance
10.6.1 Stock Verification
10.6.2 MissingILostfMutilated Documents
10.6.3 Withdrawal
10.6.4 Binding
10.7 Sofiware
10.7.1 Independent Software
10.7.2 Integrated Library Management Software
10.7.3 Selection and Evaluation of Software
10.8 ~rn~lementa~ion
and Management
10.8.1 Training the Staff and Educating Users
10.8.2 Perforrna~lceEvaluation
10.9 OutputtReports
10.10 Summary
10.1 1 Answer to Self Check Exercises
10.12 Key Words
10.13 References and Further Reading
10.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading this Unit, you will be able to:
e get a thorough insight into the operations involved in automated circulation
services;
become familiar with the features of computer software on circulation; and
'
manage automation of circulatiork in library.
Automated Housekeeping
Operations 10.1 INTRODUCTION
The circulation control is an important function of libray management. It keeps
track of members' registration, issue, renewal, return, and reservation of
docume~its.A inelnber can reserve a document in advance, which is presently
issued to sonie other member. A document issued to a member can be reissued
to him provided no other member has reserved it. An inter-library loan (ILL) is
a way of getting a document from another library. If the document is due, a fine
may have to be charged and receipt may be issued. With reports and statistics,
you can see when, where, by whom, and in what quantity materials have been
borrowed, returned, renewed, requested, damaged, lost, or stolen.
Many libraries today are serving their members who might not be able to come
to the library, with efficient inail in/mail out features.
Many libraries are using bar code for their members on the member card, barcode
label pasted on tlie book, to facilitate a fully automated circulation control. There
are many 'libraries using bar code facility effectively.
The studies have sllown that there are three types of circulation systenls which
are in use at present in different libraries in India:
Card based system
Charge in system
@ Link with online catalogue
@ Card based System
Whell a docun~entis issued io a member, a book card, having details about its
title, accession number, class number, is removed from book flap and the
transaction is recorded on it. While issuing, issue date a11d signature of member
is recorded on book card .The issues are also recorded on member card and both
cards are.stored in increasing order of accession number and member codel
surnaille respectively. It is a full proof manual system and used in most of the
111dia11libraries. In ~nallylibraries a gate pass is also prepared and given to the
members to carry the documents outside.
Charge in System
I11 this unit we will discuss automated circulation system described above.
Self Check Exercise
FUNCTIONS OF AUTOMATED
CIRCULATION SYSTEM
Automated circulation system is very easy to design and implement in any library.
Though many circulation software packages are available in India. The procedures
followed are adopted by most of the software packages. You are advised to
consult user nlallual of the software package, you are using. Before the system
starts functioniilg in a library the followillg Master files, transaction files are
created and validated.
@ Master Files
There are six master files, which are generally used it1 automated circulation.
Tliese files contain the data about members, member category, binders, libraries'
books on loan and letters. It is important that all files should be copied and
validated before starting using this module.
e Member Category : A category is group of members and each member
belongs to one category. Types of documents, period of issue, no. of books
to be issued, fine to be charged for each category of member etc,, are inputted.
Notice to reserve
Document recall letter
@ Warning letter for long overdue docun~ents
@ Transactions
All the transactions, e.g, issues long tern1 issue/transfer, short term issue, issue
of ILL docun~ents,issue for binding, write - off, return, renewal, reservation,
cancel/reservation are done and saved in various transaction files.
However, the manner in which transactioils are conducted and stored depends
on the design of the software package used. In this course all types of automated
circulatioll coi~trolsystems used in libraries in Indian enviroi~~nent have been
discussed.
.
10.2.1 Master Files
Mernber Category
I Reports 30 ~ h y s 30 d ~ y s 0
I
New Delete Save Cancel
I
Members Database
o Binders
The details about all binders, who are binding the documents for the library, are
enter here. The process is called registration and de-registration of binders. The
information is stored in binders file. It contains tlle following details:
Automated Housekeeping e Binders code,
Operations
@ Name,
@ Pl~otie,Fax,
e E-mail address.
The record can be edited or deleted using code to retrieve the document.
Library
It contains details of the library wit11 whoin ILL transaction is carried out. It
colitaiils the following details:
Code,
Q Name,
Phone, fax,
E-mail address,
@ Contact person,
@ Menlbersilip ii~~~nber,
Q Valid up to,
Q Remark.
The record car1 be edited or deleted using code to retrieve the document
Records of documents received froin other libraries on ILL are inputted here.
The.details ilorinally available are as follows:
@ Library,
@ Accession iiuinber
e Type of document
* Author name
e Title
* Acquired date
@ Return date.
The record can be edited or deleted using code to retrieve the document.
?&
10.3 MEMBERSHIP
U,siilg member database and meniber category database, the following activities
are nori~~ally
conducted.
1
Y
10.3.1 New Members/Baclc up of Old Members $1
(1I
@ New Members
As and wheil new member joins Ille organization and i~itei~d to use library, he is
given illeinbership tifter certain formalities arc completed and allotted a menlber
code. 'The details of member as ~~lentioned above are entered illto ~llelnber
database.
10.3.2 Entitlement
The llle~llbercategory of a member decides about his entitlement pertaining to
types of documents, period of issue, number of books and fine to be cliarged in
case the doc~llne~liis overduc. T'lle category is used in llzembcr data to restrict
the borrowings of'tlle meml?el-sas per the liblary rules.
. 110.3.3 Clearance
To prepare a No due certificate for a meinher who wants the cleara~~ce from the
library either on their retirellzent or transfer or cl~angeof job. The cerlil'lcate
colltaills the member name, illelnber code, and date of issue ol-certiilcate details.
One inay callcel the inembersl~ipat the time of issuing the cerlilicaie.
10.4 .TRANSACTION
All' the transactions, i.e., chargingldischarging, renewal, reservation, cai~ccl
reservation, written-off, etc, of docume~ltsare carried out and stored in above
I
1 4 Auto~natedHousclteeping defined filesldatabase. The following transactions are perfornled in auto~llated
I Operations circulation system.
10.4.1 Issue
Whelz a member comes to the circulation desk to get a document issued in his/
her name, she tells hislher melnber code to the circulatioll staff and presents the
document(s). The staff searches the lzlenlber database by lzle~nbercode and obtain
the nleinbers details. Then enters the accession number and obtains the
document's record &on1online catalogue. After the systeln checlcs the entitlement,
reservation, issue the document to ll~emberand update boolc issued in member
database.
The staff searches the onlille register to copy record in charge in database. Ifthe
record is not available in ollliile catalogue, the system should give a prompt on
the screen that the Record is not ilvailable. The system asks if you want to add
this record to ouline catalogue. If answer is yes, the worlcsheet containiizg
bibliugrapl~icaldetails are displayed on the screen. The staff' enters the book
details and save the record. The nlenlber code, date of issue, date of return are
stored in charge/issue file.
One call print the issue card, with all details, for the signature of llle member.
Pre-printed statianary can also be used for this purpose.
Loose issue of periodicals, magazines, reference books, etc. are issued for short
period of tiilze. Relnillders are sent to such members. Nor111~11issue procedure is
adopted in this case. The transaction is recorded in above transaction file.
Docu~nciltsreceived 011 H,L fioni other libraries can be issued only to the
membcrs. The transactio~~ is recorded in above transactioiz file. The following
steps are used to issue a doctunent in many software paclcages (Provided those
feature are incorporated in the package)
Cancel Reservation
This option allows you to cancel the reservation rzlready macle by a member.
Many software paclcages use followillg com~~lailds:
0 Select File, Click Cancel rcsel-vntion
Enter Accession number
Cliclc Cancel reservation
Repeat steps if required
This option may be included and used to send letters to a nlelnber about documeills
issued to hiin that islare urgently required by some otl~ermember. The letter
addressed to the illember whoin the document(s) islare issued colltains accessioll
number and titie of the document details. The tralsaction is recorded in transaction
file. Many software packages use following corn~~~ands:
Using File - Masters
@ Select Letter option (to change the coilteilt of the letter).
0 Select Member
a Type Accession numbers
Click Report
0 Print the Recall letter
10.4.6 Write Off
The lost, stolen, missing, damaged, not usable docume~~ts
are written off from
accession register using predefinkd procedure of that organization. Such
documents are withdrawn from circulation.
I1
{
Automnted Houseltcepi~~g In oillii~eaccessioil register/calalogue a field called 'book status' gives this
Operations
information. The transaction is recorded in above transaction file.
t
I
Sellding rsrninders to its members for overdue boolts are routine matter of any
library. The circulatioll staff prints the reminders usiilg the reminder option of
the software package used by your library. The reminder numbers are printed in
subject matter. ?'he following are nornlally used:
@' Selection of File-Mas ters-Letters
@ Changing the conte~ltsof the reminder letter
@ Letter contail~il~g
accession numbers, issue date and title of document.
@ Selection of Print option
@ Sclectioll of From and To option (type the range of llleillber codes)
e Inclusion of Pemanent issues option (to illclude all issues)
@ Print
For preparing a report of the entire overdue dociin~entslist till date against the
members. 'The following Icature sho~ildbe available. The report can be sorted
either on lllenlber code 01. accession number.
@ Select oSPririt
e Selectiol~of Over-due List option
@ Selectio~lof As On (Cu-t off Date)
@ Selectioll of Member cade1Accession number option (for sol-tingpurposes)
Selection of meinber1Alli member
A report containing over due list shall be printed as per option selected. The
above commands are based on Suchika software package version 2.0, If you are
using ally other software package, please consult the user manual of that software
package. .
MAINTENANCE
10.6.1 Stoclr Verification
Stoclc veriijcation is a process to match the physical stock with accession register
libraries are using various methodologies for stock taking. Some of them are:
* Stock-verification by separate filelregister with accessioil register
Stock-verification by accession register
10.6.3 Withdrawal
I-iandboolts, dictionaries. encyclopedias and other re-l'erenceboolcs are witl~drawi~
f~-om circulation. Tlie software should generate n report of all withdrawn books
from circulatioi~syste~nsfor any reason. 111an integrated sofiware a pre-deiined
symbol is stored in a field of online ca~alogue.'This syi~lbolsis defined in user
manual. I-Iowever in semi a~~tornated circulation system, a stamp NOT for ISSUE
is stamped on the first page of book.
10.6.4 Binding
The books, which are sent for binding, are withdrawn fi.0111circulatioll systems.
They are shown as issued to binders. 111 integra~tedsofiware, ;I pre-deiined symbol
is stored in a field o.Follliilecatalogue. These symbols are defined in user inalzual.
For binding normally following features are inclucled :
@ Binder code
Displaying all accessioll nunlbers of docui~~ent
already wit11 binder.
@ Eilteriilg frcsh accession numbers (to be sent for binding)
@ Issue (to bindel-)
10.7 SOFTWARE
h
General statistics
o Heavily used boolcs
DESIDOC, Delhi
SOUL! INFLIBNET
SANJAY NISSATIDESIDOC
Here the process is phased. The circulation system is divided into several
phases. Coinputerizatioll is done according to the phases. After one phase
is tested the manual part of that phase is dropped and the second phase is
taken up. This gives staff as well as users time to adjust and to learn.
Prepare a report of all documents, which are received l-i.umother libraries 011
ILL during a particular period in a predefined fornlat.
Document With Binders
Prepare a conlplete list of doctull~entsto be sent for billdi~~g
@ Letters
10.10 SUMMARY
The automated circulatioll co~ltrolkeeps track of members' registration, issue,
renewal, return, and reservation of documents. Gacl~member of the library is
assigned a member code for identification of llis/ller record. The ~lle~nbersare
grouped in dirferent calegories. The maximum n~n11lberof documalts that car? be
borrowed by a 11lemberis defined on the basis o f tile category of that meiz~ber.
The nlaxi~numperiod for which a mel~lbercan hold the documents is defined on
the basis of the type of document.
All the details about ~l~embersare Icept in ineinber File and call be accessed by
sunlame, departinent and iz~embercode. The ~nelllbercpde can be same to that
of my other ID nu111ber issued to mel~lberby I-IRD division.
When a docu~llentis issued to a member. ail issue card having details about its
title, accession nunzber, and issue date may be prepared along with minilnun1
ievei bibliographic details, Sol?ze other ii~formation,such as the number of
documents, which exceeds his quota, i~ulnberof overdue documcilts 011his name
and the number of documents reserved by hiin, is also sl~ownon the issue card.
I-Iowever, how the transactions are conducted and storecl depends on design of
software package used. I-Iere all types of automated circulation control systems
used in libraries in Indian en~lironmenthave been discussed.
With reports and statistics, one cal! see when, where, by whom, and in what
quantity materials have been borrowed, returned, renewed, requested, damaged,
lost, or stolen. Heavy used boults and rarely used books are also identified.
-
Automatecl Houseltecping
Opcratiolls 10.11 ANSWERS TO SXLF' CHECK EXERCISES
1) There are tllree types of circulatiol~systems which are in use at present in
different libraries in India:
r Card based system
r Charge in system
* Link, with online catalogi~e
i.his type of system, the trallsaciions are done using bar code on inenlber
card and bar code label pasted on book. No physical signature is required.
Tile bibliographical details are obtailled from online catalogue and copied in
charged-in file along with member details. Member's details are obtained
from ~ne~nber dtdabase and using both details the trailsaction is recorded and
saved in tra~lsactiol~file.
the I\?furn7~ltionAge.
Marilyn, Deegan (2002). Digitt~lfiirz~~.es:Sli.~llcgic~.fbr
London: Library Associatiol~Publishi~~g.