Preprocessing Materials for a Remote Storage FacilityBrian DobreskiCatalog Librarianbjdobres@syr.edu

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Syracuse University Library Background

—Set of 5 libraries across campus of Syracuse University, upstate New York

—Voyager ILS, with centralized Cataloging Department

—3.8 million print holdings—Like many libraries, we need space!—Selectors and faculty work together to determine

criteria for storage

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SULF(Syracuse University Library Facility)

Near campus 1.2 million item capacity High density Inventory system: Generation

Fifth Applications LAS Opened Fall 2012

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Why Can’t Items Go Directly to Storage? For request and

retrieval to work:—All pieces must be

barcoded, front upper left corner

—All barcodes must tie to a record in LAS and an item record in Voyager

—All records must have a SULF location in Voyager

—All associated bibliographic records must meet criteria for discoverability

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What is Preprocessing? Check each piece for acceptable

bibliographic, holdings, and item record in Voyager, correct if needed

Adjust location of barcode if needed Route to Preservation if in noticeably poor

condition Set record locations to ingest waiting-

area (Hawkins Warehouse next to SULF)

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Catalog Problems Encountered Incomplete Retrospective Conversion

—Retro started at SU in early 1990s—Some materials still lack bibliographic records—Some journal materials lack barcodes and item

records “Zombie” Items

—Items previously withdrawn, but found on shelves—Usually journal runs

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Catalog Problems Encountered Bound-With Problems

—Bound-withs are tricky—Print: usually preceding/succeeding journal titles

in one volume—Microfilm: same thing, but many on one reel

Multiformat Records—At one time, SU utilized a single record approach

for print, e-, and microform manifestations—Journals, theses, dissertations most commonly

affected

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Catalog Problems Encountered Inventory Control Issues

—Items in wrong physical location—Barcodes in wrong location on item

Human Factor—Preprocessing can be time consuming—Errors during preprocessing—Even catalogers make mistakes…

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Solutions Preprocessing

Checklists—Standards for

discoverability are higher now than during initial retro

—Checklists devised for each format, collection, showing required metadata

—Ensure bibliographic record in OCLC

—Particular consideration given to serial formats

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Solutions Know When to Trust Reports

—Multiformat “disintegration” can often be done without any items in hand

—Work through ahead of time based on report

Know When Not to Trust Reports—All physical withdrawals must go through a

cataloger—Initial location changes must go piece by piece,

using Pick and Scan, sometimes Location Changer

—Final SULF location added during ingest at SULF

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Solutions Cataloging Onsite

—Preprocessing is a very manual process

—Items needing preprocessing are in a variety of physical locations

—Working onsite prevents strain on delivery system, and alleviates some deadlines

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Solutions Communication with Collections

Department—What to do with “zombie” items, other

unexpected finds?—These are not decisions for catalogers to make

Communication with SULF staff—Use of “End of Day” files to verify item records,

locations—Delivery service of problem items—Site visits to SULF—Defend the gates!

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Where We Are Now Over 160,000 items

ingested (journals, monographs, microfilm, manuscript collections, drawings)

Onsite work at Carnegie Library and Hawkins will finish this summer

Preprocessing activities will focus on humanities and social sciences journals at Bird Library

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Outcomes Increased access to materials in storage Increased catalog accuracy

—SULF catalog error rate at ingest: < 1% Uncataloged monographs = opportunities

for RDA training Increased visibility of cataloging staff

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Takeaways Preprocessing can be seen as an

extension of retrospective conversion—It helps to know about how retro took place at

your library In some situations, the manual approach

is best, if possible Communication is vital

—Particularly between cataloging and facility staff

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Thanks!

Brian Dobreskibjdobres@syr.edu