YAY!!! It’s stocktake time!
If we start with that kind of enthusiasm perhaps we’ll get through this job without a change of career?!
Just remember… you do this job so when YOU look for resources in your catalogue you WILL find them on the shelves. Simple.
What is a stocktake?
Checking what is on the shelves compared to what is in the Library system.
(Keep your eyes peeled for any mis-shelved, mis-labeled or damaged resources in need of repair or replacement while you are at it!)
Basic Steps of a Stocktake:
Step 1 – Wipe out old Stocktake data before you begin a new stocktake.
(Utilities > Stocktake > New Stocktake is how you wipe out old stocktake data…)
Step 2 – Know the parts of your collection and which bits you want to check.
(Create a report via Utilities > Reports > Collection Statistics…might be *scary and require some data cleanup*)
Step 3 – Tidy up the shelves taking extra care to spot little books in big books and know where things are.
(You might have a Repairs area, Frozen Resources area, New Resources display… keep an eye on what’s not where it should be!)
Step 4 – Scan your Barcodes… This might be into Circulation > Stocktake > Add one at a time OR downloaded into the same place from a Portable barcode reader,
OR through Circulation > Stocktake > File Append from a Buffer file or Txt file… HOW does not matter… as long as you get the barcodes on resources into the Stocktake area.
Print out Stocktake CheckSheet and How to Use the Stocktake CheckSheet instructions and use them to the letter!
(These pages walk you through the nitty gritty steps to stocktake a section of your library, just repeat the process for each column until you are finished what you intend to do in this year’s stocktake… no need to do step one between sections unless you have a good reason to do it!)
Step 5 – Stocktake completed checklist… Once it’s all said and done, you should:
a) Have a Last Stocktake Date on every resource barcode that was scanned (in the database that is! Reconcile does that!).
b) Have a report that lists ALL items found to be missing this year (Items manually marked missing and found missing in Stocktake) (Utilities > Reports > Barcode Listing… Set Selection Criteria –> Status Low and High = M & Status Date Low & High = Set Date).
c) Have done a few returns of items that you thought were on loan but were actually on the shelves (If there is lots – Make buffer file and Return).
d) Have a number to indicate how many Missing items turned up (items marked missing that were found in stocktake – Found report).
e) Have fixed a few records in Data Entry to adjust info that was incorrect.
You can now be confident that if your Library System says a resource is not on loan and is in a certain place you can go to that place and pick up that resource… every time.
Stocktake Related Instructions (General Stocktake Page)
- Step by Step guide to doing a stocktake
- Stocktaking Tips & Warnings
- Cleaning up Data for a Stocktake
- Using the Stocktake Checksheet (If you want to edit the details you can Download DOC)
- How to Start a New Stocktake
- Setting Stocktake Parameters
- Adding Barcodes to your Stocktake
- Stocktake Using a Memory Scanner
- Using Files to add your to Stocktake
- Exporting your Stocktake Data
- View your Stocktake
- Stocktake Reports
- Reconciling your Stocktake
- Marking Items as Missing
- Writing Resources off that have been Missing for a Long Time