Opals Logo

OPALS
Item Management Guide
 
Complete MARC records  can be stored, edited, imported, merged, and exported.

Main Menu | 852 Global Editor | MARC Editor | Status | Z-Import | Import | Merge | Export

Marc Editing


Set up the Empty Template - for new OPALS libraries
  1. Select Items>MARC Editor from the main menu.
  2. Click in button next to template name Empty.
  3. Click Edit Template.
  4. Check to see that the correct System codes are in 852 "a" and the correct Library code is  in "b". Subfield 3 should have "G".
  5. Click Save, If you have a message "Select a field or subfield to add or delete". Use browser back button to go back and select the Book template. Click Edit Template and copy the leader data by highlighting it and right clicking, select copy. Use browser back button  to go back and select the Empty Template. Click Edit Template and click the data field for the leader. Right click and select Paste. Click Save, Click OK for Enter order of template on the list>1. Click OK for Enter Template name:> Empty.
  6. Click in button next to template name Book.
  7. Click Edit Template.
  8. Check to see that the correct System codes is in 852 "a" and the correct Library code is  in "b", subfield 3 should have "G".
  9. Click Save, Click OK for Enter order of template on the list>2. Click OK for Enter Template name:> Book. 
Tag descriptions
Field Descriptions
  • As you add a new field, click the cursor in the box that would contain the field tag (number). As you enter the first two digits of the tag number, a pop-up box will appear with tag numbers and descriptions. Click on the description in the pop-up box - OR - simply finish adding the number with your keyboard. The Tag description will appear in the field automatically.
Subfield Descriptions
  • As you add a new subfield, click the cursor in the box that would contain the subfield tag. As you enter the tag, a pop-up box will appear with tag descriptions. Click on the description in the pop-up box - OR - simply finish adding the tag with your keyboard. The subfield description will appear next to the subfield tag automatically.

To Manually Add New Book Using a MARC Template:

  1. Click in button next to template name Book.
  2. Click New Record. 
  3. Enter appropriate information by highlighting and typing over existing example. 
  4. Be sure to enter correct ISBN number (without dashes) in 020 tag. 
  5. When record is complete, click Save.
To Add another 852 Holding to an Existing Record:
  1. Search for title using OPAC.
  2. Click on title that needs another copy added.
  3. Click Edit.
  4. Using the side scroll bar, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the record.
  5. Click in the last 852 tag in the record.
  6. Click Add Field.
  7. Enter number of duplicates of this holding:
    1. Leave at 1 for one holding, click OK
    2. Type 2 for two holdings, click OK
    3. Type 3 for three holdings, click OK
    4. And so on.
  8. Enter first barcode.  If you are adding more than one holding, OPALS will add a barcode to each new holding in sequential order. I
    • If you need to add barcodes that are not in sequential order for items that are already barcoded, then make up an imaginary number and edit the number after OPALS has added the new holdings.
  9. Click Save.
To Add a Field to an Existing Record:
  1. Search for title using OPAC.
  2. Click on title that needs a field added.
  3. Click Edit.
  4. Click in field directly above location of new field.
  5. Click Add Field.
  6. Type tag number in far left box.
  7. Type the subfield in the fourth box.
  8. Type information in the new data field in box at the right.
  9. Click Save.
To Delete a holding:
  1. To delete an 852 holding, search for title using OPAC.
  2. Click on correct title.
  3. Click Edit.
  4. Click in the 852 you want to delete.  Click Delete Field.
  5. Click Save.
To Delete a Record:
  1. To delete a record, search for title using OPAC.
  2. Click on correct title.
  3. Click delete.  Are you sure?  Click OK.
  4. The title and every holding connected to it is deleted.

852 Global Editor

OPALS MARC holding fields may be searched and globally changed. This tool is available through the menu choice >Items >852 Global Editor.
  • 852 Global Editor enables librarians to search and create a list of records that have specific subfield information. The list can then be globally modified. 
  • It also enables search for records where specified 852 subfield information is missing. 
Using the editor.
We recommend that you experiment first. Select and modify only one or two records as a test before making any major changes. There is no Undo function.
  1. Select a range of import dates within which to search, or select 'Fiscal Year' or 'All'
  2. Choose the 852 subfield you wish to use from the 'drop down' list
  3. Type the text you wish to find in the '852 Subfield Data' text box;
    OR
  4. IF you are looking for missing data choose the radio beside 'record(s) do not contain 852 subfield'.
  5. When the results of your search display, select each record you wish to modify, or all of the records in the page; or you will have an option to change ALL in a few steps.
  6. Press Edit Records button. It will give you options to 'Replace term' or 'Delete'.
    • Replace term :
      Choosing this option will give the opportunity to modify or insert any 852 subfield you wish into the chosen records.
    • Delete:
      This option will remove the text that you searched from the record.

z-Import

To Find and Download MARC Records (Z-Import):
  1. Choose the search site.



  2. Choose search field, the ISBN field is most reliable.



  3. Type information in the keyword(s) box.  Click Search.
  4. Click on appropriate title.



  5. If you are z-importing a duplicate ISBN to one existing in your collection, you will see a small drop-down box appearing in the editor just below the command bar at the top and center of the page. In the box will appear the word NEW - and if you use the 'drop down' you will have an option to choose the Record ID of the existing record and simply add a holding instead of creating a new record.
  6. Edit MARC record, if necessary.



  7. Be sure 852 is complete. You will want to check the call number and make sure that a barcode is in subfield p.
  8. Click Save.


Importing

To Import Records from a Diskette:
    1. Select Items >Import from the main menu.
    2. The Importing Records screen appears.
    3. Click Browse to find file for the Select a file box. 
    4. Double click file to import. 
    5. Click on box for Check duplicated record? This will cause OPALS to check the ISBN of the incoming record against existing records. If it finds a duplicate ISBN in your existing records then it will put the record on hold in the >Items >Merge menu.
    6. If you wish, you may add an 852 subfield to these records that are being imported.
      1. Click the Yes button for Do you want to add additional holding subfield? Some use this to add (for instance) a 852$x public note field to hold information about the fund that purchased these items. In this case the information would be added to every item that is imported.
      2. Type subfield in the Subfield Code box. A note would be in subfield x.
      3. Type information that you want Imported into the Subfield data box.
    7. Click Upload.  After several seconds a box will pop up "Data enqueued.  Check back later for completion"  Click OK. 
    8. Please be patient! After several minutes, click Import, The status box should change from "waiting", to "processing", to "Done" when finished.
    9. Check accuracy of call numbers by doing the following:  Select Administration >Reports>Item Acquisitions.
    10. Make necessary corrections. Any items with "TMP" bar codes must either be deleted OR given an accurate barcode.
To See Items Added on Specific Date:
  1. Select Administration>Reports>Item Acquisitions from the main menu.
  2. Click Create Report, the items entered today will appear on screen.
  3. To create a report for items entered on another date or range. Click on the calendar icon in From box, choose date.  Then Click on the calendar icon in To box, choose date.
  4. Click Create Report.

Merge

To Check for Duplicates (Merging) After Import:
  1. Select Items>Merge from the main menu. OR Select Items>Import from main menu. 
  2. Click on the number of records appearing in the pending box.
  3. The Duplicated Items screen will appear.  
  4. Click ISBN number to begin comparing records that duplicates have been found.
  5. The record on the left is from the existing database, the record on the right is from the import.
  6. You have several choices on how you would like to deal with the duplicate title found. You can add "New Holding to Existing". The barcode on the right will be added as another copy to the record on the left.
  7.  You can "Import without Merging". You may want both these records because they are not the same.
  8. You can "Delete from Merge List". You may not want to import this record at all because the barcode is duplicated.
  9. You can add "Existing Holding to New". You may feel that the second record is better. Therefore, you can take the holding from the record on the left and add it to the record on the right.
  10. Once you have gone through all the comparisons, you will get a message "merge completed".

Status

To Find Status of a Item:
  1. Search for title using OPAC.
  2. Click on title that you want to find the status for.
  3. Select the copy by clicking on the barcode in the box at the right.
  4. The recent history of the item selected will display on the screen, including the user's barcode, name and transaction dates.

Export

To Export Records to a MARC file:
  1. Select Items> Export from the main menu.
  2. You have the choice to select records by a date range, Record ID range, a search/ hitlist, only records modified, or the entire database. If using a date range, you can click on calendar icons for the From and To dates.
  3. Click Export. Wait a couple of minutes then refresh the page display.
  4. Once the export is completed, you can download the file created by clicking it and saving it to your hard drive or desktop. 
  5. Once on the hard drive or desktop you can rename it and send it to whoever requested your records.
  6. The file will be available on the OPALS system for 1 month.
Back to Main Menu