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OPALS
Item Management Guide

 
 
Complete MARC records  can be stored, edited, imported, merged, and exported.

Main Menu
Quick Item Entry | MARC Editor | Global Editor | Status | zImport | Import | Merge | Export

Quick Item Entry

An option to enter partial data in order to speed minimal cataloging and enable circulation of new items. Available through the menu choice >Items >Quick Item Entry. (also available from a link in the circulation menu above the barcode entry box. (In the image below, the little red star indicates a field that cannot be left blank.)

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,
  6. Click OK for "Enter order of template on the list >1".
  7. Click OK for "Enter Template name:> Empty."

Set up the Book Template - for new OPALS libraries

  1. Click in button next to template name Book.
  2. Click Edit Template.
  3. 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".
  4. Click Save,
  5. Click OK for "Enter order of template on the list>2".
  6. Click OK for "Enter Template name:> Book". 

Field Tag descriptions

Field Descriptions

Field discriptions are available as you add a field to your record. Add a field by selecting the "Add field" button from the floating command bar at the top of your browser page.

  • 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

SubField discriptions are available as you add a subfield to your record. Add a subfield by selecting the "Add Subfield" button from the floating command bar at the top of your browser page.

  • 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.

The title and every holding connected to it is deleted.

To Update the Media Icon

The “Media / Icon Selector” simplifies leader editing

  • Search for the desired item
  • Expand record
  • Choose Edit button
  • Click on the “Change icon” link

Popup Menu Displays Media Icon Selector

  • Click on the desired media icon
    • System changes fixed field data (ex. “Leader”) to designated media format
    • System will display the correct media type icon for this item in the OPAC

Add to New Item List

When you Z-Import, manually catalog or import vendor records, you can click on the “Add to New Item List” box that will automatically add these items to the “New Items List” that the OPAC can display for patrons to view.

Global Editing:

Access the global editor by clicking on the Items > Global Editor menu.

Change Record/Icon Type | Change Item Category/Loan Codes | Add / Edit Subfields

Create a hitlist of items to modify

  • Select a field to search from Global Editor drop-down box
  • Enter search term(s) – Illustration searches call numbers for “KIT” – Click “Search” button
  • System displays a hitlist – click on links to view expanded record
  • Click in the check box in the leftmost column to mark items to change

System will accumulate selected items to modify, from a series of searches

Change Record/Icon Type

  • Select list of items to modify as above
  • Click “Change Record/Icon Type” button

Pop-up Menu Displays Media Icon Selector

  • Scroll list -
  • Select desired media icon –
  • Click “Change Selected” Button –

System will change MARC leader media type and any other changes to the fixed fields to correct records’ media type

Modification Status Log Tracks Changes – Displays Status

  • Allow OPALS to work for a couple of minutes (You may do anything else in OPALS. You do not need to keep this page open.)
  • Reselect the >Items >Global Edit page – System will display “Done” when data processing is finished -
  • Search some of the selected records to view media icon changes.

Globally Change Item Category/Loan Codes

Create a hitlist of items to globally modify

  • Select field to search and enter your search term(s)
  • Click the check box in the far left column to select items from search results and create the hitlist

Click “Change Item/Loan Type” Button

Pop-up Menu Displays Library-Defined Item/Loan Type Categories

  • Select desired Item/Loan Type Category

Pop-up Menu Displays Dialog of Selected Global Changes

  • Click “Change Selected” Button

Modification Status Log Tracks Changes – Displays Processing Status

  • Click the browser “Refresh” button after a few minutes. (You may do anything else in OPALS. You do not need to keep this page open.)
  • Reselect the >Items >Global Edit page – System will display “Done” when data processing is finished.
  • Search some of the selected records to view item loan/type category changes.

Add/Edit Subfields

The steps to globally modify OPALS’ MARC subfield data as defined, are similar for each option described below.

  • Globally remove a subfield and its data
  • Find and replace data in a designated subfield
  • Globally add a new subfield and data
  • Transfer data from one subfield to another
  • Copy all data from one subfield to another

Globally Change Data in MARC Record Subfield (example)

The following example illustrates how to change the word “Eskimo” or “Eskimos” in subject heading subfield “a” (“650$a”) to “Inuit”.

Pop-up Menu Displays Subfield Editor Options

  1. Select “Replace term”
  2. Select Field & Subfield to modify & enter changes
  3. Click “Change Selected

Pop-up Menu Displays Dialog of Selected Subfield Changes

  • Review proposed changes… if correct, then click “OK”

Modification Status Log Tracks Changes – Displays Processing Status

  • Allow OPALS to work for a couple of minutes (You may do anything else in OPALS. You do not need to keep this page open.)
  • Reselect the >Items >Global Edit page – System will display “Done” when data processing is finished.
  • Search some of the selected records to view item subfield changes.

zImport

To Find and Download MARC Records (zImport):
  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 zImporting 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.
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