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General info

Item records are a proprietary part of the III Sierra ILS client. Like order and checkin records, item records are attached to bibliographic records. 

Item records facilitate circulation of materials and other inventory control functions. Information in item records generates display of some information in the public catalog, including an item's status, its location, its copy or volume number, etc.

In general, any bibliographic record should have at least one item record attached. Multi-part works receive one item record for each circulating physical piece. 

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Item record fields 

Field (& tag)	Function	Codes/content	Required in monograph item records?	Required in serial item records?
Copy #	displays copy numbering in OPAC	2, 3, etc.	if not copy 1	if issue is not copy 1
Icode1			system supplied at creation, defaults to 0	if title has limited circulation for a period of years
Icode2	suppression or special status	blank = available s = suppressed
Itype	loan period	see codes below	system supplied at creation, unless a unique circulation rule is needed	system supplied at creation
Location	displays sublocation in OPAC
Status	displays availability in OPAC	see codes below
Agency code			system supplied at creation	system supplied at creation
Volume field	displays volume numbering in OPAC	v.1, b.3, etc.	if title is a multi-volume work	unless an unbound issue of the title
Barcode (b)	contains barcode number generated by Sierra and labeled onto physical piece; facilitates circulation		entered by CatMan staff	entered by CatMan staff
Call number (c)	if item call number differs from c-tagged call number in bib record	formulate normally, with MARC subfield coding	if item call number differs from c-tagged call number in bib record	if item call number differs from c-tagged call number in bib record
Staff note (n)	does not display publicly; allows staff to enter notes, reminders, etc.
Supervisor note (f)
Problem note	often used with a code in the Imessage field to have a piece returned to a specific staff member after circulation
Workstat (w)	identifies the cataloger and type of material
945	contains information from the previous library catalog

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Itype codes/meanings & displays

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Status codes

Codes	Meanings	Public display
-		AVAILABLE
m	Inserted when Steve, in response to a patron search request, places a hold on an item that is not checked out and answers "Yes" to the question about making it missing. M is a "special" status that creates a system-generated missing list that Patron Services uses for searching.	LOST: TRY ILL
n	Checked out to a patron and long enough overdue that a replacement bill has been sent to the patron. Patron has been billed but has not yet paid for the item.	BILLED
z	The system enters Z when Patron Services uses the "claim return" function to flag the record for searching. It also inserts a SUPERVISOR note in the item and patron fields. Items with this code are actively being searched.	RETDBKSEARCH
t	Moving from one library location to another. This "special" status will disappear when the item is checked in at its owning location. (We need to run some lists and excise old ones that didn't get cleared.)	IN TRANSIT
s	A system-defined status that we don't currently use. Its special Innovative "qualities" probably make it impossible for us to use for purposes other than III intended.	ON SEARCH
l	Used by staff in library locations for which Patron Services does not do searches: Fine Arts Gov Docs Reference branches Indicates item is lost or that staff in that location are searching for the item because it has been requested by a patron. Essentially, these are the same as status M, but we use different status codes to keep track of which are Steve's searches and which are being done by someone else.	LOST: TRY ILL
$	Lost and paid for by patron; bibliographers will be notified via the Lost and paid procedures worked out among the branches, Patron Services, CatMan, and Collection Management/Bib Support.	LOST & PAID
w	Wet books being freeze-dried in the Main Library Preservation Freezer.	REQUEST ILL
!	On the hold shelf at Main Patron Services, Library of Michigan, Fine Arts, a branch, or the Law School, awaiting patron pickup.	ON HOLDSHELF
d	Gov docs microforms "shelved" in file drawers.	CHECK DRAWER
%		MELCAT RET'D
c	These are in the "Collection renewal" process but we shouldn't get requests for status C items because the OPAC indicates that the patron should request an ILL.	REQUEST ILL
r	In Bind Prep or Conservation awaiting repair; if a patron requests one of these, do a Search request. Steve will work with Nora and/or Lisa to find it and rush the repair so the patron may have the item quickly. If that is not possible, Steve will refer the patron to ILL.	ASK AT PATRON SERVICES: R
e	Used in item records for electronic resources to provide the OPAC status display of "electronic." The location also indicates "electronic resource."	ELECTRONIC
u	LM?	ON DISPLAY
b	Bind Prep – items with missing pages, awaiting the arrival of replacement pages on ILL; when the pages are received, the pages will be tipped in or the volume will be rebound.	ASK AT PATRON SERVICES: B
@		OFF CAMPUS
#		MELCAT RECVD
_		MELCAT RE-REQ
&		REQUESTED
(		MELCAT PAGED
)		MELCAT CANCL'D
f	Used for Law School items that are non-circulating to all categories of borrowers except Law School faculty.	ON-SITE USE
g		NEW BK SHELF
x		RESTRICTED USE
h		LM TECH SERV
p		ON TEMP LOAN
a		LM RECOVERY
+		MEL RENEW PEND
o		LIB USE ONLY
j		RESTRICTED USE

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Legacy policies?

• Inventory field (INVDA) will be updated when apiece is sent to the Main New Book shelves.
• All new item records for branch libraries will be placed “in-transit” before the piece leaves Catalog Maintenance.
• Sublocations in the location field will be filled in by the branch library receiving the piece except for the following locations: Main Library Reference and the Gerald M Kline Digital and Multimedia Center.
• Records for electronic titles will have an item record. Item records for Serials Solutions titles will be suppressed from display.
• 4/24/07

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