Missing materials
Summary: Procedure for handling long missing and missing items.
The "missing" status applies to patron-requested items not found by Circulation or ILL, while "long missing" is used for non-patron-generated items library staff cannot locate.
General Process for Long Missing Items
Notification:
o Email the Item HRID, or
o Print the Instance record and send the printout to Catalog Maintenance.
Change Status: Update the item status to ‘long missing’.
Add a Note: Insert a check-in note: "DECLARED MISSING. Return to CatMan ... [date.initials]".
Search Process:
o Items are searched twice within two 6-month intervals.
o If not found after one year, the item will be withdrawn.
Returned/Found Items:
o If missing materials are found or returned by a patron before withdrawal, send the item to Catalog Maintenance (CatMan) to update record.
Branch-Specific Procedures
Branches code their own missing items and perform their own searches.
CatMan generates a missing item list for branches every six months for searching.
After one year, branches can request CatMan to withdraw the records, as branches are not authorized to withdraw records.
Remote Storage Long Missing Items
CatMan will update the status of items forwarded by Remote Storage to ‘long missing’. A check in note stating "DECLARED MISSING… int.[date]" will be added to the record.
At the end of the year, CatMan will send Remote staff a list of long missing items to search.
CatMan will withdraw records for any items not located during the year-end search process..
Missing Items from Circulation and ILL
Circulation updates missing item statuses for both departments to “missing.”
After a one-year search cycle, records are forwarded to CatMan for withdrawal.
CatMan provides printouts to Bibliographic Support to begin the reordering process.
Damaged or Missing Pages
Refer to the Item Record Changes to Damaged Materials Procedure for further details.
This procedure ensures a consistent process for managing missing items across all library locations and departments.