Requesting Cataloged Items from Special Collections

Summary: This procedure outlines how catalogers working on Special Collections (SPC) materials can page already cataloged materials from SPC for review at their desks when needed for cataloging purposes.

Creating a request

• Using the library's OPAC, navigate to the bibliographic record for the item(s) needed.
• Under "Status" click the purple "Get It" button.

• Clicking the "Get It" button will redirect to a webpage with a summary of the bibliographic information and a link in green that says, "Request the item."

• Clicking the "Request the item link will prompt the user to login. Select the logon option for MSU Students, Faculty, and Staff and use an MSU NetID and password.
• Once logged in, scroll down to see the request form. It should be autofill-ed with information pulled from the bibliographic record. Add any additional information that may aid SPC or Remote staff in selecting the appropriate item(s).

• If requesting particular volumes of a multipart resource, like serials, indicate volumes and/or years desired in appropriate fields in request form.

• In the request form “Special requests/comments” field, indicate that this is a request for cataloging. This will help SPC staff know to route your item(s) for back door pickup rather than to Reading Room.
• A date for viewing the material is a required field on the form. Click the small calendar icon to open the calendar and select a preferred date. (This does not schedule a Reading Room appointment).

• Choose “Submit Request” to the lower left of the calendar icon. This will send your request to SPC staff, who will then pull your material and put it on hold.
• A purple "Request received" and transaction number will appear once the form has been successfully submitted (see image below).

Checking the status of a submitted request

• To check the status of a request, visit the SPC home page and click on the "Register and track requests" button. Log in using an MSU Net ID and password.
• Once an item has been pulled, the status will change to "Item on hold" in the status column.
• An individual's request history may also be viewed in this manner.

Picking up the requested item(s) from SPC

• If an item is coming from Remote, an email will be sent upon arrival in the building – indicating its readiness to be picked up from SPC.
• SPC will notify the cataloger through a cancellation email if the requested materials are unavailable. 
• SPC staff are generally here from 9 AM to 4:45 PM for pickup and return of items. An email to the SPC Stacks Team (lib.spcstacks@msu.edu) to let them know when you will be picking up material(s) is appreciated.
• Material can be picked up by ringing the SPC back doorbell (contact Joshua Barton if you need help locating the correct SPC door). Please be patient when ringing the doorbell. It can also be finicky, ring it again if no one answers within a minute or so.
• The material(s) will be checked out to the individual cataloger in the Aeon system (SPC Stacks Team can check out materials, please note that students cannot). Catalogers are responsible for the care and return of items.

Returning item(s) to SPC

• SPC staff are generally here from 9 AM to 4:45 PM for return of items. An email to SPC Stacks Team (lib.spcstacks@msu.edu) to let them know when you will be dropping off material(s) is appreciated.
• Material can bedropped off by ringing the SPC back doorbell (contact Joshua Barton if you need help locating the correct SPC door). Please be patient when ringing the doorbell. It can also be finicky, ring it again if no one answers within a minute or so.
• When returning items to SPC, give the item to an SPC staff member (not to a student worker), so that the materials can be properly checked back in and accounted for.
• If the Reading Room is open and staffed, the cataloger can drop the item off to the individual staffing the desk. Just tell them that the items can be reshelved.
• Please do not remove and/or destroy any tags, envelopes, Aeon paging strips or any other paraphernalia from the item. Please provide SPC staff with written cataloging corrections for any tag and/or label revisions.
• If the catalog record itself has been changed, provide an OPAC printout to demonstrate those changes. Don't write on tags, throw out anything, or make any marks on anything, including the envelope.

Requesting uncataloged materials in SPC stacks

• For items not yet cataloged, there is a means of requesting them via Aeon. For any non-standard requests such as this, please email SPC Stacks Team (lib.spcstacks@msu.edu) for assistance.