Summary: Created for public services colleagues checking titles, holdings, call numbers, and so forth on the reference desk – but will be of use to all non-TS colleagues using the Folio Inventory app to verify catalog information.

General stuff

• Understanding the hierarchical structure of instances, holdings, and item records is crucial when using the Inventory app. You can see how these record types relate to each other in our documentation here: FOLIO apps & records overview#Inventory%3AInstances%2Choldings%2Canditems
• To see a list of keyboard shortcuts available in Inventory, click the Inventory logo in the top left of your screen
• The asterisk (*) can be used for left/right truncation and wildcard searches (see below for examples)
• Collapse all (ctrl + alt + g) and expand all (ctrl + alt + b) commands are helpful for zeroing in on a specific sections of a record

Searching and viewing instances

• The instance record is home to a title's standard identifiers and its universal bibliographic data points (contributors, imprint, subjects, etc.); there is limited local info in the instance aside from gift notes and local series titles
• The instance record is generated from an underlying MARC record; for the moment, non-TS users do not have permissions to view this MARC source data, but that will change with the Morning Glory release in October 2022
• To search instances, select the "Instance" tab above the Inventory search box
• "Keyword" will search standard identifiers like OCLC numbers, ISBNs, UPCs, and so forth, as well as legacy Sierra bib numbers
  • You can see what Inventory considers to be identifiers by viewing the "Identifiers" section of an instance record
  • NOTE: Weirdly, the instance HRID (comparable to the Sierra bib number) is not included in the keyword search, but in its own index further down the dropdown list
• Choose the "All" index for even more comprehensive results than "Keyword"
• Sierra bib numbers
  • All Inventory instance records for titles that were cataloged in Sierra contain the legacy Sierra bib numbers
  • Search a Sierra bib number in the "Keyword" or "Identifier" index (latter is probably faster)
  • Be sure to include the preceding period (ex: .b83647292)
• OCLC numbers
  • Search in "Keyword" or "Identifier"
  • Omit any prefix and use an asterisk before the number like so: *107892546
• ISBN numbers
  • Search in "Keyword" or "Identifier" 
  • Use an asterisk at the end like so: 9782736183928*
• Call numbers
  • A generic "classification" call number exists in the instance record, but this is not the effective call number that EDS uses
  • Ignore the "Call number" index, which only searches this general classification
  • Use "Call number browse" to search for the effective call number (drawn from item records, but searchable under "Instance" tab); has been somewhat unreliable but we expect better performance in upcoming releases
    
    • You may also have more luck using an asterisk to truncate on the right
  • See below for searching for call numbers at the item level
• Instance record viewing tips
  • All holdings attached to that instance, and all items attached to those holdings, can be viewed on the instance record screen
    • Click the holdings record to expand lists of attached items
  • Note presence or absence of catalog date – this indicates if something is on order or awaiting cataloging
  • See "Acquisitions" section of the instance record to view the related order record for that title in the Orders app

Searching and viewing holdings

• Holdings records are home to the title's permanent location, holdings summary statements for serial titles, and "Library has" holdings statements for multi-part monographs
  • The holdings' permanent location info is displayed in the instance view
  • You must click into the actual holdings record to view the holdings summary statements
• Multiple holdings can be attached to one instance
• All holdings records associated with an instance display on the instance record view, including LoM and Law holdings
• To view the holdings record itself, click "View holdings"
• To view items attached to a holdings record, click the "Holdings: [Location]" entry to expand
  • This will give you a condensed list of all associated items and their barcodes, copy numbers, and volume numbers (scroll all the way to the right!)
  • Volume numbers can be sorted by clicking the "Volume" header
• In general, you will have little need to search for elements in holdings records; instance and item records offer the most powerful searches for public services purposes

Searching and viewing items

• Item records contain the effective call number and the effective location of a particular copy, as well as copy and volume information for serials, multi-part monographs, analytics, etc.
  
  • Permanent locations are set at the holdings level, but the item record inherits this permanent location, and this is what is used for EDS
  • NOTE: Item records are also home to interim locations, such as Faculty Books, Browsing, Binding, etc. These override the holdings permanent location until removed from the item.
• To search items, select the "Item" tab above the Inventory search box
• Barcodes
  • Use the "Barcode" index
• Call numbers
  • Use the "Effective call number (item), normalized" index (the "eye-readable" search is not useful)
• NOTE: An item call number or barcode search will pull up an instance record, not an item record; expand holdings to find the highlighted item that your search retrieved
  • Yes this is super annoying especially for titles with a million holdings and items – we hope for UI improvements here soon!
• To view the entire item record, click on the item's hyperlinked barcode from the instance record view screen