NOTIS Use
Wilbanks-Fox - Attachment
Music Library - Uses for NOTIS 2/1/2007
1. Look at old order records (LTUF)
We use old item records for several reasons. Since price information from NOTIS didn’t transfer to Aleph, looking at the old records is the only way to find what we paid for an item. This is important if we have to bill a patron for a lost book. Even if we just charge the patron a current price, we can’t always find that information. Although many websites sell used and OP books, for which approximate prices can be found, prices and purchasing information for older sheet music and scores are very hard to find. For example, we need to bill a patron for a lost score. The item is out of print, and there is no order information in Aleph. I used the NOTIS record (ALQ1810) to find the price we paid for the set.
We also use old serial order records to keep track of old claiming information. By looking at old claims, we can see trends in claiming history, publisher history, vendor helpfulness, special people and phone numbers to call, and any information that may have been added in a note field.
2. Look at old patron records (LPAR)
Using the NOTIS patron record section (LPAR), we can track old billing information. People sometimes ask for refunds years after they were billed, and that information isn’t in Aleph. We can also track the history of lost items charged to a patron; even if they show as lost in the catalog, the information is still on the patron record (in the PBIL function of LPAR).
Old patron records are sometimes only in NOTIS. For example, Elwyn A. Adams is a Music faculty member who passed away in the late 1980s. His record didn’t transfer into Aleph, so if there was any history we needed for billing or circulation issues, we would need to check in NOTIS. Dr. John D. White, Professor Emeritus from the mid-90s, is not in Aleph. He still has strong ties to the School of Music and the library, but we would have to use NOTIS to find any circulation information (closed records) that may be applicable.
3. Verify storage locations (LTUF)
The Music Library has several sub-locations located throughout the library. We also have several multi-volume sets of scores (under the same holding record). We sent several of these large, little-used sets to storage. In NOTIS, we could use a sublocation code (miniatures, collected works…) for the overall holdings, then we could use the TEMP LOCATN field of individual item records for other codes (storage, reserve...). When we changed systems, both location fields didn’t transfer over. Normally only the holding sublocation field transferred, not the TEMP. But not always. So the information that was in one of the fields disappeared. If we had the storage information in the TEMP location, only the overall designation of Collected Works (from the holdings location) would show, indicating that the set was still in the Music Library, in the Collected Works sublocation. Or the other way around. Since we don’t have a master list (just assorted lists that may be incomplete) of all the items we sent to storage, we’ve had to use NOTIS to verify the storage location, if we can’t physically find the item here in Music. An example of a title is AKT3478 (M 2 .E65 1986). That was a problem last semester, but we didn’t know it was a problem until a faculty member looked for it. The online location was Collected Works. But none of the set was here in Music. So I looked on NOTIS to check the location. Turns out that although the storage note had been in the holdings, the TEMP field location of Collected Works is what shows in the public catalog. The items are really in storage. It would be a long-term project to fix all these locations, and we may not even have complete lists. Using NOTIS for a while longer would be a very useful tool in finding the true location of these items.
Like Dee mentioned for West, the Music Library also has many split locations for journals. Probably 80 percent of our journal titles have some holdings in storage. NOTIS would be useful for verifying these locations.
4. Search the catalog when Aleph is down (LUUF)
When the Aleph system or the network is down, we can still use LUUF to search the catalog (although we realize newer items won’t be included). This is especially useful for the Music Library, because our CDs (compact discs) are kept behind the desk – we do not let patrons browse in the cabinets. The CDs are also cataloged by accession number, not by any library classification scheme. The CDs just get a number whenever they arrive, so discs are in random order. Even with the limited scope of the NOTIS holdings, we still had over 5000 CDs when Aleph started, so we can usually find at least one CD for a patron to listen to.
If you have any questions about this document, please call Robena or Michele at 273-2815. It’s sometimes difficult to write down reasons, so if you need further explanation on any of our statements, we’re happy to help. Thank you!
Michele Wilbanks-Fox
Music Library
2/1/2007
