The Technical Services department acquires and makes available relevant print and non-print materials that help fulfill the library’s overall mission. The Technical Services staff oversees the acquisition of materials, cataloging, collection development and collection maintenance. Additionally, Technical Services, receives, sorts, and distributes mail for the library.
Acquisitions
Receipt of orders:
Faculty members are primarily responsible for recommending materials for purchase to support the curriculum. However, student and staff recommendations are encouraged.
Orders may be received via e-mail, campus mail, in person or via the online request form.
Orders should include publication information (i.e. Title, Author, ISBN #, and Price).
If requested items are from a particular publisher, it is very helpful to include the catalog submitted with the request.
Item requests are pre-order searched in the OPAC system to avoid the purchase of any unwanted duplicate copies of a title already owned.
Pre-order searching:
Pre-order searching is performed using the following steps:
Search for the requested title using the online catalog.
If the title is in the online catalog, verify the bibliographic information to ensure that it is the same title, author, and publisher.
Record the year of the publication and the edition of the title owned.
If the title is owned by WSSU, record WS beside the title.
If there is no matching title in the online catalog, continue with acquisition steps.
Order creation:
After conducting pre-order searching, fund codes and purchase order numbers are assigned.
OCLC Connexion Client is searched for a matching bibliographic record to be imported into Millennium.
Local constant data is applied and exported from Connexion Client.
Order record lists are created by purchase order numbers in Millennium “Create Lists” and sent via FTP to the selected vendor.
Order confirmation:
Vendor order confirmations are received via e-mail.
Fund code reports:
Fund reports and statistical reports are maintained and provided to the librarians for distribution to their assigned academic departmental library liaison.
Receiving:
Items are received and processed using the following procedures:
Boxes are unpacked and loaded onto book truck.
Titles are checked against the invoice and a check mark is placed beside each title.
Each book is stamped with a property stamp on the top, bottom, side and on the title page.
A barcode and date due slip are placed in each book.
The barcode should go in the front of the book.
If there is an end sheet present, barcode and date due slip goes there, barcode at the top, date due slip below it.
If there is not an end sheet present, the date due slip goes on the back cover of the book and the barcode goes at the top of the title page.
A security strip is placed in the book if needed. All titles need security strips except for books received from Midwest Library Service.
Items that include a CD or DVD should have the CD or DVD stamped with a security stamp and a security strip circle placed over the CD or DVD. Popular DVD’s do not require a security strip circle.
Cataloging
Items are received and processed.
Item records are attached using Millennium Cataloging Module and/or OCLC Connexion Client.
Labels are carefully applied.
Cataloging includes media and e-book cataloging.
Collection Development:
The following factors are considered in selecting materials for the collection:
Relevance to the university programs of study
Lasting value of content
Authority of the author and reputation of the publisher
Currency, accuracy, and comprehensiveness of the work
Positive reviews in standard sources
Appropriateness in level of treatment
Availability of the work
Strength of holdings in actual or similar subject areas
Cost
Interdisciplinary content
Support for courses that may expect to be taught in the future
Selection tools:
Choice online <accessed via electronic resources page>
Publisher catalogs
Publisher websites
Publisher e-mail alerts
Resources for College Libraries
Books in Print
Book reviews
Collection Maintenance
Weeding is conducted on a regular basis in order to ensure the collection remains current. Books published prior to 1980, with the exception of certain classic works, are tagged for removal from the collection in order to make room for newer titles. Librarians are also responsible for browsing their respective sections and tagging books for removal that contain outdated or incorrect information.
Online Catalog Problems
Please report problems via e-mail to Cynthia Levine: Technical Services Librarian - levineco@wssu.edu. Please be specific about the problem and which record it is in, giving author, title, and publication information. If possible, attach the screen shot of the record from the OPAC. Librarians and staff may place a copy of the item record in the basket at the circulation desk labeled OPAC issues.