Adding a New Resource

Before any resource can be issued, they must added to the system. This process is referred to as cataloguing.

If you have purchased resources from a book supplier, you may have been given a MARC file along with them, which may or may not include barcode numbers. If so, this can be imported into the library system to help speed up the cataloguing the process (MARC without Barcodes) or even import them all in bulk (MARC with barcodes). 

Sometimes when purchasing books from a supplier, they come pre labeled and you can skip the next step. 

Labelling your Books

In order to catalogue resources, you need to have some barcode labels for them, and while not essential, a barcode scanner will drastically speed the process up.

New customers to Reading Cloud are provided 5,000 printed labels, you can then purchase further blank labels from us using the link here or from any other supplier and use generate barcodes to generate a list of unused barcode numbers which can then be printed onto the blank labels. 

Next, collect all the resources together that are to be catalogued and stick the labels in them, usually on the inside cover is best, but it's up to you, just ensure the entire barcode is easily readable, so not on the spine ideally. Also, do not stick it over the ISBN barcode that is pre-printed on the book, you will need this later.  

Finally, plug your scanner into your computer and test that it is working and configured correctly. 

Adding the resources to the library system

To begin cataloguing resources, log into your library system and load Management.

Select 'Resources' on the left-hand side of the screen and click 'New' under 'Records' on the right-hand side of the screen.

The resource type selection box will open, choose the desired resource type from the options listed.

If the Resource type selected was Website, Document, Live Media or eBook, then the record card will display. If any other Resource type was selected then a barcode number first needs to be assigned to the item. 

This is where you would scan the barcode label you stuck to the book earlier. 

Alternatively you can press Auto and the system will automatically assign a number, but it is generally more efficient to stick pre-printed barcode labels onto the item at the point of cataloguing rather than using auto and printing the number afterwards. However, this option is there if printing labels after the books have been added is preferred.

Next, scan or type the 13-digit ISBN of the resource into the 'EAN/ISBN' box, this normally printed on the back or inside the back cover of the book. The record card will then automatically open, if this does not happen, the system has not recognised the number as a valid ISBN. Click 'Continue' to move to the next step.

The fields that display for editing will vary depending on the resource type that was selected. If the ISBN is matched to a corresponding record either within the custom catalogue, on Discovery Online or to a copy already catalogued in the library system, some of the fields will be automatically populated with the relevant data. 

Customisation

From the record card, various details about the item can be entered. Fill these in as desired by typing or selecting an option in the relevant boxes. You do not need to populate every field, but the more the better. Some of these fields can also be defined ahead of time and populated by default. 

If you are cataloguing multiple resources, clicking into a field and pressing F9 will automatically fill the field with the same value as the previously catalogued resource. 

The available options displayed in some of the boxes is pulled from the existing catalogue, if any spelling mistakes or unwanted data is present then this can be removed or corrected globally using Quick Replace.

Make any final alterations and then click 'Save' to retain any changes and return to the previous screen. You are now ready to catalogue the next resource.