Creating a Project Box

Purpose

The below article gives instructions on the creation of a project box

Covers: Creating a project box

Does not cover: Cataloguing books, issuing items

What is a project box?

Project boxes are a collection of resources issued as one item, they can be thought of as a physical box that someone has put several books into. They are mainly used to issue a collection of related resources at once. For example, if a history teacher is carrying out a project on the Romans they could ask for several books on Romans. You would then issues that teacher a project box rather than having to keep track of potentially hundreds of individual items. This is very useful if there are common projects that are often carried out. 

Instructions

When adding a new resource, select the 'Project Box' icon. This will open the 'Project Box [New]' screen.

First, set the 'Box number', this would normally be your barcode when adding a book but as it is not a physical box, you likely won't be have something to scan. You can create a paper list of all project boxes to keep at the desk and stick the barcode label to this list, then refer back to this list when issuing and returning the box. 

Next, select the 'Type'. there are 2 types to choose from, Permanent and Temporary:

• Permanent means the box stays in system indefinitely. You can issue and return the box as many times as you wish and it will stay in the system until you remove it.
• Temporary means the box is automatically recycled after it has been issued and returned once.

Note that the default for a project box is 'Temporary', if you want to keep this project box for future use, make sure you change it to 'Permanent'.

If you have created a box as one type and it should have been the other, you can change it afterwards.

If you need to change a box from temporary to permanent, ensure this is done before it has been returned or it will be recycled. Likewise if you need to change from permanent to temporary, keep in mind that making this change while the box is on loan will recycle the box once it has been returned.

Finally, set the 'Item capacity', this is how many books you intend the box to have, it does not need to have this many, but it cannot exceed it. Click Continue and the project box record card will load.

Give the project box an appropriate title, subject, level, class and location using the relevant boxes. 

If you set the wrong capacity on the previous box, you can correct it here.

Once you have added all the books to the box, click 'Save' to save the box and return the management page.

Please note that when an item is added to a project box, it cannot be issued on it's own. It will still display as part of the library, but can only be loaned as part of the project box. The resource would need to be removed from the project box. 

How do I know which items are in a project box?

There are a few ways to identify which items are in a project box and which box they are in.

You can load the project box itself and look through the list at the bottom of the box. This would be the best way if you know the box in which you want to look, but not the resource you are looking for. Use the 'Resize' button to make the the grid larger and easier to look through. You can also use the quick search box to locate the resource faster.

If you know the resource you want to check, find the resource in Management using either quick or advanced search then look at its information on screen. If it is in a project box you will see that it is coloured orange as opposed to the usual colour, unless the project box is on loan.

Double clicking the line will open the record card. You will then see at the bottom of the record card, a note to tell you which box it is in.

How some of our other customers have phrased this

- What is a Project Box?

- How do I make a project box?

- What the difference between a temporary and permanent project box?

- How do I know which items are in the project box?