April 25, 2024

Understanding the Recall option

The Recall option is used when the lender needs the item returned before the due date. The option is available for requests after they're marked Shipped and before they're marked Returned. To use this function, the lender should view the request and choose Recall from the status drop-down list, then click Submit.



Borrowers who see that Recalled is highlighted in the Request Manager's Action Items list should click on it and respond by selecting one of these options: Returned (indicating the item is on its way home), Received (if not previously marked so--the request will remain in Recalled status and the borrower can proceed to choose Returned), or Lost (if appropriate--note guidelines for lost materials at the bottom of van instructions). Don't forget to click Submit after selecting an option.

If a request remains in Recalled status for more than 42 days (6 weeks), the system automatically changes it to Overdue.

April 23, 2024

070 - National Agricultural Library Call Number

The National Agricultural Library (NAL) is one of five national libraries of the United States and houses one of the world's largest collections devoted to agriculture and its related sciences. It is part of the US Department of Agriculture and is located in Beltsville, MD (15 miles northeast of Washington, DC). The NAL works in a variety of program areas and maintains several interesting collections. You can search their collections through AGRICOLA.

The NAL uses tag 070 for its call numbers. Prior to 1965, NAL used a USDA library classification scheme. In 1965, NAL began using the Library of Congress Classification for all newly-cataloged materials. Both schemes are still used because some series title changes have been kept with the USDA scheme call number. This is why there is a need for a separate tag for the NAL call number even though it is usually the same as the LC number in the 050.

The structure of this tag parallels that of the 050 tag:

  • subfield a is the classification portion of the call number
  • subfield b is the item portion of the call number
  • the first indicator tells you if the item is in the NAL collection
  • the second indicator is undefined and will be blank

April 19, 2024

Seeing NHAIS holdings in WorldCat

While WorldCat.org allows you to see materials held by libraries around the world, for many years you couldn't see NHAIS holdings there. Now an extra click will show you if the NHU-PAC (the union catalog in the NHAIS ILL System) has a copy of the OCLC record you're looking at in WorldCat.

WorldCat search results show you a list of "Featured libraries" that hold the material listed. Click on the "All libraries" tab to see more locations, including the NHU-PAC (listed as "NHAIS"):

You may see a few libraries that participate in the NHAIS ILL System, including the State Library, listed separately. That's determined by the kind of account these institutions have with OCLC.

Keep in mind that the presence of a record in the NHU-PAC doesn't guarantee that a library in the state has a holding for that title. You need to use the NHAIS ILL System to see that. Also be aware that there's always a lag, usually a few hours, between when a record is downloaded from WorldCat and when it's uploaded to the NHU-PAC. During that time, WorldCat.org will show that the record is in the NHU-PAC even though it isn't quite there yet.

April 16, 2024

Brief NHU-PAC outage Tue 4/16 10pm

The NHAIS ILL System will be offline briefly tonight (Tuesday, Apr. 16) to install program updates, starting at 10 o'clock. The updates are for behind-the-scenes functions.

060 - NLM Call Number

"The National Library of Medicine (NLM), on the campus of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, has been a center of information innovation since its founding in 1836. The world’s largest biomedical library, NLM maintains and makes available a vast print collection and produces electronic information resources on a wide range of topics that are searched billions of times each year by millions of people around the globe. It also supports and conducts research, development, and training in biomedical informatics and health information technology."

The NLM Classification, which is a scheme for the shelf arrangement of medical literature in libraries, is maintained and developed by the Cataloging and Metadata Management Section of the NLM. The call numbers assigned using this classification are found in the 060 tag.

The structure of the 060 is very similar to other tags that contain classification numbers:

  • subfield a is the full call number (classification + item number)
  • NLM doesn't use subfield b
  • the first indicator tells you if the item is in the NLM collection
  • the second indicator tells you if the number was assigned by the NLM or by another agency using their classification system




April 9, 2024

055 - Classification Numbers Assigned in Canada

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is the Canadian equivalent of the U.S. Library of Congress. They maintain various cataloging resources, including a classification system which uses the LC classification schedules with sections specially developed for Canadian history, literature, and law.  

The call numbers assigned using this classification, whether assigned by the LAC or by libraries who contribute to their catalog are found in the 055 tag.

The structure of this tag parallels that of the 050 tag:

  • subfield a is the classification portion of the call number
  • subfield b is the item portion of the call number
  • the first indicator tells you if the item is in the LAC collection

The second indicator in the 055 tag contains information about the source and completeness of the classification. Because these call numbers can be created by various libraries there are several possible values used. A complete set of valid codes for this indicator is included in BF&S.


April 5, 2024

IMLS statistics report!

This is a friendly reminder that the deadline to submit your library’s statistics for the IMLS Annual Report is Friday, April 12. Please submit your statistics by the deadline. A BIG thank you to the majority of libraries that have already submitted their statistics.

In years past, MaryAnn (and previous NHSL staff) have spent much time and effort tracking down libraries that did not submit statistics on time. I hope we can all agree that this is not a great use of time for anyone!

If you have any questions, we are happy to help you. MaryAnn’s email address is maryann.niles@dncr.nh.gov. All of us here at the State Library thank you for your time and attention to this annual task.

Thank you and TGIF!
Mindy

Mindy Atwood, Assistant State Librarian
New Hampshire State Library

 

April 4, 2024

Makeup deliveries for libraries with Thursday-only van stops

For those libraries that only get one delivery a week on Thursdays, here’s our plan to make up for today’s cancellations.

Tomorrow (Friday, April 5) these libraries will receive a delivery:
Grafton
Canaan
Enfield
Etna
Springfield
Tuftonboro

On Monday, April 8, these libraries will receive a delivery:
Sanbornville
Milton
Farmington
New Durham
Barnstead
Pittsfield

Then next Thursday (weather permitting!) we will still have normal deliveries to all of these libraries.

Charles Shipman
Supervisor, Reference Section
New Hampshire State Library

No van service Thu 4/4

All of today’s ILL deliveries have been cancelled.  Hopefully the weather will allow us to return to normal service tomorrow.

Charles Shipman
Supervisor, Reference Section
New Hampshire State Library
603-271-2144
Charles.A.Shipman@dncr.nh.gov