Library of Things

Guidelines for deciding how to add Things

Terminology: 

  • Bib Record – the master record that identifies what the material is.
  • Item Cat1-- affects statistics and is used as a limit for searching in the catalog.
  • Item Type -- controls how the item circulates and has nothing to do with the type of item.
  • Home Location -- defines where the item is in the library.
  • Call Number –defines different volumes/variations of the material within the Bib Record. Helps patron locate item within its Home Location.

Bib Record Guidelines:   Most different Things will usually go on different Bib records.

  • Ex: Title=”Sewing Machine--Husqvarna”; Title=” Sewing Machine--Singer”, instead of using 1 bib record with different call nums. 
  • Except for things like Puzzles, Cake Pans, Stamps, Games, etc which are numerous and basically the same except for slight variations.
  • This will make items easier to search for, easier to find, and easier to link to on a library’s website.  
  • The phrase to add in the 490 and 830 fields is: “Library of Things.” Capital “T” and a “.”
  • Adding the series fields will allow patrons to easily find other LoT materials, and the subseries will allow people to click on the link as well as improve findability of similar Things.
  • ALL items under Cat1 of THING will get a series title of “Library of Things.”
  • Many items under Cat1 of GAME, KIT-AV will get a series title of “Library of Things” but not necessarily all of them.
  • All items in the Library of Things Series will get a subseries (see attached Word doc of list of subseries).
  • Neenah, Menasha and Oshkosh will be working to get existing records updated over the next few months.
  • The GMD—the |h of the 245 field -- broadly describes the format of the item so that the text appears after the title in [brackets].  It is not required to add the GMD, but it makes it easier to differentiate between “Monopoly” the game, “Monopoly” the book about the game, or “Monopoly” the video game.

Item Cat1 Guidelines: We are no longer going to use Item Cat1 of EQUIP.  All equipment is now considered a “Thing.” The Item Cat1s to use for Things are now:

  • THING – Equipment, Electronics, Toys, Puppets, Tools, and other Things.
  • GAME -- Puzzles are a GAME. As are Board/Card/etc Games & Video Games. Even if item has Cat1 of GAME it can be tagged with LoT series.
  • KIT-AV – Kits, DIY, Backpacks, Storytime kits, Bookclub Kits, etc   These are things with multiple, disparate parts. It is sort of a grey area. As long as you are consistent at your library, it doesn’t matter.  For example:
    • Outdoor Adventure backpacks with a fishing pole, some lures, a net, a stringer—and maybe a copy of McElliot’s Pool(or not)  could be a KIT-AV or THING, but I’d probably say KIT-AV if there is a movie or book included and THING if not.  However, if you have fishing poles to borrow and you have tackle boxes to borrow, each of those items would definitely be THINGs. 
    • A Microscope is a THING. A Microscope with an instruction booklet and some slides is a THING. But a Microscope that comes with slides and a set of chemistry vials and electrical circuits and magnets and a booklet of fun projects is more likely to be a KIT-AV (but THING isn’t wrong either). 
    • Storytime bags, Flash Cards,  etc –all go under KIT-AV.
    • If it has a Home Location of KIT or JKIT, it probably should have a Cat1 of KIT-AV.  Items with a Cat1 of GAME or KIT-AV can still have a Series statement of Library of Things so that they are findable as a Thing—even if their Item Cat1 isn’t THING.
      • I don’t know of a good way to clearly differentiate the two. But since there will be other ways for patrons to narrow their searches to the kind of thing they are looking for, I’m not too concerned.
    • NOT OTHER. “Other” is for Microform, old newpapers, non-book Local History, and other items you Don’t want included in the Library of Things series.

Item Type Guidelines: Look on the extranet to see your library’s Circulation Map settings. That will list out which Item Types circulate for how many days and whether they are holdable, renewable, etc.

  • Controls how long item checks out, fine rate, max fine rate, holdability, and renewability.
  • Most libraries’ Things go out for 7 days or 14 days.
    • Item Types most libraries use for 7-day loans: DVD, DVD-LH, DVD-NH, JDVD, JDVD-LH, JVIDEO, JVIDEO-LH, VIDEO, VIDEO-LH, MICROFORM.
    • Item Types most libraries use for 14-day loans: KIT, JKIT, MAGAZINE, MAG-LH, JMAGAZINE, NEW-BOOK
    • Common Other Item Types that could potentially be made 7-Day or 14-Day: CD-ROM, CD-ROM-LH, JCD-ROM, JCDROMLH, JSPECIAL, etc. Basically, any Item Type will do—just remember all items with that type will go out with the same rules, loan period, fine, etc.
    • There is no requirement to make Things a shorter loan period, or to make them holdable or non-holdable.

 

Home Location Guidelines – any Home Location can be used for Things.

  • Codes specific to Library of Things: THING1, THING2
    • THING1 = “Library of Things Display” For items that are in a specific Library of Things Display area so that patrons know where to look.
    • THING2 = “Library of Things – Ask Staff” For items that require staff intervention to locate.
  • Commonly used Home Locs for Things: GAME, JTOY, PUZZLE, JPUZZLE, JPUPPET, DISPLAY (various versions), MAKER, NONFICTION. There are probably more.
  • If Things are shelved with other materials, like knitting needles with How to Knit books, use that Home Location (ex, NONFICTION).

 

Call Number – Standardize as much as possible

  • If adding your Thing to an existing record, match your call numbers to what is already there.
  • Ex: If you are adding an Elmo Cake Pan and you see that some libraries have already used “CAKE PAN—Elmo” then make the call num for your pan “CAKE PAN—Elmo” instead of just “Elmo” or “PAN-Elmo muppet” or something.

 

A document for specifically how to add an item to the Library of Things (barcoding it) can be found here.