BASIC BOX LABEL INFORMATION AND SAMPLES
The information in the HOLLIS availability screen is the best for use in making box labels. But one can also adapt information from the first page of the OASIS record. If there is repeating information, for example: Boston Museum Stock Company. Boston Museum Stock Company Kate Ryan Nolan Collection of Photographs, avoid repeating the name of the company, and just use the 2nd line in order to conserve space on the labels.
Formatting labels and Barcoding boxes
Standard box labels are left-margin aligned in order to maximize space for the barcode that goes at the bottom. Since everything is barcoded now, and the barcode contains the name of the library, it isn't necessary to add "Harvard Theatre Collection" to the bottom of the labels. After applying the barcode, if the box is going to HD, photocopy it to add to the HD notebook as a quick reference.
As of May 2011, we must also add a sticker that says either "HD THE" for HTC material, or "HD HOU" for everything else. Though it has been decided that this sticker goes underneath the bar code for volumes, there is not yet official word about the placement of the sticker on boxes. The sticker fits well to the right of the barcode on current box labels. If a decision is made to also place the sticker below the barcode for boxes, adjustments to the current standard flat box design may need to be made. Barcodes and stickers placed on the label itself make it easier to insure they will always be in the same location. If barcodes and stickers are to go outside of the label, there will be less ability to maintain consistent placement, since boxes come in different shapes and orientations.
We use box label holders throughout end-processing so that boxes are neatly labeled in a standardized way at all times. That way we avoid damage to the box from ripping off a temporary label, and we avoid post-its or other temporarily affixed labels falling off. For single box items it is best to label the box right after it is entered in the log, because boxes are called for sometimes while we are in the midst of end-processing a collection. We use 2 x 3 ½" business card size almost exclusively for box labels. (C-LINE no. 70238); along with Avery 5911 perforated Business card labels.
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SINGLE BOX COLLECTIONS
If a collection has only 1 box, you can choose the "Box Labels" reports in the Manuscript Log to print a single label. As long as you have dated the log entry, the Query "Print today's work" allows you to print only what you've finished that day, rather than printing the entire log. The reports can be adjusted to pair up with other queries too. And the queries can also be adjusted if you want to print specific call numbers rather than today's work.
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Adjust the query "choose single items to print" by highlighting it and right-clicking to get to design view. Then type over the call number in the check box at the bottom, or type in several call numbers. Don't disturb the quotations marks or other formatting though. The query in the screen below will pull up a table with only one record, MS Lat 426.
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Adjust the "print today's work" query by performing the same steps as above, but delete the report date: >=Date() (which means today's date) and instead type in >=12/12/11, or =12/12/11, or some other dates or variations. Make sure you put the original code for todays date in when you are finished using it.
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Sample Box labels for single box collections:
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MULTIPLE BOX COLLECTIONS (1-3 boxes)
If there are 3 boxes or less in a collection, and they are not going to HD, the Manuscript Log can be used to produce box labels, without using student help. But for multiple box collections of this size that are going to HD, or for very large collections, it will be less confusing and more direct to use the Box label database described below, because you can easily send both an internal email notification and enter item record data using reports that have been set up in the Box label database along with a macro that greatly speeds the process.
To make 3 or fewer box labels, open the Manuscript Log database (at the top of the panel on the left) and highlight the desired entry (assuming you have already entered it). Cut and paste it into the "Adjustable box label" table (also at top of panel on left). Paste it again into the next line to create the data for the 2nd box. Paste it a third time for the third box, etc. You can paste it directly over any pre-existing data in that table, as the data in there is temporary and is used also for folder labels. Then go back and add the range of items for each entry. And change "bMS" to "pfMS" where necessary. When you are done, you may need to delete and re-add the "autonumber field" so that will begin again with "1". Make sure to go into field view and change the type of field from "text" to "autonumber" in the drop down menu. After this field has been added, if you delete lines, it will throw off the box-numbering system. If the autonumber field gets completely mixed up, you can delete it and re-add it again. If you do that, add a sort to the field by opening the table in design view and at the bottom, asking it to sort from smallest to largest in the autonumber field. Add the range of numbers for each box to the call number on each line.
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This part of the screen shows the last field "autonumber". It is the field that automatically produces the box numbers.
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Click on the "Box Labels : multiple" report to display and printout the labels.
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MULTIPLE BOX COLLECTIONS (more than 3 boxes)
To print box labels for a collection that has 3 or more boxes, use the Box label database in conjunction with student-entered data in the Excel Spreadsheet called "BOX LABEL.data.xlsx (\\Hcl-wid1\groups$\HOUGHTON\Technical Services\Accessioning & End-Processing\End Processing - Manuscripts\Documentation\@manual\Documents used in manual\COLLECTION\BOX LABEL.data.xlsx)", rather than using the Manuscript Log. Instructions for students with regard to box labelling are included in the section called: Procedures, warnings and tips for students : all collections.
Basic steps for labelling multiple box collections
Part I: Checking contents of each box
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