Items - Editing, Required Fields info

Owned by Jennifer Koerber (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Oct 13, 2022 by Corinna Baksik
3 min read

Edit/Update Item information

  1. Search for the physical item that you want to update. 
    • If you use the Physical Item search type - not Physical Title - you can choose Edit from the search results page 
    • If you use another kind of search type, you will have to view the item list first, then use Edit option under the action menu (ellipsis icon)

  2. Click Edit for the item that you want to update.
  3. On the Physical Item Editor page, select one or more of the following tabs to view or make changes to the physical item’s information. Required fields are listed in the table below. A full definition of each field on each tab is available on the Ex Libris Documentation Center page for Items:
    • General Information
    • ENUM/CHRON Information
    • Notes
    • History

  4. Click Save when changes are complete.
    • If you're in the Physical Item editor in a free-text field, you can just hit Enter and it will save the item. This does not work if you're in a controlled field (like a dropdown or date picker).


Item Record fields - only required fields, or fields with best practices, are listed below

Tab: General Information
FieldRequired?Note
BarcodeYEnter the Harvard barcode for the item, or leave the barcode field blank to use a temporary system-generated barcode (will be created when the Item is saved)
Copy IDIf appl.
Material TypeYsee list at Item Material Types
Item policyYsee list at Item Policies 
Is Magnetic
see Best Practice: https://harvardwiki.atlassian.net/wiki/x/uRV_Aw
Enumeration A/BIf appl.e.g. multi-volume works or serials
Chronology I/JIf appl.e.g. multi-volume works or serials
DescriptionIf appl.

Generally this is left blank, unless the description is needed to distinguish items such as:

    • multi-volume works
    • serial volumes/issues
    • accompanying material that is barcoded separately

Do not use this field for:

    • copy numbers of duplicate items (e.g. you have 2 copies of the same book)
    • item policy
    • ownership information (e.g. "Widener copy")

For serials, once the Enum/Chron data has been filled in, use the Generate button to create the description.

Important information on the effect of the Description field in HOLLIS and Alma Fulfillment:

    • The presence of any content in the Description field turns off the Title-Level requesting feature, and turns ON the item filters in the Get It section:

    • When we have multiple copies and they are all the same, we want the Title-level requesting feature turned on so Alma can automatically push the request to the available copy. Therefore, to ensure that Title-Level requesting is enabled, item descriptions should be blank if all copies are the same.
    • If items represent different volumes/issues, item descriptions should not be null. This will allow the user to choose the specific item record they need.
Retention informationIf appl.see Best Practice: 

 

Tab: ENUM / CHRON
FieldRequired?Note
Enumeration A/BIf appl.This is carried over from the General tab. If entered here first it will carry over into the General tab.  
Permanent library/locationYInherited from Holdings
Tab: Notes
FieldRequired?Note
Internal Note 3N, but best practice is to add before withdrawalUsed to record reason for withdraw. See Items - Deleting (Withdrawing)
Statistics Note 2NRestricted to shared retention commitment notes. For example: 'committed to retain - ReCAP'. This note is required for all items where a commitment to retain has been made. Also required, field 538 with commitment statement in holdings.