Date:         Wed, 5 Feb 1992 15:15:04 EST
From:         Amanda Harmon <ALI00ALH@UNCCVM>
Subject:      Creating checkin records

At the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, we created online
bibliographic, order, and checkin records for approximately  4,000
serial/periodical titles through the INNOVACQ serials control system as items
were received, with most of the work occurring over a 6-8 month period.
Since the INNOVACQ acquisitions and fund accounting system had been
implemented a year ahead of serials control, we had the advantage of becoming
familiar with system capabilities and records.  Determination was made as to
which fields and codes would be used for subscription titles.  In preparation
for record creation over a period of about six months, serials staff located
and recorded OCLC numbers of the bibliographic records for titles in the
kardex.  (Numbers were taken from the MARC records in the Library's online
catalog.)  Paper kardex and bindery cards (filed together in the kardex) were
placed in the first issue received for each title.  All records were created
based on the issue in hand, previously established coding guidelines and
procedures, and on the information included on the paper checkin and binding
records.  A brief bibliographic record was created for each new title
consisting of the title, imprint, ISSN, Faxon ID, and the OCLC number (the
last two from the kardex).  The order record required completing 8-10 fields
with established or self-evident coding.  For the checkin, coding included
label type, frequency, number of copies, location(s), call number, and
special notes.  Parameters were established at this time: # of days between
issues, beginning volume and issue, # of issues per volume, binding
frequency.  Serials staff accidentally found it most effective to have one
person do bib and order records, then pass the piece to the other checkin
assistant to create the checkin records.  Paper cards were color coded to
show they had been converted, and INNOVACQ record numbers were transcribed on
the cards for future reference.  The checkin card was then placed in a
basket, and the Library Technical Assistant supervisor of the serials area
downloaded OCLC records overlaying the brief bib record created in INNOVACQ.
This last process, in conjunction with the earlier location of OCLC numbers,
provided a much needed opportunity to clean up and update serials records,
and many problems were sent along to Cataloging.  We later decided to use
INNOVACQ to generate a printed listing of periodicals and serials and
completed another four month project involving keying holdings on the
INNOVACQ checkin records, creating bibliographic records with holdings for
earlier titles, and even developing and entering cross references.