Library
Alex Steps Items
Alex Steps Items
Item Policies
Note - Item Policies
Many school libraries or public libraries create policies based on medium type or call number range. Alexandria will not automatically change or set any item's policy just because a policy matches the medium type or call number range. The librarian must set the item's policy either during an item import, running the Change Copy Policy utility or manually in the Items management window.
Create a New Item Policy
Follow these steps to create a new item policy:
- Go to Tools > Preferences > Policies.
- Click Add in the lower-left hand side of the Item Policy section.
- Enter the new item Policy Name and Policy Short Code and optional Statistics Group in the fields provided.
- Make a selection from the Defaults from drop-down menu and click OK; the new policy will take its defaults from whatever is selected from this drop-down menu.
- Next, tab through the various Policies (Check Out, Overdue, and Other) providing appropriate values to the fields, drop-down menus, and check boxes in order to create your policy.
- When you have completed your new policy, click on the Save button.
- Repeat this process until you have made all your new item policies.
Modify an Item Policy
To modify an item policy:
- Go to Tools > Preferences > Policies.
- Next, select the item policy to be modified from the drop-down menu on the right.
- Make the appropriate changes to the value(s) in the Item Policy fields, drop-down menus, and checkboxes.
- When you've finished modifying the policy, click Save.
Duplicate an Item Policy
Duplicate an item policy when the policy values are exactly the same as or there are only minor variations from an existing item policy.
To duplicate a item policy:
- Go to Tools > Preferences > Policies.
- Click Add in the lower-left hand side of the Item Policy section.
- Enter the new item Policy Name and Policy Short Code and select an optional Statistics Group in the fields provided.
- Make a selection from the Defaults from drop-down menu and then press <enter> or click OK; the new policy will duplicate the values of whatever is selected from this drop-down menu.
- Make the appropriate changes to the value(s) in the Item Policy fields, drop-down menus, and checkboxes.
- When you have finished modifying your duplicated Item Policy, click the Save button to keep your changes; otherwise, click Revert to discard them.
- Repeat this process until you have finished making all your new item policies.
Remove an Item Policy
To remove an item policy:
- First, make sure that all of the items that fall under the Item Policy you are about to remove have been switched to the Standard item policy. You will be unable to remove an Item Policy if it is still in use.
- Go to Tools > Preferences.
- Click on the Policies icon in the Management section of the Preferences interface.
- Select the policy that you would like to remove from the Item Policy drop-down menu.
- Click Remove in the lower-left hand side of the Item Policy section.
- Click Remove on the confirmation window when it asks if you are sure you want to remove the item policy.
The Standard and System policies cannot be removed. They are required by Alexandria in order to function at all times.
Assign an Item Policy to a Title
To assign an item policy to a title:
- Select Items from Alexandria's Tools module. Alternately, you can access Items management by typing the domain name (or IP address), (optional) port number, and (optional) serial number of your Data Station followed by “ /items ” into your browser's Address field (usually located in the upper-left corner of the window).
- Find the Title whose policy you want to change.
- Click on the Item Policy drop-down menu, (the drop-down menu at the top of the window located directly below the Call Number field).
- Select the policy for this copy.
- Click Save at the top-right of the window.
Assign an Item Policy to a Copy
To assign an item policy to an individual copy:
- Select Items from Alexandria's Tools module. Alternately, you can access Items management by typing the domain name (or IP address), (optional) port number, and (optional) serial number of your Data Station followed by “ /items ” into your browser's Address field (usually located in the upper-left corner of the window).
- Find the title whose copy policies you want to change.
- Once you have selected the desired Title it should appear as the current item in your Item Management window.
- Next, click on the Copy Information tab; then click on the Copy Info subtab.
- Using the left and right arrows located just below the subtab bar, find the individual copy whose policy you want to change. If needed, you may use the Copy Information (e.g. Barcode, Call #, or Accession Date) to help you differentiate one copy from another.
- Select a new policy for the individual copy using the Copy Policy dropdown menu.
- Click Save at the top-right of the window.
If the Title Policy is the same as any of its copies' policies, then changing the main Title Policy will also change the matching Copy Policy—as they are in sync. However, if any of the copies' policies are different than the main Title Policy, then changing the main Tile Policy will not affect these copy policies.