Email Acquisitions procedure) sent to LINC Listserv on 2/6/2012

LINC Policy Council, at its 1/25/2012 meeting, discussed an ever-increasing problem where library staff attach holdings and circulate items on acquisition bib records. Acquisition bib records are used only for on-order items, not for received items. The Cataloging Policy requires that received items be sent to the LINC Cataloging Center if the OCLC MARC record has not been imported into LINC, so it can be imported and enhanced as necessary by the Cataloging Center staff. The Policy does not allow for received items to be added to an acquisitions bib record and circulated to library patrons.

There are several reasons for this policy:

1. The policy, which adheres to the Illinois State Library policy as well, states that all physical items should be attached to a full OCLC MARC record to ensure that cataloging quality is in place. This process enhances full access to materials and provide for non-deduplication of records so borrowers aren't choosing the wrong format, subject, isbn, title. Fully-cataloted records also ensures that staff in other libraries will be able to find appropriate titles and attach items to the correct, fully-cataloged title.

2. Only acquisitions libraries are allowed to add a short non-MARC record to expedite the use of acquisitions (fund management, on-order records, and patron requests) until such time as an item is actually received. Libraries not using acquisitions cannot create short non-MARC records and should also not attach items to non-MARC records. Again, this is a quality control issue that is very important in ensuring a quality database and access to correctly-cataloged records.

3. The LINC Cataloging Center is operated, and funded, by all LINC libraries, to ensure that items are cataloged as fully and completely as possible. Libraries that receive items first have a responsibility to send those materials to the LINC Cataloging Center so others can benefit from the addition of enhancements and full information provided through that process.

In the past, we have advised libraries to wait a few days (3-5) to make certain a title isn't in the process of being added to LINC by either the Cataloging Center staff or the Cataloging Partners program. However, it is very important to not wait longer than that if the title doesn't appear.

The LINC Cataloging Center is currently operating with a turnaround time of 10 days, but bestsellers, items with a hold queue, or local high-interest items can be marked as a priority item and if so marked will be put at the head of the cataloging queue once it's received at the IHLS-Champaign office. This means that priority items will be returned much faster than the typical turnaround time.

The success of LINC and its historical approach to maintaining a quality database depends on all of us working together to provide enhanced and accurate information to our customers. We know that you share this desire and hope that you will help all of us provide this service, at the highest possible level.

Please contact me if you have additional questions. If the practice of circulating items on acquisitions records continues, LINC Policy Council will take further action to stop the practice.