Create multiple item records for a single title

To create one or more item records linked to the same bibliographic record:

Note:
Item records can be created automatically when importing bibliographic records with embedded holdings data. See Set import options for item records.

Do one of the following actions:

Tip:
If you are creating all items using the same template, you can select it on the New dialog box. If you are creating items using different templates, do not select a template on the New dialog box. Click OK without selecting a template and go to the New Item Record Options dialog box where you can select a different template for each item.

From the Polaris Shortcut bar, select File > New, press CTRL+N, or click the New button and select Item Record from the New dialog box. Then, select a template or click OK.

Press F12 to open the Bibliographic Record Find Tool, search for the bibliographic record and open it in the Bibliographic Record workform. Then, select Tools > Create Item Record, or click .

From the Item Record workform, select Tools > Create Item Record.

The New Item Record Options dialog box appears.

Click Find and select a bibliographic record if you started from the new dialog box or you want to change the bibliographic information.

The title, author, and bib control number boxes are copied from the bibliographic record to the New Item Record Options dialog box. If the bibliographic record contains call number information, it is also copied from the bibliographic record to the New Item Record Options dialog box if the Bring call number fields from bib to item record when link is made is set to Yes in Polaris Administration. The price is copied from the bibliographic record to the New Item Record Options dialog box if the profile Bring price from bib to item record when link is made is set to Yes in Polaris Administration.

The Item Create Call Number Hierarchy and the Item Price Hierarchy database tables specify the order in which the tags in bibliographic records are checked for the call number and price.

Tip:
If you know the bibliographic control number, you can type it in the bib control number box, and press Tab. If you press Enter, the dialog box closes.

If you want to use item templates, click in the Template column on the first row of the distribution grid, and select a template from the list.

Note:
When a template is selected, the information from the template pre-fills the distribution information in the grid row. The Use template values instead of these (if available) checkbox is selected automatically. If this checkbox remains checked, the values from the template will be used in the new item records instead of the values in the New Item Record Options dialog box. If the template is missing information in any of these fields, the values in the New Item Record Options dialog box will be used.

However, the classification and cutter numbers are pulled from the template if at least one is found. If the template does not contain a classification or cutter number, and the shelving schemes are the same in the template and the dialog box, the classification and cutter numbers are pulled from the dialog box. If the shelving schemes are different, and the template does not have a classification or cutter number, the shelving scheme from the template is used and the classification and cutter numbers are pulled from the bibliographic record.

If you are creating multiple items for the same destination branch and collection, type the number of items in the Items column in the distribution grid.
Continue selecting templates in each row of the distribution grid.

Tip:
Each call number field can contain up to 60 characters.

If you are not using templates or you want to include information that may be missing in the item template or templates, do the following steps:

Notes:
If an item template is not selected, or the template does not have call number information, the call number information is copied from the dialog box. If both the selected template and the dialog box have call number information, the information is copied from the template if the Use template values instead of these (if available) checkbox is selected.

The classification and cutter numbers are always copied as a group from either the bibliographic record or the item template. The other elements of the call number (prefix, suffix, volume, and copy) are copied independently. For example, the classification and cutter numbers can be copied from the bibliographic record and the prefix can be copied from the item template.

Select the shelving scheme for the new item in the Scheme box.

Tip:
You can set the Default shelving scheme for new item records Cataloging profile in Polaris Administration to set the default shelving scheme in the New Item Record Options dialog box. See Specify the default shelving scheme for item/holdings records.

Type the prefix for the call number in the Prefix box.

Type the class number in the Class box.

Type the cutter number in the Cutter box.

Type the suffix for the call number in the Suffix box.

Type the volume number in the Vol box if you are creating an item record for a volume in a multi-part monographic set.

Important:
If you enter a volume number, be sure to format it according to your library’s standard. A consistent format ensures that volume numbers are sorted correctly in the Find Tool. In addition, if your library allows first available copy holds for parts of multi-part titles, the items attached to the multi-part title must have consistently-formatted volume numbers. This is because first available copy hold requests for multi-part titles depend on a character-for-character match on the volume number.

Internal spaces and all punctuation affect a match:
Vol 1 and Vol1 do not match.
Vol.1 and Vol1 do not match.
Case does not matter.
Vol.1 and vol.1 match.

Beginning and trailing spaces are ignored.
[space] v.1 and [no space] v.1 match
v.1 [space] and v.1 [no space] match

For more information, see First Available Copy Requests and Multi-Part Titles.

Type the copy number in the Copy box if you are creating an item record with copy information.

(Optional) If the price is not filled in, type the dollar amount in the Price field. If the bibliographic record contains a price, it is filled in automatically.
If you are not using templates, or the templates are missing information that you want in the item records, fill in the fields above the distribution grid.
- Select the circulation status in the Circ status box.
- Select the renewal limit in the Renewal Limit box.
- To display the item records in the PAC, check the Display in PAC box.
- If the item should not circulate, select Non-circulating.
- To allow the items to be loaned outside of your library system, select Loanable outside system.
- To allow holds to be placed on this item, select Holdable.
If you did not use templates, enter the item distribution information in the grid under Distribution as follows:
- Type the number of copies for the branch and location in the Items box.
- Type the number of items in the Items box, select the Branch, Collection, Shelf location, Material Type, Loan Period, Fine Code, Statistical Code, and Owner.
Click to add the next blank row.

To enter barcodes for the item records, do one of the following steps:
- Move the cursor into the Item Barcode(s) field, and scan the item barcodes. The Barcode total displays the number of barcodes, and the Item total displays the total number of items that will be created.

Note:
You can create items without barcodes.

Select Use system assigned barcodes.

Click OK to create the new item records.
If you selected Use system assigned barcodes, enter the following information on the Item barcode range dialog box:
1. Select the type of barcode in the Type of barcode box.
2. Type the beginning barcode number in the Start of range box.
3. Type the ending barcode number in the End of range box.
4. Use the up or down arrows to specify the next barcode number to be assigned after the starting number in the Next to be assigned box.
5. Click OK.

The new item records are listed in the Bulk Created Item Records dialog box.

To print labels for the item records, select the item records in the dialog box, right-click, and select Print, Labels.

The Label Manager appears. For information about Label Manager, see Printing Cataloging Labels.

To open an item record in the list, double-click the item or right-click and select Open from the context menu.

Tip:
You can right-click an item in the list, add it to a record set, place a hold, or link to other records from the context menu.

The item record opens in the Item Record workform.

Tip:
To edit several item records, press CTRL+S to save the current record and CTRL+E to move to the next record in the list without closing the Item Record workform.

Edit the item record, if necessary, and save it.
Select View > Next Record from the Item Record workform to open the next record in the Item Record workform.

Related Information

If the system detects an invalid item barcode, a message appears. You can continue saving the item record if you have the system-level Cataloging permission Override invalid item barcode message: Allow.