Scoping Overview

Scopes are subsets of the records in your system's database. When your library acquires the Scoping product, Innovative works with you to define the scopes for your system.

Scopes are defined by scope rules. Scope rules are a series of data tests, most commonly of LOCATION codes. Various BCODE field values (for example, MAT TYPE, BIB LVL, or LANG values) can also be used in scope rules. Note that a LOCATION code or a BCODE value can appear in more than one scope rule, however, an individual scope rule can be based on values in only one field in a record.

When the values in a record's fields match a scope rule, the record is assigned to the scope. A record can be assigned to more than one scope. (Records are assigned to scopes and indexes simultaneously. However, index rules and scope rules are unrelated.)

A scope comprises all records that include a scope rule's LOCATION code or BCODE value.

The following record types can be scoped:

If a record type is not scoped, then all records of that type belong to any scope.

For location-based scopes, libraries can specify what attached records (that is, items, holdings (checkins), and orders), appear in the scope. Bibliographic records without attached records appear in the scope if the library does not specify the attached record types for the system to display.

To view your library's scope rules, rename scopes, or change the order of scopes, see Maintain the Scope Menu in the Admin Corner. In Sierra 6.2 and later, library staff can add or remove locations from scope rules using the Scoping Rules function. To modify scope rules based on BCODE values, to change the scope rules that apply to a particular scope, or to add and delete a scope rule, contact Innovative.

Scoping can apply to staff functions and patron searches. Scoping implementation and behavior for these applications differ.

Scopes and Attached Records

Records do not automatically inherit the scope(s) of records to which they are attached. For example, a bibliographic record can match a scope rule that its attached item or holdings records do not, and therefore the bibliographic record will have a scope different from that of the item or holdings records.

A disparity in scopes between a bibliographic record and its attached records can lead to record display behavior in scoped searches that is initially difficult to understand. You can make changes to the location code values in bibliographic records and their attached records. See Maintaining Record Links for more information.

Call Number Search Failure

If your scope rule is based on data exclusive to the bibliographic record and your Call Numbers are indexed from the item records, then scoped Call Number searches will fail to retrieve those items. For example, if the scope rule criteria are only values from a BCODE fixed field (such as MAT TYPE), the system has no opportunity to apply that scope rule to record types other than bibliographic records. Every record type has its scope settings recorded independently of any other record to which it might be attached.

Scoping Requires Scoped Bibliographic Records

Scoping is determined by a code in the bibliographic record. Linked records, such as item, holdings (checkin), or order records, fall within a scope based upon their location codes and the applicable scope rules.

It is not possible to build location-based scopes using location codes that appear only in linked records.

Scopes and Authority Records

Authority records acquire scopes from their matching bibliographic records. The authority record's indexed main (1xx) entry must exactly match the bibliographic record index entry in order for the authority record to inherit the scope of the bibliographic record.

In order to ensure that the scopes for authority records are correct and current, you must periodically re-scope the authority records in your database. For more information, see Scope Authority Records.

Scopes and Logins

You can assign a scope to a login.

When users initiate searches, the search requester's IP address is compared with the appropriate Limit Network Access table and the system assigns a login. You can use the Limit Network Access tables to assign scoped logins to IP addresses, so that catalog searches from an IP address defaults to the scope for the associated login.

See also:
Scoping for Patron Searches of the Catalog
Scoping for Staff Functions

Scoping for Patron Searches of the Catalog

Libraries with multiple branches or collections that group records by location can use scoping to help refine patron searches for ease of access.

When a patron specifies a scope during a search of the catalog, all bibliographic records and attached items that include the location code defined in the scope rule appear in the search results.

The following are examples of two possible scoping implementations.

Example #1, Scoping by location:

A library with four branches defines four scopes; North Branch, South Branch, East Branch, and West Branch. Each scope comprises the records belonging to one branch. Patrons then can perform searches that retrieve only records belonging to the branch they specify.

Example #2, Scoping by BCODE2, MAT TYPE:

A library defines a "Musical Recordings" scope based on the MAT TYPE values 'c' or 'd'. A patron can then perform a search limited to the library's collection of musical recordings.

Note that it is possible for a record to belong to more than one scope. If the preceding examples both were implemented, a David Bowie album at the North branch would appear in both the "North Branch" and "Musical Recordings" scopes.

WebPAC Scoping Display Options

BCODE-based Scopes

For scopes based on a BCODE field in the bibliographic record, when an individual record is viewed, information from all attached records appears in the WebPAC.

LOCATION-based Scopes

When a patron selects a location-based scope and views an individual record, your library has the option to display item information from only the attached records that fall within the scope or from all attached records. Contact Innovative to configure your system for your preferred display settings.

Mixed BCODE and LOCATION-based scopes

When a library has a mix of BCODE and LOCATION-based scopes, the system displays all attached records (scoped or not). Otherwise, a search within a BCODE scope would not display any attached records.

Many WebPAC customizations, such as the style sheet, top logo, bottom logo, and most customizable forms, can vary by scope. For more information, see Varying WebPAC Options by Scope, Patron Type, and Language and Customization for Language, Scope, and P TYPE.

See also:
Search Scoping
Scoping Options

Scoping for Staff Functions

The optional login scope administrative setting associated with the staff user account affects scoping behavior for staff functions.

Innovative can set your system to restrict scoped users so that they can access records only within an associated scope. If your library uses this option, Innovative recommends that you keep at least one staff user "unscoped" to access records from the entire collection.

Contact Innovative to configure scoping for staff functions.

Login Scope

Staff users can view but not edit or delete attached item records outside of their assigned login scopes.

Login scoping does not restrict the editing of bibliographic records.

At libraries that use scoped logins for editing records, the system enforces those scopes when using Rapid Update in any function or Global Update. The system does not update out of scope records.

Records with Unscoped Locations
  • Scoped logins cannot retrieve records that contain only the location "none", the location "zzzz", or a location outside of any defined scope. Create an unscoped login to access these records.
  • Do not add a location to any record before that location exists in the library's scope rules. If you create a record containing an unscoped location, scoped logins cannot edit the record.

If you create records with an unscoped location, edit the records as follows:

  1. Log on to the system with an unscoped staff login.
  2. Create a review file of the unscoped records by finding all records with the unscoped location code.
  3. Use Rapid Update to insert a suppression code into the unscoped records.
  4. Still using Rapid Update, insert a code that does not indicate suppression.

Changing a suppression code causes the system to reindex the records, forcing them into the proper scope.

Contact Innovative to add the location to your library's scope rules.