Periodicals Procedure Guide:

Basic Periodicals Check-in Via Alma

Last revised: 05/29/2025

This document outlines the basic procedures for the first-time student worker checking in periodicals via Alma. The supervisor may raise the level of the student’s responsibilities for using additional features in Alma that are not described in this procedure when the student’s acquaintance with this procedure has significantly increased.  If it happens, this procedure can be revised to include the procedure for additional responsibilities.

1. Prepare Issues for Check-in

1.1 Items for check-in

1. Unwrap all journals, magazines, etc.  Keep all supplements, BUT TRASH all loose promotion materials (including those stuck on the covers). It is suggested to pile up journals, magazines, etc. by their sizes.
   
   
2. You’ll need the date stamp, property stamp with the line “NOT TO BE TAKEN FROM THE LIBRARY”, and labels for call numbers.

1.2 Computer

1. Log into Alma using the student log-in account provided by [Anthony].

2. Locate Issues to Receive

2.1 On the Received Items List page

1. Regular steps:

Select [ Receive ] in the white toolbar located at the top of the page (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: “Receive” Button Location

2. Enter the title of the journal in the second search box, located on the Receive New Material page, on the “continuous” tab (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: Where To Enter The Title of a Journal

3. Use the “Item description” and “Locations” column to determine which title is the one you need to use to check-in new issues. The “Item description” column will display the full title of the journal and the author or editor. The “Locations” column will show you where the corresponding journal is located in the library. You are looking for items located in either the (Ref Collect) or the (Period-Stack).

Figure 3: Item Descriptions and Locations Table

4. Once you’ve determined which is the correct journal, locate the “More” button, select the button, and select “Manage Items” (see Figure 4).

Figure 4: “Manage Items” Drop-Down Location

5. Common Q&A
   

• How can I find the title of the publication?

Most of the time, what you see on the cover will be the title for you to check in.  With a few exceptions, most titles  run from left to right.  Title can be a full title or an abbreviation.  For example, TLS is the abbreviation of Times Literary Supplement.  Most of the time, we use the full title for checking in. However, if the full title does not bring up anything, use the abbreviation.  

• How can I find the issue no. in the item?

Most of the time, you can find the issue no. (e.g., volume, number) and/or date information on the cover.  Sometimes, you can find it in the bibliographic/title page.  But, for some titles, the information can be found on an unexpected page (e.g. editorial page; imprint page, etc.).  When found, use the information you find to match with the issue in the box of [ Issue(s) in Hand ] to check in.

• What if none match?
  When you are not able to find a match, set aside for [Tabitha] to review because it may involve a change of check-in pattern or require looking up at Ebsconet.

3. Check-in Issues

3.1 On the Received Items List page

1. Focus on the “Call Number” and “Description” columns on this page. Scroll down the page until you locate the issue you need to check-in. The description will offer the enumeration and date of expected issues.

2. ONLY IF there is no other issue no. preceding the issue no. you are going to check in, then you can move on to 2.2.  Otherwise, set aside the item for [Tabitha] to review for there may involve the inapplicable check-in pattern or missing issues, whether unclaimed or otherwise.

3. Click the “more” button on the far right of the row, select “Edit Inventory item” from the drop down menu. This will take you to the “Physical Item Editor” page (see Figure 5).

Figure 5: “Edit Inventory item” Drop-Down Location

4. Enter the value “0” in the “Copy ID” field and 00NOCIRC in the “Item Policy” field (see Figure 6).

Figure 6: Date Entry for Items Received

5. Confirm that a barcode exists for this item. Check the barcode field, if there is no barcode, press the grey generate button for a barcode to generate.

6. Revise the enumeration and date information displayed in the “Description” field. This information should be formatted in a way that matches what has been previously checked in. In MOST cases, the enumeration will follow the format displayed below (see: After revision).

Before revision: v.99:no.35(2019:Sep. 02)

After revision: v. 99, no. 35 (2019 Sep. 2)

• 1. Locate and select the blue “save” button at the top of the “Physical Item Editor” page (see Figure 7).

Figure 7: “Save” Button

• 2. If a Confirmation Message pop-up window appears, select the “confirm” button (see Figure 8).

Figure 8: Confirm Action

7. Locate the check box to the far left of the issue, select the check box (see Figures 9 and 10).

Figure 9: Check Box Location

Figure 10: Check Box Location 2

8. Select the blue “Save and Receive” button at the top of the “Received Items List” page (see Figure 11).

Figure 11: “Save and Receive” Button

9. After selecting this button, you will be redirected to the “Receive New Material” screen. From here, you can repeat steps in steps 1 through 2 listed above for other periodicals as needed .

4. Call No. On a Label

4.1 Label formats

1. Use the #5167 label.  Its dimension is 1/2” x 1-3/4”.  Write the holding (REF, or PER, or INDEX) on the top, the call no. in the middle, and the issue no. at the bottom.
   
2. For example, holding is PER, call no. is L16.9 .T6, and issue no. is v.147, no. 12.  On the label, it will be written as:

3. Format examples:

4. In some cases, the call no. is too long to be written vertically on the label or the front page has too little room for the label (such as, when it is the table of contents page, which you don’t want to cover). If this happens, you can write the call no. horizontally on the label in one of the following ways:

4.1.d.1 The preferred way:

4.1.d.2 The second way (if it has to be):

5. Common Q&A

5.1 Where should I put the label on the item?

1. The label should be placed down on the bottom left corner, or if not possible, the central bottom.  Always make sure that the label should NOT cover any part of the title, or the table of contents if it is the only table of contents of the item.

5.2 Where should I stamp the item?

1. Stamp on the white area, or the lightest area, of the front cover.  However, if the front cover is too dark or glossy, you may stamp the inside title page in a similar manner (i.e. select an area that is free of text and graphics). In any case, use judgment but ask [Tabitha] if you feel that you need guidance in making the best decision about stamp location.  The bottom line is that both stamps can be shown prominently on the front cover or the first page inside the front cover.

5.3 What do I do with duplicate issues?

1. Occasionally, the Library will receive duplicate issues from some publishers. Student worker should set this issue aside for Newspaper/Periodicals Staff [Tabitha] to review. [Tabitha] will confirm an issue is indeed a duplicate issue (i.e. check Current Periodicals shelves for the identical issue). [Tabitha] will use a call# label, write down “Duplicate” and place it on the cover of the duplicate issue. The title, volume and issue number will be recorded in the “Duplicate Title” spreadsheet, saved on the shared Google drive:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13s2ZNgPBvjOGeXrZTdzqyV8yoGZxDMFo/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106046910881866086550&rtpof=true&sd=true

2. Check-in records indicate 2 copies:
   Some check-in records indicate that the Library should receive 2 copies. This practice of receiving 2 copies has been stopped, however, check-in records have not been updated to reflect the change. For the time being, we will ignore the 2nd copy in the check-in records.

TWO KEYS TO EXCEL:

• USE YOUR BEST JUDGEMENT ALL THE TIMES AND EXERCISE IT WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THIS PROCEDURE

• ASK WHENEVER YOU ARE UNSURE OF SOMETHING