Editing an Item Record - Search/Holds Function (Sierra)

This document explains how to edit a record using the Search/Hold function.


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Editing Item Records Using the Search/Hold Function

You can use the Search/Hold function to search and retrieve an item record you want to edit.

Sierra Search Holds Function
Sierra Search Holds Function

Note: the Search/Holds function cannot be used to create a bibliographic record.

Editing a Single Item Record

Use the drop-down menu to search and select the bibliographic record to which the item record is attached for editing. You can search by keyword, title, author, subject, or other available indexes from the drop-down. Use the Search button to retrieve the record you want to edit.

MLN1 Search Indexing Menu

The MLN2 search index drop-down menu has a scroller to view more choices available in the index.
The MLN2 search index drop-down menu has a scroller to view more choices available in the index.

MLN2 Search Indexing Menu

You will see the record in a full or compact display depending on your Sierra login settings. 

Compact Display

Here is an example of a compact display that only shows the Description. You must click on the dash to expand a list and use the Expand All or Collapse All buttons. Highlight the record you want to edit and click the Select button. You can also double-click on the record to open it.

If your login is set to Multiple Window Mode, once you double-click the record or click the Select button, the record opens up in a second window. Depending on your login setup, you may see either the Holds/Bookings view or the ITEM view, both of which will allow you to edit an item record.

Full Display

Here is an example of the full display that shows the format, description, summary, and preview.

Once you double-click the record or click the Select button, it opens in a second window. This record will appear immediately if your login is set to Single Window Mode. Depending on your login setup, you may see the Hold view or the ITEM view. Either view will work when editing an item record.

Item records can be edited in the Summary section below the Bibliographic record. You should be in the View Item or Holds/Bookings drop-down menu. Double-click on the record or the Record tab to open it.

Item records can be edited in the Summary section below the Bibliographic record. You should be in the View Item or Hold drop-down menu. You can double-click on the record or the Record tab to open up the record.

Sierra displays the item information on the Record tab when you view or edit an item record.

You can check if you can edit the record by looking at the Edit Mode (INS) listed in the bottom right corner of the record.

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Item Fixed and Variable-Length Fields

When you open an item record in the editor, the record display includes two sections: fixed-length fields at the top and variable-length fields below. 

You can edit some fixed-length fields and suppress individual fixed-length fields. Each fixed-length field has a label to the left and data to the right. You cannot edit the label for any of the fixed-length fields. For information on fixed-length fields, see Item Fixed-Length Fields.

Variable-length fields appear below the fixed-length fields. Each variable-length field appears in one or more lines of the editor and can wrap into subsequent lines. Variable-length fields can be copied, pasted, deleted, and sometimes moved. For more information on variable-length fields, see Item Variable-Length Fields.

MLN1 Fixed and Variable-Length Fields of an Item Record

MLN2 Fixed and Variable Length-Fields of an Item Record

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Editing or Modifying Fixed-Length Fields of an Item Record

You can edit some fixed-length fields. Each fixed-length field has a label to the left and data to the right. You cannot edit the label for any of the Item Fixed-Length Fields but can change the information in the white boxes. The shaded boxes cannot be edited; these fields contain statistical or other item-specific information.

Tip: you can either type information into the white boxes or double-click to bring up a list when available.  

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Editing or Modifying Variable-Length Fields of an Item Record

Variable-length fields appear below the fixed-length fields. Each variable-length field appears in one or more lines of the editor. The variable-length field can wrap into subsequent lines. Variable-length fields can be copied, pasted, deleted, and sometimes moved. For more information on variable-length fields, see Item Variable-Length Fields.

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Moving (re-ordering) variable length fields  

You can move the variable-length fields by right-clicking on the box and selecting Move Down or Move Up from the field choices. You can also Delete Field, Insert Field, Edit Field, or Copy Field.

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Delete Variable-Length Fields

It is possible to delete an entire field by positioning the cursor in the field to be deleted with a single click of the mouse and then pressing <Ctrl>-D;

Alternatively, it is possible to highlight an entire field.  Then, use the dropdown menu Edit | Delete field.

It is also possible to position the cursor in the field to be deleted and then click the right mouse key. Select “Delete Field” from the right mouse menu and click on that.  Alternatively, use the <Delete> or the Backspace key to backspace over and delete selected characters in the field.

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Item Variable-Length Fields Insert Menu

You can add the Insert icon to get the drop-down menu to add those fields to your item record. Press the Insert icon in the toolbar. Alternatively, type <Ctrl>-I to perform the insert function. Then, choose the correct field group tag to insert the field. Here is a list of the definitions for the Item Variable-Length Fields

MLN1 Item Variable-Length Fields

MLN2 Item Variable-Length Fields

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Undo and Redo Edits

Once you made any changes you can choose Edit | Undo to cancel up to ten of your last editing actions. 

Once you have used the Undo button, you can use the Edit | Redo to cancel up to ten of your last undo" actions.

When you finish editing the record, choose Save on the toolbar.

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Edit Icon

Note: Once you are inside the record, you can start making changes. You will see an Edit icon at the top of the record. This icon will open up the record to edit the bibliographic record.

 Click on the Summary icon to return to the item record list.

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Show public view of records

Use the dropdown menu View | Public display to launch a web browser and view any open record, as displayed in the Classic Catalog/WebPAC.

It is possible to view the public display whether the record is saved or not saved.  A message appears for records that are not saved before viewing the public display.

Here is an example of the Public Display in the MLN1 Classic Catalog/WebPAC.

 

Here is an example of the Public Display in the MLN2 Classic Catalog/WebPAC.

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Viewing Out-of-Scope Records

When a list of items from different libraries is attached to the same bibliographic record, records not owned by your library may be out of your scope. You will see the message at the bottom of the record (Outside of scope). If you try to open the record, you should see View-Only and the message (Outside of scope).

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