Inventory checklist

Prepare for inventory

• Consider weeding your collection before taking inventory of items that are out-dated, shabby, or unused.
• Consider "reading" the shelves first. That is, critically scanning the shelves. Move any misshelved books to their proper places.
• Reshelve the items on carts, in classrooms, on display, and so on.
  Tip: If you don't want to return certain materials to the library, make a list of their locations and then take your handheld around and scan them in place.
• Run a Title & Copy List, selecting "With "lost" copies", or open your Lost Copies list. If you can find any, check them in.
• Run a Copies without call numbers report. Assign call numbers to these copies. Copies without call numbers do not appear on inventory reports.
• Create an inventory schedule.
  • Decide whether to conduct a full inventory or a series of partial inventories.
  • Divide your library into sections by call number and determine the order in which you'll inventory them.
• Prepare your equipment.
  • Visually inspect your Panther, Falcon, PHD Dolphin+, or In-Hand scanner.
    Make sure it is fully charged (6 hours or overnight). Make sure you have any cables you need.
  • Delete any pre-existing scan files in Follett Remote or erase them from the PHD Dolphin+.
  • Install Follett Remote on workstations or laptops that don't have a connection to Destiny.
    On those that do, make sure you can open Destiny in the browser.
    Tips: You can put a laptop on a cart, attach your regular barcode scanner, and wheel around the library scanning barcodes directly into Destiny. You can put an extra-long cord on your regular barcode scanner and go to the shelves with that.
• If you want Destiny to alert you when a copy isn't where it's supposed to be, set up your shelf-checking preferences.

Start the inventory

Note: You cannot start a new inventory using a wireless device.

• Decide whether to limit it to copies in a particular call number range.
• If you have special Circulation Types for ebooks or other materials without barcodes, have Inventory ignore them.
• Make sure to set the "Except for copies..." date correctly.
• Once you've started it, review the inventory statistics: Click % Complete. Many copies may already be Accounted For.
  You just need to scan the Unaccounted For copies.

Scan your collection

Scan the books in order, starting with the 000s and ending with the 999s. Scan fiction and other holdings in alphabetical order. At the end of each day, mark the spot where you left off (stickies!) and upload your scans.

Note: You can continue your normal library activities, such as circulating and cataloging, while an inventory is in progress.

• Each time you open Inventory, if you're checking the shelf order, select the Check shelf order check box.
• Scan directly in Destiny
  • Open Destiny on your workstation or laptop-on-a-cart and scan directly into Inventory's Scan or enter one-at-a-time box.
  • Use a Panther or Falcon with a wireless connection to Destiny:
    Open Inventory in Wireless Destiny and scan directly into the Barcode box.
• Create scan files to upload
  • Use a Panther or Falcon without a wireless connection to Destiny:
    Tap Follett Remote , then tap Function > Library > Inventory and scan directly into the Copy box.
    Each day’s library inventory scans are saved to a LibraryCopies<Date>.txt file.
  • Use a PHD Dolphin+ to create a scan file that you'll transfer to your Windows, Mac OS X, or Mac OS 9 workstatation through the File Transfer Utility.
  • Use any workstation and a simple text editor. How do I create the file?
• Upload the files on Destiny's Inventory page.
  • From a Panther or Falcon, through Wireless Destiny: Open Library Manager’s Upload File page, choose the inventory, select the file, and tap .
    You may need to connect your Panther or Falcon with a cable.
  • From a folder on your workstation: Open Inventory, click Browse to select the file, and then click .
    By default, Follett Remote files are in C:\Follett Remote.
• Periodically, run an In-progress inventory report for Unaccounted For items. Review this report to determine whether you have missed any copies, shelves, or sections.

Finalize your inventory

Note: You cannot finalize an inventory using a wireless device.

• Review the list of copies still unaccounted for: Click % Complete, and then See Details next to Unaccounted for.
  • If you can locate any of the copies on the list, click Found to account for it and change its copy status to Available.
  • If you cannot locate a copy, click Mark "Lost" on the list to account for it and change its copy status to Lost.
• Review the Lost Copies list: Click % Complete, and then click See Details next to Accounted for.
  • If you can locate any of the copies that had been Lost, either click Found to make it Accounted-for and change its copy status to Available.
  • To delete a lost copy from the collection permanently, click Delete on the list.
• Click .
• Make the right choice on the confirmation message.
  • Select Mark all unaccounted for copies "lost" if you are sure that you cannot find the remaining Unaccounted-for copies. Destiny marks all the Unaccounted-for copies Lost and Accounted-for.
  • When you select Ignore them (don't mark them "lost"), Destiny does not change their inventory status or copy status. They remain Unaccounted-for;.their copy status remains Available, or, for ready holds, On Hold.
• Run a final Completed Inventory report.