New Items Tool Update

 

New Item Tool Interface
New Item Tool Interface

Library IT is pleased to announce the completion of the second phase of development for the New Items Tool. This tool is a web-based, self-service reporting tool that will provide selectors the ability to search for newly acquired or newly received materials.

Until October of 2012, the process of reviewing new materials was a physical one, taking place in a designated space known as Review Plaza in the Acquisitions department. As a part of this process, selectors and the Order Support Team communicated with actual paper slips regarding newly acquired and received materials.

To automate this process, Library  IT developed the New Items Tool in phases. The first phase, now in production for the past 18 months, was the creation of a web-based tool for selectors to identify and review all newly acquired items received automatically (through the pre-determined criteria) in their approval plan profiles. Selectors can search by datesubjectselector, or fund. In this phase of development, the tool only returned results for items received on “approval” purchase orders.

The second phase has expanded the tool’s functionality to include firm ordersgiftexchange, and depository purchase types. With these enhancements, the New Items Tool is now capable of returning results for all purchase types except continuations. This enables selectors to review all new items received in the area(s) of their subject specialization, regardless of purchase order type. The tool can also be used by acquisitions and collection development staff as a way to identify items received on particular funds. The new phase 2 feature is currently in testing and will be rolled out soon. This tool can be accessed from Staff Front Door Orbis: Reports and Tools New Items Reporting Tool.

Special thanks to Debbie Catalano, Eric Friede, Melissa Wisner, and Bob Rice for all of their work on this tool!

For questions or comments about this service, please email Yue Ji.