Alexandria User Group Texas Library Association Convention Wednesday, April 2, 2003

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Alexandria User GroupTexas Library Association
ConventionWednesday, April 2, 2003

• Summarized by
• Luci Cheatwood, Librarian
• Whittier Middle School

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Presented by
Melinda Tooley, Trainer / Librarian Alexandria
Library Automation System COMPanion
Corporation mtooley_at_companioncorp.com Phone
800-347-4942 Fax [phone]
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Contents

• Alexandria Web Site Tips (Librarians Corner)
• Want to increase your circulation statistics?
• Assigning funding source when Importing Records
  from vendors
• Add Curriculum Codes / Notes
• Add a Subject to a Group of Books Or Audiovisual
  Items
• Keeping your circulation system happy.

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Alexandria Web Site Tips(Librarians Corner)

• Go to www.goalexandria.com
• Click on Librarian's Corner
• Sign up for COMPanion's Listserv -Alex-Net
• Librarians all over the world share problems and
  solutions about Alexandria.
• Get COMPanion Announcements
• Tip of the Week
• (continued on next slide)

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Alexandria Web Site Tips(Librarians Corner)
Continued

• The Big6
• Download the Big6 Lesson Plans!
• Big6 - Elementary PDF 1.1 MB
• Big6 - Middle PDF 1.1 MB
• Big6 - Secondary PDF 1.1 MB
• Big6 - Super3 K-2nd PDF 365 KB
• Resources
• Tip of the Week
• If you have any questions or about the
  Librarians Corner, you may contact Melinda
  Tooley at [phone]
• or email -- alextrainers_at_companioncorp.com.

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Want To Increase Your Library Circulation
Statistics?

• The purpose of the statistics mode is to show
  use of items that do not circulate but are used
  by individuals or classes.
• For example, a science class comes to the library
  and uses several reference books. You would like
  to record the usage of these books.
• To set the statistics mode Type the letter y
  then enter.
• Scan the items that were used but not checked
  out.
• When finished type a period. . (no quotes) to
  return to main circulation screen.

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Assign Funding Source When Importing From Vendors

• Purpose To specify federal books when importing
  vendor disk
• Go to File ? select your file ? to import ?click
  on item settings ? add the funding source then
  import as usual.

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4. Add Curriculum Code / Note

• The purpose of Curriculum Code is to make special
  lists of library books and AV materials that you
  or students can access easily.
• For example, the Social Studies Class comes every
  year to study Famous Texans and you want to be
  able to pull the books easily.
• You can search the card catalog for your
  Curriculum Codes if you use either the BROWSE TAB
  or the BOOLEAN TAB.
• You could create a report by selecting by your
  Curriculum Code.
• If you have not already used curriculum codes
  SAVE THIS HANDOUT for next year and wait until
  AFTER we get our records back from being
  updated.

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Steps To Create a Curriculum Code

• Click on the HELP button on the main circulation
  screen
• Click on Catalog Items (Assign Keyword)
• In the bottom bar type TOPIC
• C Class or Teacher or Topic
• (Put a space between the C and the Curriculum
  Code.)
• Press Enter

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(continued)

• Scan or type bar codes of books for the
  curriculum code.
• Type a period . (no quotes) to return to the
  main circulation screen
• After the items are scanned you can create
  reports, search in card catalog etc.

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Add A Subject To A GROUP Of Books Or Audiovisual
Items

• You can add a SUBJECT to a group of books or
  items using the same basic steps for adding a
  Curriculum Code.
• It will be added to the Subject Added Entry
  Topical Term (650)
• This cannot be used for 651 or 610 etc.
• When finished, it will be searchable in the card
  catalog.

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Add A Subject To A GROUP Of Books Or Audiovisual
Items

• Click on the HELP button on the main circulation
  screen
• Click on Catalog Items (Assign Keyword)
• In the bottom bar type
• S Subject
• (Put a space between the S and your subject)
• Example S Bilingual materials
• Press Enter
• Scan the barcodes or type the barcode numbers.
• When finished, type a period . (no quotes) to
  return to the main circulation screen.

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6. Keep Your Circulation System Happy.

• Back up daily. Use a different disk for each day
  of the week.
• Once a week run VERIFY Items and patrons
• Once a month run REBUILD at the data station.
• At least once per semester TURN OFF the data
  station to let it rest and regroup.
• Go to the Start menu then to shutdown.
• Wait at least five minutes or longer. Then turn
  it back on.
• Make sure that Alexandria opens correctly. If
  not Click on the Alexandria icon on the desk top.

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When in doubt about Alexandria software
questions, contact ALEXANDRIA technical
support. When in doubt about hardware questions
such as turning off the data station, contact
SAISD technical support at 281-9090.