ANSER Training: CAPS FAQ
CAPS Records Cheat Sheets
Thanks to Jody from Warwick and Vera from Valley Cottage for compiling the CAPS manual!
12/15
New 024 field in CAPS records for UPC code
Because of new indexes that are available to us, we have included another field that we will use to identify copy for the cap records. It is the Standard identifier#, or the Universal Product Code (UPC). It is included on AV materials, such as DVDs, Blu Ray, interactive media and music CDs. So instead of including the UPC code in the General Note field, please input the number in the Standard identifier # field. This will help speed up the cataloging process, since we are now able to overlay AV records that do not have a ISBN. Hopefully, with the proper use of this field will help the ILL/Cataloging department identify proper MARC records for inclusion in the catalog. Please note the new field.
ALL ABOUT CAPS
Q: What is the purpose of the CAPS Record and how should I use it?
A: The whole point to the member libraries adding their short bibliographic CAPS records is to get information into the database faster and for that material to be able to be circulated faster.
- You may link to another library CAPS record. Search first to see if there is already a complete or CAPS bibliographic record before creating your own.
- Enter your fields in Capital Letters
- You must include Title, Author, ISBN, Publisher, Date.
- Be very careful before hitting ENTER, look for typos. You cannot edit a CAPS record.
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Q: How should I search for an existing record for my item:
A: ISBN, Title, Author
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Tips for searching by ISBN:
You must use the KEYWORD SEARCH with the ISBN (or General) INDEX
Sample: For ISBN, enter either
9780838909447 OR 0838909442
Do not include hyphens
DO NOT USE MCNAUGHTON ISBNs
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Tips for Searching by Title:
If there is a subtitle on the title page of your book, please note it in your brief record. If you do not, we will assume that that record we find needs to have the subtitle removed.
Please do not start off your titles with articles such as “a”, “an”, and “The”
Please use the title page for the information you are entering, NOT THE COVER.
It might be better to find the publisher info on the Title page.
Sample:
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Q: My book on CD has all the same information (Publisher, #discs) as a record in the system, but the ISBN is different, what do I do?
A: If all the info is the same, go ahead and link it. Generally, the author, title, publication info should match.
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Q: I found a bib record that's exactly the same but my item has 2 fewer discs
A: Sometimes there is an early record, you need to let Linda know once your item comes in that the number of discs has changed in the final product
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Q: When should I include a UPC Code in the Notes field?
A: When adding AV titles that are short, eg. “Drive” or “In time”, please add notes for the actors and a UPC code from the AV package.
When entering music CDs, please add the music number and a UPC if available.
While some of you are adding the UPC numbers to your brief records (which is great), they are not the complete numbers.
Please add all leading “zeroes” and all ending numbers. These are the numbers which are set off to the left and right side and are usually in a smaller font than the rest of the numbers. They don’t look like they belong but, indeed, they do.
Example:
The UPC Code is 014551495321
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Questions about Audiovisual Items
Please enter the AV materials with artist or group information as follows, do not enter artist or group first:
TITLE OF MATERIAL [TYPE OF MATERIAL] BY ARTIST/GROUP
PUB INFO: PUBLISHER, COPYRIGHT DATE
GENERAL NOTES: UPC AND ANY OTHER INFO THAT YOU THINK MAY HELP US TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE RECORD.
WRONG: STYLE COUNCIL CAFÉ BLEU (CD)
RIGHT: CAFÉ BLEU [CD] BY STYLE COUNCIL
ACTORS and DIRECTOR can be helpful - put in notes field.
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Q: What are Circnotes?
A: We put a message in the circ notes if we need to get a photocopy of the material because we cannot find a good MARC record for it. Sometimes, before the library gets around to sending the copy to us, another CAPS record will get put in and at that time cataloging was available. If you see a circ note, please look to see if the CAPS record is no longer in CAPS. This indicates that the record was found and is now a good cataloging record.
Please do not send copies to RCLS for cataloging unless we request them. We have a procedure for working with printouts and if we do not find a good cataloging record for your item, we will put in a circnote for you to send us a copy. You can then send a copy whenever you see the circnote.
If you send copies ahead of this procedure because you think we will not find a record, it just confuses things.
Please adhere to the procedures we have established. All of your materials should be entered with a CAPS record if you do not find a good record to link to.
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If you do an ISBN search, be aware that that search ONLY works in KEYWORD. It will not work in exact or any other search. If you get no results after one search, you are REQUIRED to search by another method (usually title in keyword is the best).
Too many titles are already in the database because ONLY THE ISBN was searched. Often times different ISBNs are assigned to paperback as opposed to hard covers.
There are a few audiobooks companies that assign different numbers (eg. For Library editions). We do not make that distinction. We use one bib record.
As long as author, title, publisher and copyright match, please use that record.
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Sample CAPS Records
General Note 500: In this field you can put any of the following information: UPC, number of discs, starring actors or directors, series title, Orchestra name if music CD, or any other info you think will help the cataloger identify the item.
Movie on DVD
Movie on Blu-Ray
Movie Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack
Music on CD
Book on CD
Video Games
Large Print Book
Book
Other Media:
