Issue 106

As part of a SCIS subscription, libraries can request cataloguing for materials that they have not been able to locate a record for in SCIS Data. For our cataloguers to create the best quality record for you, we recommend that you send the items that you want catalogued to your closest SCIS depot. Where this is not possible, we do provide an online request system, which can also be used to request the cataloguing of websites and other online resources.

Sending in materials

Our Cataloguing services page contains a button to create a cataloguing request. From here, you can enter the brief details of the material that you are sending in.

Enter the title and ISBN or other identifier, and select the resource type from the drop-down box. Keep the default setting as Yes for sending in the physical resource.

After saving the record, you can add additional items if you have more than one item, or select Proceed to submit. This will take you to a confirmation screen that shows the details of your request and the cataloguing depot for your school. Once you select Confirm, the request is submitted and the screen displays a postage slip that you will need to print and attach to your parcel.

Not sending in materials

If you are not sending in the materials, you need to provide the cataloguers with a lot more information to enable them to create a catalogue record.

When you select Add new record, you can select No for the question ‘Can you send this physical resource?’ The form will now display additional fields so that you can provide the full resource details. We also ask that you scan or photograph the item’s front and back covers, imprint page (the page with the publisher information), title page and any other pages that contain information that you would like to see in the catalogue record.

After saving the record, you can add additional items if you have more than one item, or you can select Proceed to submit. You will be shown your request summary, which will be submitted once you choose Confirm.

Note that items such as posters and charts, DVDs, CDs, kits, and sets cannot be catalogued from an online request: our cataloguers need to view the items in order to create the records for these.

Doing your own cataloguing

Sometimes you may need to catalogue items that fall outside the SCIS selection criteria. To ensure that the records you create are consistent with those already in your system, you can now search and select the headings used by SCIS via our Standards page. This page contains additional information about the SCIS standards, and links to other helpful guidelines.