Item Formats & Status

Assigning Format Based on Bibliographic Record Data

Aspen has the capability to assign format based on bibliographic record data, instead of specific item data (ie item types).

The settings to enable this are located within ILS Integration > Indexing Profile > Format Information > Load Format From, then switch to "Bib Record." Aspen Discovery checks the record data against rules based on the MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data manual from the Library of Congress. The final format decision is based on the rules below. 

In the rules below, Aspen is checking the fields in this order:

1. Every field except the 007 and the leader
2. 007
3. Leader

Aspen also checks all 250 fields rather than just the first 250 field when determining format.

By default, this table is sorted in alphabetical order by Format Display. Use the search box below to locate a specific format or format value.

  If Aspen finds any of the following formats based on the rules outlined in the below table, these will override any other found formats:

• CompactDisc
• GraphicNovel
• LargePrint
• Kinect
• XBox360
• PlayStation
• PlayStation3
• PlayStation4
• Wii
• WiiU
• 3DS
• WindowsGame
• LibraryOfThings
• CD+DVD
• VoxBooks

You can translate the formats and the way they are displayed to the patron in ILS Integration > Indexing Profile > Format Information.

There are a number of default bib format mappings you can load by deafult into Aspen.

On a non-Koha ILS Aspen instance, these will typically be added by default as a data jumping off point. 

Here is the information on the Default Bib Format chart:

Format Map

The format map lives in Aspen Administration > ILS Integration > Indexing Profiles > Scroll to the Format Information section.

Value - The item type/format code

Format - The text to display for the format in the grouped works display

Format Category - This is the format grouping category. This is how Aspen knows which grouped work format icon the format should go under. 

Example: The format of DVD and the format of BLURAY are both the same expression of a work. They would share the grouped work format icon category of Movies. 

Format Boost - How relevant the format is in search results. 

Hold Type - What type of holds can be placed on that format. Choose from Bib Only, Item Only, Either Bib or Item, or No Holds Allowed. 

Example: If you have the format MAG - Magazine, like National Geographic, with all volumes on one bibliographic record, if you select Hold Type: Item Only, then users can place a hold on a specific volume.

Suppress? - Check suppress? if you want to hide the format from the Aspen catalog.

In Library Use Only? - Check In Library Use Only? if that format is only allowed to be used in the library.

Example: REF - Reference materials can only be used in the library.

Pickup at - Users can choose from Any valid location, Holding Library and Holding Location

• Any valid location = The library will put it on the courier to any other library in the consortium
• Holding Library = The library will put it on the courier to any other branch of our library system, but not to another library system
• Holding Location = The library isn't putting it on a courier but the user can come pick it up where the item is

Koha Item-Level Format Determination

If you are using Koha and have selected item-level format determination (rather than bib-level format determination), Aspen will look at the item record in the following order to see if any values match the values translated on the Format Map:

Shelf Location (952$c) > Sub Location > Collection (952$8) > Item Type (952$y)

For example, let's say you have a record for a book, and the item on the record has a shelf location of MYSTERY, a collection code of Juvenile Fiction, and an item type of BOOK. Aspen will first check the format map for MYSTERY, then Juvenile Fiction, then BOOK. If BOOK is the only value Aspen finds on the format map, then Aspen will use the format translation for BOOK. 

This is why you could run into issues when using a shelf location or collection code of "DVD" which contains a mix of item types such as DVD and BLURAY; Aspen will find the "DVD" value in the shelving location/collection code first, so will not be able to get to the BLURAY item type. To prevent this, we recommend that you use another value for the collection code and/or shelving location, such as "MOVIES" or "MEDIA," that does not match an existing value on the format map.

In sum: for successful item type mapping, avoid assigning shelving locations or collection codes that are identical to any item types. 

Note: For Item Type use the Value in Koha (exp: BK = Book) to map in the Format map. For Collection Code and Shelving Location use the Translated Values found in ILS Intregration > Translation Maps (exp: collection code authorized value is JFIC, the translation is Juvenile Fiction. Put Juvenile Fiction in for the Value in the Format Map, so Juvenile Fiction = Book, not JFIC = Book)

Any blank fields or values not added in the chart will force Aspen to follow Bib Level Format Determination.

In the below example, the Koha item type value is VG, which you could define as "Video Games." However, since your users are likely searching for a game that works with specific gaming systems, "Video Games" may be too broad a label for the format. By leaving the format translation field blank, we're telling Aspen to look at the Bib Level Determination rules instead to pull out more specific formats such as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, or Xbox One. 

Large Print

Aspen Administration > ILS Integration > Indexing Profiles > Format Information, you can select Check Record for Large Print to make Large Print books more prominent in the grouped works display. 

If a bib record has multiple item types the items will split out by format and display separately. Some examples of this include bib records with Reference materials and circulating materials, regularly circulating items and express items, and physical items and online only items.

In this example, there is one bib record with an item type of BOOK and an item type of REFERENCE. Here is the view where Aspen splits the formats out.

Only formats that allow holds will display the hold button.

When placing a hold, the hold will follow the rules of the holdable format if there are multiple formats.

When you click into either the Book or the Reference copy, it takes you to the same Bib record.

On the bib record page, the various formats will display as a comma separated list where record details are displayed.

In the copies panel, all items on the bib record will show, not just the holdable copies.

If the holdable format allows an item level hold, patrons will only be able to select items of the holdable format.

Within Aspen Administration > ILS Integration > Indexing Profiles > Item Information you can configure item settings. Here you can define the item tag, the item record number, call number, location, sub location, shelving location, collection, volume, barcode, item types, format, notes and more. 

From here you can also define non holdable statuses, statuses to suppress, non holdable itypes and itypes to suppress.

You have several customization options of how you want your Copy information to display in the item record.

1. Location: This location is the Owning Library. If you are a single library system and want to remove this information because it is redundant, you can go to Aspen Administration > ILS Integration > Indexing Profiles > Item Information > uncheck Include Location Name in Detailed Location.

2. Sub Location:  The above example shows the Sub Location, though the Sub Location does not display by default. In this example, the library has configured the Sub Location to display their Collection codes. To specify a sub location, navigate to Aspen Administration > ILS Integration > Indexing Profiles > Item Information > Sub Location, then add the subfield you'd like to display. For example, if using the Koha ILS, entering in "8" typically corresponds with Collection Code. However, this can be substituted for another other field according to your ILS export fields and the information you'd like to display.

The following information is typically set up by your Aspen support company:

3. Shelving Location: Configure this by going to Aspen Administration > ILS Integration > Indexing Profiles > Item Information > Shelving Location and enter in the field where you store your shelf location. For the Koha ILS, this value = c.

4. Call Number: Configure this information by going to Aspen Administration > ILS Integration > Indexing Profiles > Item Information > Call Number and enter in the field where you store your call number. For the Koha ILS, this value = o.

5. Item Status:  Statuses are mapped in Aspen Administration > ILS Integration > Indexing Profiles > Status Mappings. 

To add a public note to the copies infromation, set the field where to the public note is held in ILS Integration > Indexing Profiles > Item Information > Note. Once added, this will take an overnight index.

In Koha, this is usually subfield z. You can find the subfield information in your MARC item data:

Here is a screenshot of where the information is added in Koha:

And where the information displays in Aspen under Copies > Note:

You can choose to show the Due Date to display in the Copies details:

1. Make sure the Due Date is mapped in Aspen Administration > ILS Integration > Indexing Profiles > Item Information > Due Date = k (or other corresponding field where you store your due date)

2. Go to Aspen Administration > Catalog/Grouped Works > Grouped Work Displays > click into your library's settings > Full Record Display > check Show Item Due Dates

Last Check-in Date

You can choose to show Last Check-in date.

Make sure the Last Check-in Date is mapped in Aspen Administration > ILS Integration > Indexing Profiles > Item Information > Last Check in Date = d (or other corresponding field where you store your last check-in date) and Last Check In Format = MM/dd/yyyy (see Simple Date Java Documentation) 

If you are a site with several branches/locations, there are some automatic changes that will happen to the Availability statuses, often depending on the ownership of the item. 

• Available at Another Library - This library doesn't own a copy, but another library (specified in Records to Include) has it and it is available
• Available Online - Available now via an eContent provider
• Checked Out - Not available at either this library or another library (records owned or records to include). A user will have to wait for the item.
• Checked Out/ Available Elsewhere - The library's owned copy is checked out (records owned), but another library has an available copy (records to include)
• It's Here - This status will display if this library owns the item (records owned), it's currently available, the user is accessing the catalog from within your library, AND the IP address setting for this library location has been configured. 
• On Shelf - Available at the owning library (records owned). This is the default display for available items.

To view or modify the records defined in Records to Include:

1. Navigate to Aspen Administration > Primary Configuration > Library Systems > Select the library you wish to edit > Scroll to the bottom for Records to Include.
2. To apply to all records, type in:    .*
3. To apply to specific locations, enter in the branch codes separated with pipes and no spaces.
4. If the records should be owned, check the box for "Owned."

These are advanced settings. If you're still not sure what to do with Records Owned or Records to Include, please submit a support ticket and describe what you wish to accomplish. We're more than happy to help!

If you would like "It's Here" to display for available items when users access your catalog from within your library building:

1. Visit Aspen Administration > Primary Configuration > IP Addresses
2. Make sure your library's IP address has been added and "Treat as OPAC" has been checked.
3. If not, click "Add New" to create the setting and add your IP address.
4. Next, visit Primary Configuration > Library Systems > Holdings Summary > Check "Show It's Here."

To map your statuses to your ILS, go to Aspen Administration > ILS Integration > Indexing Profiles > Status Map. Any saved changes to the status map will be reflected after an overnight index.

Value: The status code from your ILS. (In Koha, this is the text in the Description field, not the Authorized Value.)

Status: How you would like your status label to display.

Grouped Status: What status this corresponds to for the entire grouped work. 

Match the Value and Status to a corresponding Grouped Status from the drop down.

On this status map, you can also choose which statuses to Suppress and which statuses are for In Library Use Only.

If you have assigned a status the Grouped Status of Library Use Only, you can also check the box for In Library Use Only. However, there could be a situation where a library (example: research library) has items they would want to show as available to access, so could choose a Grouped Staus of "On Shelf" but also check the box for "In Library Use Only" so individual copies that must be used in the library will display with this information.

This code snippet shows how the group status displays (in reverse order). Grouped statuses with a higher number after the "=>" will trump all other statuses on the bib. So, if a bib has six items and five have a status of Checked Out while one has a status of On Shelf, the On Shelf status will trump all other status information in display.

static $statusRankings = array(
'Currently Unavailable' => 1,
'On Order' => 2,
'Coming Soon' => 3,
'In Processing' => 3.5,
'In Transit' => 3.75,
'Checked Out' => 4,
'Library Use Only' => 5,
'Available Online' => 6,
'On Shelf' => 7
);

The default status colors should be:

• Currently Unavailable (red)
• On Order (red)
• Coming Soon
• In Processing (red)
• Checked Out (red)
• Library Use Only (Not For Loan) - (red)
• Available Online (green)
• In Transit (red)
• On Shelf (green)
• Available at another library/elsewhere (yellow)

General Information

Added in the Last vs. Collection

On Order items can display automatically in the "Added in the Last" facet and the "Collection" facet. However, there are a few differences between these facets in what counts as "on order."

Added in the Last > On Order contains:

• Titles that are newly on order and nothing has arrived yet. 
• Items with a status mapped to "On Order" in ILS Indexing Profile > Status Map > Grouped Status.

Collection > On Order contains:

• Titles that are both new orders AND re-orders.

Differences in On Order Status Between ILSes

Koha

Documentation Coming Soon

Polaris

Documentation Coming Soon

Sierra

Aspen receives order information through the Sierra API in a separate file (active_orders.csv). If your order records are not displaying properly, you may need to add order record information in the Indexing Profile (in Aspen Administration > ILS Integration). Edit the indexing profile and scroll to Order Record Fields (Sierra Only, not frequently used), then input your order record info.

Symphony

Documentation Coming Soon

Evergreen

Documentation Coming Soon

Evolve

Documentation Coming Soon