Creating a Serials
Database
by Melissa Farley
Serials Associate
Ingram Library, University of West Georgia
mfarley@westga.edu
The Scope of this Class
 Designing
and Building a Serials Database using
Microsoft Access
 No Access Experience? No problem! Use these
slides as a guide after taking a class in Access.
Advantages of a Serials Database

Customized Reports

All Serials Information in One Database

One-Screen Serials Information

History of Changes

Communication among serials staff

Individualized Task Lists

Track projects, such as claims and missing issues list
Definition of Terms

Table: Like an Excel spreadsheet—contains one category of
information per table

Field: Contains one specific type of information, like a column in
Excel

Record: Information for a specific item, like a row in Excel

Primary Key: Unique identifier for every record

Index: A field that is indexed is quickly searchable. May or may not be
unique.

Query: Performs multiple function with raw data in tables, like
selecting particular records that meet certain criteria from multiple
tables or even updating and deleting information in tables

Form: A more user-friendly way to edit and view data from 1 or more
tables or queries

Reports: Printable reports with data from 1 or more tables or queries
Database Design and
Preparing your Tables
TABLES
Design—Determine needed Content
Tables
What information do you want to track?
My Content Tables
 All
Holdings List
 Title
Histories
 Cataloging
 Physical
 Online
and Serials Communication
Holdings
Access by Platform
 Current
Subscriptions
TABLES
ALL HOLDINGS LIST
Includes a record for every title
Cataloging and
Serials
Communication
Current
Subscriptions
Online Access by
Platform
Title Histories
Physical Holdings
TABLES
The All Holdings List Table

Title specific information
 ISSN,
E-ISSN, call number, Bib#, OCLC#, and summary
holdings
 Autonumber primary key
 2-cell index: ISSN and secondary code
 Archived status
One entry for every title—paper, online, or
microform
 Use current records and Voyager Access Reports

TABLES
The Primary Key—A Unique Identifier for
Every Record


Most tables in your database will have a primary
key.
ISSN
Code
PK
The Pitfalls of using the ISSN
1234-1234
01
546
1234-1234
02
547
9999-3234
01
548
3938-4505
01
549
 Multiple
 Titles
titles with 1 ISSN
without ISSN

Use the ISSN as 1-field in a 2-field Index

Use an Autonumber as your main table’s primary
key
TABLES
All Holdings List Fields—Table Design View
TABLES
All Holdings List Indexes—Bib Number
Not Primary: Some records have no Bib# (are null).
Not Unique: While Bib#’s aren’t repeated, the null values force a “no”
TABLES
All Holdings List Indexes—ISSN Number
2-field index. ISSNs are duplicated, with different secondary code. 01, 02, etc.
Not Primary: Could be the PrimaryKey, but a 2-field primary key causes problems with
forms.
Unique: Between the 2 fields, all records are unique.
TABLES
All Holdings List Indexes—Primary Key
Autonumber
Primary and Unique: Each records is automatically assigned a unique number.
TABLES
Preparing Content Tables

Online Platforms: JSTOR, Project MUSE, other owned
online subscriptions

Subscription Agent: List of active subscriptions

Voyager Access Reports: Title history report, Physical
holdings

Using Excel, or another spreadsheet program, create a
spreadsheet for each of your downloaded tables
(optional)

The importance of Cell Integrity

Specificity—One category of information in each table
TABLES
Cell Integrity
Title
Title
Adweek
Adweek
American Journal of Psychology
American Journal of Psychology
Behavior and Philosophy (frequently
late)
Behavior and Philosophy
Beverage World (cancelled)
Family
Family
PC World
PC World (put on display)
Wired
Beverage World
Wired
TABLES
Current Subscriptions Fields

Imported from
Subscription Agent

Add fields as needed:


Use study fields

AHL-Foreign Key

Source—agent and
direct
3-Field Primary Key


Multiple Title Entries
from agent

Title changes

Different formats

2 orders
Match from source file
on ISSN
TABLES
Online Access by Platform Fields—Table Design
View
 3-field
Primary Key
 Multiple
online records
possible for each title
 Match
from source files
on ISSN
 Populate
AHL-Foreign
Key field by matching
on ISSN
TABLES
Physical Holdings
Fields—Table Design
View
Fields
1
record per title
 Holdings
fields data types
should be “Memo” or “Long
Text”
 Match
on Bib# or ISSN from
source file
Data Type
PK-ISSN
Short Text
PK-Secondary
Short Text
Title
Short Text
Call Number
Number
Paper Holdings
Long Text
Microform
Holdings
Long Text
Notes
Short Text
Status
Short Text
Fund
Short Text
Barcode
Short Text
AHL-Foreign Key
Number
Holdings
Inventoried
Yes/No
Date Last
Inventoried
Date/Time
Use Study
Number
TABLES
Title Histories Fields—Table Design
View
 Imported
from
Voyager Access
Reports
 Only table linked to
All Holdings List by
Bib# instead of ISSN
TABLES
Cataloging and Serials Communication Table
Table Design View
Fields
Data
Type
Date Created
Date/Time
PK-ISSN
Short Text
PK-Secondary
Short Text
Note
Short Text
Completed
Yes/No
DateCompleted
Date/Time
Go To Shelf
Yes/No
AHL-Foreign
Key
Number
Email ILL
Yes/No
To
Short Text

Create this one from scratch in Access

3-field Primary Key

To and From fields with drop down list of
employees
TABLES
Creating Relationships Between Tables
Relationships
Creating Relationships
Relationships
Queries
So Many Possibilities!
(We’re only covering 1.)
QUERIES
Types of Queries
Most Common Queries:

Select


Make Table


Make a new table, with particular information from other tables
Append


Select particular records from particular tables based on particular criteria
Add records to an existing table
Update

Change data in particular records in particular fields
Rarely Used:

Crosstab

Delete

Union

Pass-Through

Data-Definition
QUERIES
Select Queries
Specify
which types of records to
include from the main table
Combine the data from several tables
into one
Eliminate certain records based on
desired criteria
QUERIES
Right-click to add tables
Click “Show Table”
Select desired tables,
and click “Add”
QUERIES
QUERIES
Serials Notices—Query Design
QUERIES
Serials Notices—Query Datasheet View
QUERIES
Serials Notices—Design View of Form
based on Query
Forms
Serials Notices—
Form based on
Query
Forms
Forms
The Best Way to View and Edit Data
Forms
All Holdings List Form
Creating
the All Holdings List Form
1 main form
5 subforms (a form within a form)
Title
Histories, Communication,
Physical Holdings, Online Holdings,
Subscriptions
Forms
Create a query to eliminated “archived”
records
Right-click to Add Tables.
Click-and-drag desired fields down to the design grid.
QUERIES
The Criteria Like No eliminates all records that have been archived.
QUERIES
All
Holdings
List
Form—
Design
View
Forms
All
Holdings
List
Form—
Property
Sheet
Forms
Forms
Title Histories Subform Design and Form Views
Forms
• Click-and-Drag Subform from menu to
Design View of All Holdings List Form
• Right-click subform box, select Properties
• Click the “All” Tab
• Click the … button on the “Link Master
Fields” line.
• Select the matching fields.
• Click OK
Forms
Communication Subform—Design and Datasheet Views
Forms
• Click-and-Drag Subform from menu to Design
View of All Holdings List Form
• Right-click subform box, select Properties
• Click the “All” Tab
• Click the … button on the “Link Master Fields”
line.
• Select the matching fields. Notice there are 3
this time. 1 2-field Index, and 1
Primary/Foreign Key
• Click OK
Forms
Physical Holdings Subform Design and Form Views
Forms
Add Subform to All
Holdings List Form.
Forms
Online Access by Platform Subform Design
and Datasheet Views
Forms
Add Subform to All
Holdings List Form.
Forms
Current Subscriptions Subform Design and
Datasheet Views
Forms
Add Subform to All
Holdings List Form.
Forms
All Holdings
List Form-Completed
Forms
Reports
Compiling Data from your Tables
REPORTS
Current Subscriptions Report
Create a Select Query selecting
only desired records.
2. Create Report based on new
select query.
1.
REPORTS
Current Subscriptions Report—Query
1. Create a new Select Query.
2. Show all relevant tables, choose
desired fields, and drag them down
to the design grid.
In my Current Subscriptions table,
there are multiple placeholder records,
such as membership entries. This
query eliminates all of those
extraneous records.
QUERIES
Current Subscriptions Query Datasheet
View
QUERIES
Current Subscriptions Report in
Design View
1. Use the Report Wizard to
create a new report based
on the query you just
created, selecting desired
fields.
2. Edit layout in design view.
REPORTS
Current
Subscriptions
Report in
Report View
REPORTS
Print Preview
of Current
Subscriptions
Report
REPORTS
Use Study Report
1.
Import Use Study Excel file into Access for
desired dates.
2.
Create a new table using a Make Table
Query with Use Counts and Titles.
3.
Create a Select Query using newly made
table and Physical Holdings Table.
4.
Create Report based on new select query.
REPORTS
Make Table
Query for Use
Study
QUERIES
Newly
Created
Table
QUERIES
Use Study
Report—
Design View
of Query
QUERIES
Datasheet
View of New
Query
QUERIES
Use Study Report in Design View
1. Use the Report Wizard to create a new report
based on the query you just created,
selecting desired fields.
2. Edit layout in design view.
REPORTS
Use Study Report in Report View
REPORTS
Print Preview of Use Study Report
REPORTS
What’s Next?
1.
Take an Access class!
2.
Determine your goals for your Serials Database.
3.
Gather your data.
4.
Sketch out the design of your database.
5.
Start creating your database.
6.
Get help when you need it:
 Internet
Searches
 Microsoft
7.
Access forums
Consider classes in Visual Basic and SQL
Form “Extras”
Search bars and buttons
Forms
Adding a Button to a Form
1. Open Form in Design View
2. Under Form Design Tools and Design,
click on the Button Icon
3. Click where you want the button.
Forms
Forms
Forms
Forms
Forms
Forms
Forms
Forms
Adding a Search Bar to a Form
Forms
Forms
Select the
option to find
a record
based on
value in
combo box.
Forms
Choose the
primary key
field and
desired
search field.
Forms
Hide the key
column, and
adjust the
width of the
column.
Forms
Change the
label to
something like
“Find by
Title:” or you
can change it
later.
Forms
Adjust the size of
the label and search
bar.
Forms
Forms
Open the
form in
Form View,
and select a
title.
Forms
Forms