Taking stock of your library resource print collection.
This guide explains the rationale for taking stock of your print collection and
provides a step-by-step process for the exercise. While many schools are
compelled to complete a stocktake annually, for those who are not, you may
wish to work on a rotation or at longer intervals, based on your experience
and an analysis of the value for time spent.
Why stocktake?
Stocktaking is a library management tool that provides information on the
state of the catalogued collections in your library. Many New Zealand schools
are required to account annually for their library resources. Library
management systems have a function that is used to undertake the stocktake.
Stocktaking allows you to:
identify what’s been added to or withdrawn, including donations and
digital resources if a catalogue record has been created for them.
 identify losses (find or replace as warranted)
 confirm that each item in your catalogue actually exists and is where it
belongs
 ensure that items flagged as overdue are not on the shelves
 identify and fix catalogue anomalies
 be confident that reports you generate are a true picture of the
collection and its status
 provide accurate figures for the MOE accounting and reporting
requirements (see the Ministry of Education Accounting and Reporting’
document and follow the Financial information for schools handbook
link)
You may wish to include the information above in your Collection

Management statement.
Initial preparation: communicate with users, catalogue reports, locate all stock




Notify teaching staff well in advance, and explain exactly why you are
stocktaking.
Briefly explain the process, provide firm dates.
Most library management software packages allow you to continue
normal library operations while the stocktake is proceeding be as
flexible as you can without compromising your process. Try to avoid
closing the library during term time. If you must close briefly, let all
library users know in advance and offer alternatives for obtaining
resources.
Back up your Library Management System before you start, and
ensure it is saved on a separate portable hard drive, as well as on the
school server.
All items purchased from the current year’s budget must have a
catalogue record, with at least minimal information. A barcode, call
number, title and price will suffice. These records can be completed
post-stocktake. (This is an important step for audit purposes. What you
have entered on this year’s intake must reconcile with your budget
spend for that financial year. )
 Recall all outstanding items, shelve them, and check that everything is
correctly shelved. The more items on the shelves the smaller your
‘missing’ list will be. Correct shelf order will save hours of time when
carrying out your post stocktake shelf checks.
 Check cupboards, drawers and shelves for books set aside (e.g.
mending)
 Create and print a status report (or reconciliation statement) for all
items. Sort out any anomalies. Remove any items from the catalogue
which are designated missing ‘missing at stocktake’ from previous
years. This action will also minimise your missing list.
Note: If your barcodes have previously been placed inside books or other

resources, consider moving to placing them on the outside in future. Having
barcodes on the outside speeds the stocktake as well as other processes
significantly..
Preparation: equipment and staffing
The most efficient method is to leave items on shelves and take the
equipment to the shelves. Talk to your computer technician about the
equipment you need to scan all resource barcodes quickly and efficiently.
Common options include:
 Wireless barcode scanners (or)
 Putting barcode scanner on a long lead - 1 x PS2 extension cable (10
metres?) and a •5 pin DIN to connect with scanner (depends on the
scanner connection)
 Transfer the library database on to a laptop computer so that you can
operate without needing to carry books to the issue desk
 Transfer your computer on to a trolley or wheeled desk and operate as
above
Otherwise you will need:
 one person to carry items to the desk
 one person to scan barcodes and checking that the scan is
successfully recorded on the computer screen.
 It is important to watch for accuracy at this stage this is when you will
pick up any anomalies, such as the barcode not matching the
catalogue record; blank accession numbers; the letter ‘O’ being
confused with the number 0 etc.
 at least one person to return scanned items and re-shelving accurately
Setting up the catalogue software
Read the library handbook and/or library software manual pages relating to
stocktake, and/or check your library software help pages relating to
stocktaking.
 If necessary check your software supplier website they may offer
training or guidelines. Some software suppliers offer specific
stocktaking workshops.
Once you have refreshed your knowledge of the process:
 Confirm what information is required to comply with MOE accounting
requirements.
 Locate the stocktaking ‘wizard’ part of your library software
 Set up the wizard and any filters carefully – for instance: are items from
the teacher resource room, or staff-room included in your library
database?
 Decide whether you will stocktake these, and set up your filter
accordingly.
You are now ready to begin scanning in the barcodes.
Make sure that items such as magazines or games that may have been barcoded are included in the process.
Any items issued or returned during the process will be automatically tagged
as found’ for the purposes of the stocktake.
Once you have finished scanning all items






Run stocktake reports, including report of items not accounted for in
the stocktake
Check report of not accounted for items carefully, checking for obvious
scanning errors (e.g. shelves that have been missed, magazines or
new resources that are in a cupboard)
Check the shelves for all ‘missing’ items. Scan any that are found.
Run a final ‘missing’ report. Circulate to administration and staff
complete with monetary value asking everyone to please look for the
missing items and return
Publish a notice in the school newsletter and on the website
Declare an amnesty - you will get more items back
Reporting
Once you have located and scanned all the found and returned items:
 Change the status of all non-scanned items so that their record shows
they are ‘missing at stocktake and back-up your programme
 Finalise stocktaking reports and forward a copy to the Principal.
 Provide final audit figures to your Bursar or school secretary - (your
system may print this out as a report).
 Stocktaking information will also be useful to feed into your Annual
Report.
 If you have had substantial losses, discuss the stocktake information
with the principal to determine a strategy to minimise future losses.
Helpful
article:http://www2.curriculum.edu.au/scis/connections/issue_62/secret_library
_business.html