3.13 Stocktaking/Inventory

The purpose of carrying out a stocktake is to identify missing items. It can also turn up errors in cataloguing or processing such as a mismatch between the catalogue record and the barcode or call number.

The following points should be considered:

• A policy should be in place to outline the cycle of stocktaking. Should it be carried out every year, or alternate years? In the school library it is strongly recommended that stocktaking be an annual activity performed at the end of the school year.
• Advise library users, particularly teachers, that a stocktake will take place on particular dates and outline the reasons why it is necessary. This will ensure staff cooperation throughout the stocktake period.
• A decision should be made whether to close the library during stocktake, or just to close the section that is being worked on at the time. The process will be quicker without interruptions and there will be less chance of patrons moving items around if the library is closed.
• It may be a good idea to weed the collection before the stocktake, or use the stocktake to look at the resources and weed as you go.
• Before the stocktake commences you may like to retrieve items out on loan to ensure they are not missing. This will involve follow up of overdues for both staff and students.
• While it is not essential that the collection be in strict Dewey order, all resources should be shelved within the correct collection to reduce problems. A shelf check can be beneficial for following up missing items.
• Make a list of every collection in your library, such as special collections, non-circulating collections and those collections which may be based outside the library. Plan the order by which you will stocktake the collections.
• If items are missing the catalogue records should be amended so that students and staff are able to see that the items are no longer available for loan
• What will you do with the results of the stocktake? Will the losses be reported to teaching staff, administration or the wider school community ? Is an estimate of losses needed to help in planning budgets for the next year?

See the Systems support website for further procedures on conducting a stocktake/inventory using TALIS.

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