Specify Interactions Tab- Creating a Loan
Tracking loans is important not only so that we know where our specimens are, but also so that we can have a record of how much use our collection gets. These numbers are vital to supporting grant requests, as well as internal tracking.
The steps to creating a loan are as follows:
| The steps for a return loan are as follows:
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The process is fairly simple. Please read this whole document before attempting to preform the tasks listed herein.
Here are the basic steps:
Run a simple query to determine the last loan number used.
Select the Interactions Tab from the top of the Specify interface
Most often, you will have a list of numbers or a record set to base the loan on, so you will use the regular loan form (red arrow).
Rarely, uncatalogued material will be sent out. In these cases, use the 'Loan w/o Preps' (blue arrow), and Specify will take you straight to the this form.
For standard loans, you will be asked to choose how you want to enter the catalog numbers of the items being loaned out. Record sets are the easiest to work with, but if you don't have one made, or if you already have a list of properly formatted numbers, the 'Enter Catalog Numbers' option is best.
Be aware that these numbers must have a comma separating them
Related page:
Other chapters in this section:
If you are creating this loan from a record set, you will be prompted to pick which set you are using. You must click on the set and hit OK even if there is only one record set available.
For entering a list of catalog numbers, a window for pasting/typing the catalog numbers will appear. All parts of the catalog number must be included (Catalog Acronym, number, separator (decimal) and suffix. Catalog numbers must be separated by a comma.
This next window requires careful attention to detail. Because we often have multiple specimens with one catalog number, as well as multiple preparations of a cataloged specimen; we need to keep careful track of what is going out, how many, and what kind of specimen it is.
Loan Paperwork:
3 copies of the NPL Loan Invoice. Two on white paper, one on pink.
One pink and one white go to borrower.
Remaining report goes into loan folder.
On Loan Labels printed on white acid free paper. There are 2 columns.
In-house label stays in the drawer.
Specimen label replaces the original labels when the specimen is sent off.
From here, Specify launches you into the Loan form. Fields with bold titles are required fields. Loan date and due date autocomplete with today's date, and 6 months from today. Shipment date also autocompletes.
Finishing the Loan
Once all the information has been added, just it save. Do not use the option to generate invoice on save, as this does not allow you to filter by agent role, resulting in specimen information being repeated for each of the agent roles.
Once the document is saved, close out the loan tab. You are now ready to create the reports and labels.
Some important points to note
Research (both off and on campus) loans and Destructive have an additional requirement. Specimens out on this type of loan will have an IGSN number assigned to them.
For each person associated with the loan, they have to be assigned a role. NPL requires that the Borrower be named, as well as the NPL staff or volunteers who processed the loan. If a single person handled multiple roles, list that person as 'preparer' and make a note in the remarks.
When a loan is for a class, one of the loan agents will be the name of the class (its abbreviation and number). If you are not sure of which class is associated with the loan, ask the collection manager. Also, the professor running the class will be listed as the borrower.
NPL allows students to borrow material under the sponsorship of their adviser or mentor. In these cases, the borrower is the adviser. The name of the student is recorded also, and given the appropriate role. Reports and labels will have to have the sponsors name on them, not the borrower.