How do I perform a Collection Analysis?
The Getting Started worksheet is a step-by-step reference guide to the collection submission process. This worksheet includes additional information beyond getting started with links for advocacy and grants. There is also a special page dedicated to weeding your collection. Please contact our Library Service Consultants for more information about getting started on your collection analysis.
Can I perform more than one Collection Analysis?
Performing multiple collection analyses will help you track the changes to your collection. For example, you might choose to run a collection analysis before and after you receive a large order, or before and after you weed your collection.
Do I have to export my MARC records again to run a new Collection Analysis?
Whether you have to re-export your MARC records to run another Collection Analysis depends on what you want to achieve by rerunning your analysis. If you are trying to improve the results of an analysis you just completed, then you can run another analysis without exporting the MARC records again. Simply review the incomplete records tab and review the unrecognized and missing call numbers to see if any were missed. However, if there have been changes to your MARC records since the last time you ran an analysis (such as weeding, receiving large orders, or corrections), then you should export your records again for the most accurate analysis.
How do I improve the success of my analysis?
The Incomplete Records report identifies any record that was received with unrecognizable or missing call numbers and unrecognizable or missing publication dates. You can use the Unrecognized & Missing Call Numbers report to increase the success rate of your Collection Analysis.
First, you will need to look at the call numbers to determine if any of their prefixes should have been identified using the standard or unique book categories or any of the advanced options. Write these prefixes down and click the Edit Profile & Rerun Analysis button to return to the collection submission process. Enter the new information in the appropriate sections (all the information entered previously will already appear on each screen). Once this is done, simply rerun your analysis — you do not need to resubmit your MARC records. You can continue to refine this information and rerun your analysis until you are satisfied with the success rate. Once you rerun an analysis, the new results replace the old information. You can also use the Incomplete Records report to identify and correct records in your circulation system.
Does the enrollment and items per student affect my analysis?
No, this is provided for informational purposes only.
Where do my audiovisual records go within my analysis?
The third step in the submission process is to designate the book and audiovisual prefixes for your collection. If your collection contains audiovisual titles, you may or may not want to include them in the TitleWise Collection Analysis. On the Categories page, click the A/V Categories tab. If you choose to include audiovisual titles in the analysis, they will be reported as a separate category. In this situation, you need to identify the A/V category prefixes used in the collection in the spaces provided.
What if my analysis says I have records but no holdings or call numbers?
No holdings or call numbers generally means that TitleWise did not know where to look to find the holdings or call numbers. The fourth step in the submission process addresses this. On the Options page, click the Holdings Location tab and indicate which tag TitleWise needs to look at to find the holdings information. You should also verify that you have selected the correct record format (MARC21 or Microlif) in step two.
On the Collection Profile page, what does “Enter a Custom Description” next to # of Items per Student mean?
Entering a custom description is optional. If you enter a custom number, you are able to assign a label to that custom number such as SACs standards or state guidelines for recommended number of books.
On the Book Categories page, what would I use the custom book category fields for?
The custom book category field is available to use when you want to separate out the information on a special category that you use in your library. For example, if you use “SPAN” to classify your Spanish books, you may want to enter “SPAN” so these books are reported separately.
What is the difference if I choose to use the custom categories on the Categories page vs. the Remove Prefix option on the Options page for my Spanish titles?
If you choose to list Spanish on the custom categories page, it will create a separate category for your Spanish titles. If you choose Remove Prefix, your Spanish titles will be merged into the Dewey reports.
What is the difference between the Ignore Prefix and the Remove Prefix?
Use the Ignore Prefix function to identify titles in your collection that you have bar coded for inventory purposes (such as paperbacks, classroom sets, magazines, textbooks, projectors, calculators, etc.) but that you do not want to include in your analysis.
The Remove Prefix function can be used if your collection has special prefixes in front of call numbers to identify certain types of books in your library. (An example of this would be if you identify books relating to your state with a special prefix.) This option allows you to remove that special prefix so your books are categorized correctly. If you use the remove prefix option, the titles with that prefix are blended into the Dewey results.
On the Options page, when would I use the different advanced options?
- Ignore Prefix: This advanced option allows you to identify titles in your collection that have been bar coded for inventory purposes (such as paperbacks, classroom sets, magazines, textbooks, projectors, calculators, etc.) but that you do not want to include in the analysis.
- Remove Prefix: This advanced option is only needed if your collection has special prefixes in front of call numbers to identify certain types of books in the library. (An example of this would be if books relating to your state are identified with a special prefix.) This option allows you to remove that special prefix so the books are categorized correctly. If you use the remove prefix option, the titles with that prefix are blended into the Dewey results.
- Age Sensitivity: This advanced option can be used to modify the Age Sensitivity settings for those Dewey ranges where titles with older copyrights are more likely to contain outdated/inaccurate information. If you choose to modify the nine pre-populated ranges or create your own custom settings, these will become your default settings.
- Aged Titles: This advanced option can be used to modify the Acceptable Age span by Dewey range/category for the titles in your collection. Initially, the Acceptable Age span is 15 years. If you modify the Acceptable Age span for any of these ranges/categories, this custom value becomes your default selection.
- Holdings Location: This advanced option only needs to be used if the holdings information is NOT located in the 852 tag. In this situation, you will need to tell TitleWise what tag it needs to look at to find the holdings information.
What are the Acceptable Age Spans for Dewey categories as determined by the CREW method?
There are certain key Dewey ranges where titles with older copyrights are more likely to contain outdated/inaccurate information. The acceptable Age Sensitivity settings for the first 9 pre-populated ranges are determined by CREW (Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding) method and other nationally recognized methods of collection maintenance. Titles with copyrights outside the Acceptable Age range should be reviewed to determine if the information they contain is still accurate.
TitleWise has pre-populated the first 9 ranges for you. If you choose to modify the nine pre-populated ranges or create your own custom settings, these will become your default settings.
See below for the specific recommended 9 Dewey ranges:
003-007 Systems Data/Computer Programs: 3 years
320-329 Political Science: 5 years
361-369 Social Problems and Services: 5 years
370-379 Education: 5 years
380-389 Commerce, Communications and Transportation: 5 years
520-529 Astronomy and Allied Sciences: 5 years
570-579 Life Sciences/Biology: 5 years
610-619 Medical Sciences/Medicine: 5 years
910-919 Geography, Maps, Atlases: 5 years
Why is H.W. Wilson Company used for comparison in the Balanced Dewey Comparison Report?
The H.W. Wilson Company (www.hwwilson.com) is a publishing company that produces recommended core lists. They are not selling the books on the lists, and can be thought of as an unbiased authority on recommended titles for school inventories. (Use of H.W. Wilson’s name does not indicate affiliation with Follett Library Resources or endorsement of Follett Library Resources’ products and services.)
What are the differences among # of holdings, # of records, and the recognized call numbers on the analysis overview?
1. # of holdings: This number tells how many total copies were in the exported file (in some libraries this covers calculators, projectors, and other equipment, and also includes multiple copies of a title). This number will change when ignoring or not including categories in the report.
2. # of records: This number indicates the total number of records without including multiple copies (for example: the library has 5 copies of Call of the Wild, which counts as one record). This number does include projectors, calculators, etc. (one record per type of title).
3. Recognized call numbers: This indicates the total number of copies with usable call numbers. This number will change when ignoring or not including categories in the report.
Can I combine analyses from different schools?
A district-level user can combine the collection analyses for multiple schools in their district to create an aggregate analysis.
On the TitleWise homepage, click the New Aggregate Analysis button to get started. You will need to tell us a little about your district and your library collections. (Some of your information is prepopulated.)
On the next page you will need to select the schools you want to include in your aggregate analysis. You can only pick from a list of all the schools in the district that have previously performed a Collection Analysis. TitleWise always uses the most recent analysis for each school when creating an aggregate analysis. If you are not satisfied with the success rate of an individual school’s analysis, you may want to refine the input parameters and rerun the analysis for that individual school before you perform an aggregate analysis. To choose the schools you want to include in this aggregate analysis, check the schools from the Select column, then click the Next button. Continuing on will take you to the Age-Sensitivity Settings page. You may choose to use the nine pre-populated ranges or create your own custom settings. The custom settings only apply to the aggregate analyses. No changes will be made to the values entered for each individual school's analysis.
After your records have been analyzed, your analysis will be assigned a success rate. A green button refers to an analysis with a success rate of 90% or more; a yellow button refers to an analysis with a success rate of between 40% and 90%; a red button refers to an analysis with a success rate under 40%. Click on the View Aggregate Analysis Overview link to see the reports.
Grant and funding resources
For information on grant opportunities, grant writing assistance, and other valuable grant information please visit our Grants and Funding page.
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