ASRS Container Auditing

Department:

Circulation

Purpose:

The ASRS should be audited regularly to ensure the contents of containers match what is in the database.

Overview:

Auditing is done by student assistants that have been selected and trained by the ASRS circulation manager. This work is done in place of shelf reading and has the same expectations for time spent per shift. A log of activity is maintained recording the date and initials of the student auditing container so that issues involving the audit can be resolved.

Required Knowledge/Skills:

Basic computing, minor lifting.

Safety Issues/Precautions:

Working with the ASRS is inherently safe as long as the basic safety guidelines all students are taught in orientation are followed.

Equipment/Supplies:

ASRS, ASRS workstation, auditing log, swap site

Procedure:

1. Approximately 10 student assistants should be designated as auditors at the beginning of the semester. Previously trained students will remain auditors with any vacancies to be filled by a student working at least half of their hours at the main circulation desk, to be chosen by ASRS circulation manager. Auditors should audit 20 minutes of every hour of their shift, so a two-hour shift means 40 minutes of auditing.

2. When auditing, the student assistant should identify which container was last audited through the ASRS auditing log located in the ASRS area. Once the correct container is identified, it should be audited.

SHORT VERSION

3. Click on the Containers tab, towards the top of the screen.

a. Click on the filter editor button on the toolbar below the list of tabs in order to create a filter that will display the desired container.

4. In the filter editor menu, three columns will be visible. Change the filter expression to "Container ID". Keep the box next to it as "Equal". 

5. In the rightmost blank field, type "ML" in all caps, then the next number listed on the spreadsheet (in the black binder) immediately below the last one initialled, then add a "1" afterwards.

a. E.g., the container labelled as "01 001 152" in the spreadsheet corresponds to bin ML010011521.

6. Click "Accept".

7. Follow Steps 8-16 in the long version of this procedure, as noted below.

LONG VERSION

1. Click on the containers tab, towards the top of the screen.

a. Click on the filter editor button on the toolbar below the list of tabs in order to create a filter that will display the desired container.

2. In the filter editor menu, three columns will be visible, click on the drop-down menu on the left and click on the +ASRS Location option, and select Aisle.

a. Now the middle column will have a drop-down option, click this and select the Equal option.

b. Now the column on the right will have up and down arrows to indicate a number, choose the appropriate aisle the container should come from.

3. Click on the + icon to the right of the final column in order to add another level of the filter.

4. In the new field, click the drop-down of the far left column and select the +ASRS Location option, and select Bay.

a. Now the middle column will have a drop-down option, click this and select the Equal option.

b. Now the column on the right will have up and down arrows to indicate a number, choose the appropriate bay the container is in.

5. Click on the accept button to apply the filter to the container list.

6. 36 containers are now displayed, of which the container to be audited should be one.

7. Click on the row that corresponds to the container to be audited which will highlight that row.

8. Towards the bottom of the screen is an Add Audit button, click this to initiate the audit for the appropriate container.

9. Now the container will be brought up to the work station and the actual audit can begin.

10. Click on the Operations tab to begin the audit.

11. Sector 1A starts the audit and all items that are designated to be in that sector will be listed on the screen. Scan each barcode for the books in that sector. If a sector is completed and there are still books listed to be scanned, search the rest of the bin to try and find them.

a. Once all books in the list are either scanned or deemed not in the bin anywhere, click Sector Complete in order to move onto
the next sector.

b. Repeat this process for all sectors of the container.

12. Sectors listed as partial that can hold no more books should be reclassified as full by highlighting the appropriate sector and clicking the Sector Full button.

13. With the audit complete, initial and date the logbook for the appropriate container and release the container.

14. Continue auditing with the next container until the required time for auditing is fulfilled for that shift.

15. After auditing record time spent in the Swap Site.

16. If a student is in the middle of a bin, when their time is finished, they will not initial the bin in question, as though it is complete; the next student will have to re-audit the entire bin.

PROBLEM BINS

Bins are typically separated into 1- or 8-sector increments (i.e., 1A through 1D, going across, and 2A through 2D, in similar fashion). 

1. If a bin is too full to audit efficiently (i.e., a student cannot grab materials without risking possible injury):

a. Write down the bin number, and bring it to the immediate attention of the manager in charge.

b. The bin will be added to a special list for the student who handles these bins, or the manager will handle material reallocation.

2. For bins that have materials in the wrong sector (i.e., listed as Sectors 1A or 1B but the material is actually in Sector 2A or 2B):

a. Click into the sector the item should be in, and scan it into the appropriate sector.

By allocating materials into the proper sectors, we ensure that sectors and bins are not improperly labelled as partial or empty, if a bin is, in fact, full.

SINGLE-SECTOR BINS

Single-sector bins often contain boxes of bound or unbound materials; do not scan the individual items, or remove them from the boxes. Only the boxes must be scanned, for they are the "items" in each sector.

1.  Scan the item(s) as normal.

a. If a bin has less than three boxes, it must marked as partial.

b. There will be three boxes to a full bin, in this instance.