Improve copy note feature to streamline workflows

[Sarah Childs]

Now that copy notes can display in the OPAC, they can be used to provide useful information to patrons, however they are cumbersome to apply and use.

Suggested Improvements:
The ability to add them when you add copies would be very welcome. Having to add your copies, close the copy editor, and then reopen the copy editor to access the copy note function is extremely frustrating and involves a ton of clicks. I envision that when you add multiple copies, the note would be applied to all the copies, so if you want to just do one of the copies, or do different notes for different copies, you would still close the copy editor.

But instead of having to then access copy notes through the copy editor, there should be a direct option to add a copy note in the cataloging menu.

Copy note templates would be extremely useful as well. A lot of the notes we add tend to employ standard verbiage that we use over and over. Autographed by author. Donated by so and so, etc. I have one long note that I add to a new item that is donated by the same group every week, for instance.

The ability to edit copy notes would be welcome.

It would also be great to be able to display them using the column picker, since that would make it easier to verify that they had been added and added correctly, and other staff could easily see the notes associated with the items when not in OPAC view.

And of course, most everyone wishes they were searchable, though that should probably be its own bug.

[Sarah Childs (sarahc)]

Another thought: I don't do much batch-loading, so I don't know if this is currently possible, but if you could define it so that copy notes could be added as one of the item elements when batch-loading, I'm sure that would be very desirable as well.

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

I concur! Improvements to copy notes might make the wishlist item https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1297838 unnecessary.

[Jason Etheridge (phasefx)]

Re: column picker, would you want all notes to be concatenated into one column, or a subset, etc?

[Sarah Childs (sarahc)]

I'm really not picky about how they would display in the column picker. Just being able to display them there at all would be very useful to me, but others might have ideas about how subsets might be helpful.

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

Many notes might be too unwieldy to display in the traditional column format we have now. So perhaps the column display for copy notes could be somehow linked so that the presence of a note is indicated in the column and clicking on that indication opens up the note in read only view somehow?

[Sarah Childs (sarahc)]

Interesting idea. They can be pretty long, but my thought was that in most cases items wouldn't actually have notes, so I'd keep the column pretty collapsed, and then when they were present i could widen the column to see the full note. And some libraries enter very brief notes with one or two words or codes for various purposes, so they might be annoyed by the extra click.

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

Perhaps have a limited number of characters for displaying the note in the column with a "more" option that would appear if note is over that character length. A short note would display in the column in its entirety while a long note might look like:

Donated by the Friends [more...]

Donated by the Friends of the Library -- March 2014 [Less]

[Elizabeth Thomsen (et-8)]

I like limiting having the option to display a certain number of characters with a "more" option to display the whole note here and elsewhere in the catalog. (This is something we really want for the display of summary notes and other potentially very long fields in both search results and on the bib/item screen.)

We've talked about having an option to have copy notes only display within the library context, so that when you are searching library x you get to see all their notes about donations, etc., but when you're searching the whole consortium, you just see the list of items. (We might be less interested in this if the copy notes could fit in the columns and not display on a separate line.)

[Lynn Floyd (lfloyd)]

What about when there are more than one note on an item. How would that display? I know of a couple of items that have more than one note. 1 public note and then 1 staff note.

[Sarah Childs (sarahc)]

Oh, you're talking about more/less and columns for OPAC display? I thought we were still talking column picker in the staff client, and I didn't understand the use case for that since the columns are sizable and you can choose whether or not you want it to display.

As far as the OPAC, I honestly like that the whole note just displays automatically because people might miss information you want them to see if they have to click "more." I do kind of like the idea of the notes only displaying when limited to a particular library, though, because I've noticed people aren't sure what the notes are associated with the way the display works right now.

[Laura Horgan (horganl)]

I have moved most of my needed copy note information into a scat field so that I could see and report on the information in them more easily. If a copy or copies are available might it be possible to be linked to a code for note type that could be seen in the column picker?

a - acquisition note
b-- borrowing note
c - collection note
d- distribution note

just a thought or maybe me are trying to stay away from codes...

Having an ability to add notes or scat information during data loads would be helpful but with the located 856 development some of that information should go into the bib record instead.

When I do need to add information to the copy notes field having to save a copy and return to add a note cumbersome to say the least.

[Joni Paxton (paxtonjo)]

I agree with Laura regarding the additional step to add a copy note when you are in the initial "Edit Items" function. To be able to place the copy note at the initial "Edit Items" would be improve the workflow pattern. I also thought it would be nice to have the "Copy Note" feature colored or bolded to indicate it contains information. I considered placing a copy note when a patron would like the book after we discard the it. Right now, I am using the alert note which pops up at check-in/ check-out. Not ideal, but works.

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

Sarah, I was talking about the staff client display in holdings maintenance, circ, buckets, or item status. Although it might be useful in OPAC display as well.

Lynn, I've never added multiple notes, so I am glad you pointed this out.

I would prefer not to add code complexity to notes. Our catalogers rebelled enough when initials were suddenly required for notes since it added one more thing to an already burdensome task.

[Dan Wells (dbw2)]

There is a lot going on here (probably too much for one bug, really), but lest I not mention it at all, the serials note code was forked long ago from the copy note code, and already has the ability to edit notes. It would probably be a fairly small matter to allow copy note editing by reuniting this code.

I know this is just a small piece of what is being discussed, but it would be a good direction for anyone who wants to pick this up and run with it.

[Sarah Childs (sarahc)]

Yeah, Dan. When I created it the bug, I realized it covered a lot of different things, but they are all inter-related, so it kind of made sense to me discuss what we really want and need before we break it up into smaller chunks.

Elaine, I found the initial thing annoying as well, and I want to see any changes to notes make them more convenient to use. Hmm, if you were talking about the column picker, I don't understand the idea of the more/less button. If you want to see less, why not just use a narrow column? Or to me that would be a column picker development, where you could click a button in any column to expand to fit the contents of the column, but not something specific for copy notes. Titles can be very long as well.

Lynn, that's a good point about the multiple notes. I don't know the best way to display that in the column picker

Jodi, I like the idea of the bold or color change for the button to indicate the item has copy note(s)!

It sounds like there is consensus around being able to add notes during the add copies step.

[Janet Schrader (jschrader)]

Copy notes can be added when batch loading bib records with items. You just need to define the subfield in the holdings tag. One library in our consortium adds a note for date item added and donor.

[Laura Horgan (horganl)]

When adding a note for multiple copies it would be helpful if we could have the same functionality as serials. In serials there is both an item note, Subscription (title) note and distribution note. If the note pertained to all copies it could be added to a title note. I see no reason in any case why I should not be able to add notes at the time when I am adding the copy. In some cases such as for a reserve item I might have a copy that is a library copy and one that is owned by a professor so I would always want to have the ability to separate the notes if needed.

-----Original Message-----
From: <email address hidden> [mailto:<email address hidden>] On Behalf Of Sarah Childs
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2014 11:54 AM
To: Laura Horgan
Subject: [Bug 1297909] Re: Improve copy note feature to streamline workflows

Yeah, Dan. When I created it the bug, I realized it covered a lot of different things, but they are all inter-related, so it kind of made sense to me discuss what we really want and need before we break it up into smaller chunks.
a nl
Elaine, I found the initial thing annoying as well, and I want to see any changes to notes make them more convenient to use. Hmm, if you were talking about the column picker, I don't understand the idea of the more/less button. If you want to see less, why not just use a narrow column? Or to me that would be a column picker development, where you could click a button in any column to expand to fit the contents of the column, but not something specific for copy notes. Titles can be very long as well.

Lynn, that's a good point about the multiple notes. I don't know the best way to display that in the column picker

Jodi, I like the idea of the bold or color change for the button to indicate the item has copy note(s)!

It sounds like there is consensus around being able to add notes during the add copies step.

--
You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug report.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1297909

Title:
  Improve copy note feature to streamline workflows

Status in Evergreen - Open ILS:
  New

Bug description:
  Now that copy notes can display in the OPAC, they can be used to
  provide useful information to patrons, however they are cumbersome to
  apply and use.

  Suggested Improvements:
  The ability to add them when you add copies would be very welcome. Having to add your copies, close the copy editor, and then reopen the copy editor to access the copy note function is extremely frustrating and involves a ton of clicks. I envision that when you add multiple copies, the note would be applied to all the copies, so if you want to just do one of the copies, or do different notes for different copies, you would still close the copy editor.

  But instead of having to then access copy notes through the copy
  editor, there should be a direct option to add a copy note in the
  cataloging menu.

  Copy note templates would be extremely useful as well. A lot of the
  notes we add tend to employ standard verbiage that we use over and
  over. Autographed by author. Donated by so and so, etc. I have one
  long note that I add to...

[Jason Etheridge (phasefx)]

This is probably yet another aspect worthy of another bug (if one doesn't already exist), but let me add my two cents as well. In my opinion, the one good (and bad) thing about notes is that you can have any number of them for ad-hoc data. For data you enter regularly, I would love to see dedicated fields or use of stat cats. Right now, stat cats for users allow free-form text entry, and stat cats for items do not. What I would want to see is a toggle in the stat cat editor that allows you enable or disable free-form text entry for any given stat cat. Does that sound useful? It still couldn't completely replace notes, because again, you can repeat notes, and there may be a use case for that, even if it's the same type of note being repeated (e.g. multiple donors?) Trying that with stat cats could get klunky quick.

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

PINES would not want a title note since it would not apply to all copies attached across all libraries. However, if the note was for Org unit, perhaps that would be useful? We have not implemented serials so I don't know how the title note works in a consortium.

Jason,

 Rather than use stat cats for regular notes (since stat cats and notes are reported on differently since they serve different purposes), having a template for notes (or adding a notes section to an existing item template) would be better. Especially if one could edit the note and have the edit apply to all copies after it is added. For example, if you had a template for a Gift note: "2014 gift of" and you could edit it after applying the template, you could then make the note more specific : 2014 gift of the XYZ Club.

Having the template for the notes that would apply for one, some, or all copies attached to a library volume record would also allow you to use more specific recurring notes -- if you had a consistent donor, or you always removed an accompanying CD to behind the desk, for example. Or if you were cataloging a number of books from a large one time gift.

[Sarah Childs (sarahc)]

I don't love the idea of a title note, either, but we're also not using serials yet, so I'm coming from the same place as Elaine on that. To me if it applies to all copies, that is what the bib record is for. I don't like the idea of storing information about the title in two separate places. What goes where gets confusing. But per org unit does seem like it might be useful.

Jason, not sure about the stat cat idea. Is the idea to make stat cats do all the things we do with copy notes, and then eliminate the need for copy notes? It seems like it has possibilities, but only if it would be easy to transfer all the existing data from copy notes to stat cats. I do think the repeatable function of notes is pretty important, though.

Elaine, that's kind of what I envision for templates, too: basically that it's text strings you store that you could apply to notes, and then edit as desired.

[Laura Horgan (horganl)]

Notes that apply to only one library are not added to the bib record in our network. When I was thinking copies it was all copies owned by a specific institution.

-----Original Message-----
From: <email address hidden> [mailto:<email address hidden>] On Behalf Of Sarah Childs
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2014 2:52 PM
To: Laura Horgan
Subject: [Bug 1297909] Re: Improve copy note feature to streamline workflows

I don't love the idea of a title note, either, but we're also not using serials yet, so I'm coming from the same place as Elaine on that. To me
if it applies to all copies, that is what the bib record is for. I
don't like the idea of storing information about the title in two
separate places. What goes where gets confusing. But per org unit
does seem like it might be useful.

Jason, not sure about the stat cat idea. Is the idea to make stat cats do all the things we do with copy notes, and then eliminate the need for copy notes? It seems like it has possibilities, but only if it would be easy to transfer all the existing data from copy notes to stat cats. I do think the repeatable function of notes is pretty important, though.

Elaine, that's kind of what I envision for templates, too: basically that it's text strings you store that you could apply to notes, and then edit as desired.

--
You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug report.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1297909

Title:
  Improve copy note feature to streamline workflows

Status in Evergreen - Open ILS:
  New

Bug description:
  Now that copy notes can display in the OPAC, they can be used to
  provide useful information to patrons, however they are cumbersome to
  apply and use.

  Suggested Improvements:
  The ability to add them when you add copies would be very welcome. Having to add your copies, close the copy editor, and then reopen the copy editor to access the copy note function is extremely frustrating and involves a ton of clicks. I envision that when you add multiple copies, the note would be applied to all the copies, so if you want to just do one of the copies, or do different notes for different copies, you would still close the copy editor.

  But instead of having to then access copy notes through the copy
  editor, there should be a direct option to add a copy note in the
  cataloging menu.

  Copy note templates would be extremely useful as well. A lot of the
  notes we add tend to employ standard verbiage that we use over and
  over. Autographed by author. Donated by so and so, etc. I have one
  long note that I add to a new item that is donated by the same group
  every week, for instance.

  The ability to edit copy notes would be welcome.

  It would also be great to be able to display them using the column
  picker, since that would make it easier to verify that they had been
  added and added correctly, and other staff could easily see the notes
  associated with the items when not in OPAC view.

  And of course, most everyone wishes they were searchable, though that
  should probably be its own bug.

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[Sarah Childs (sarahc)]

Laura, Sounds like we might be talking past each other, then, because we wouldn't put notes that only apply to one library in the bib record either. To me "Title Note" meant all copies everywhere. It refers to the title, not specific copies. Probably it's because I'm not familiar with the serials function you're talking about. If it's org unit specific, that sounds good. I'd like the option for notes that apply to all copies at an org unit, as well as the option to apply a note to any copies desired.

[Kathy Lussier (klussier)]

Just adding a note that it looks like a couple of these enhancements will be coming in the new web client. While testing in webby, we were able to create a copy note at copy creation time and edit an existing note.

[Josh Stompro (u-launchpad-stompro-org)]

We have also found notes to be hard for our staff to use since we migrated. The main problem is that there is no way to know that there is a note unless staff pull up the item attribute editor, and then pull up the notes interface. I really hate sending staff into edit item attributes for anything, since there are so many chances to mess things up from there. (I know that there is a save and apply button right at the top of the screen, but don't click that.)

Our Copy Notes wishlist: I apologize if I'm repeating things that others have already said, there is a lot of info in this bug now to go through.

1. A indicator in the Alternate item status view that an item has notes. Much like what patron accounts have. A link that says (Has Notes) that when clicked on opens up the notes editing interface. Maybe an outline of the title in yellow would be helpful also.

2a. Show most recent note in the alternate item status view below the alert message. With an indication of how many total notes there are, with a show all link that brings up the notes editing interface.

2b. Or, Show all notes in a scroll-able note box, sorted newest to oldest below the alert box.

2c. Or, Show alert and notes in one scroll-able box, same place the alert box is currently at. The alert would always be first if it is set, then show the notes, newest to oldest. This would give staff one spot to look at.

3. Boolean Column Picker field of "Has Notes". Or perhaps a field that gave a count of the notes would provide the same thing, with the added bonus of showing how many total notes there are.

4. Column Picker Field of "Most Recent Note".

We also find it annoying that the copy alert and notes are in two separate locations. I wonder if alerts could just be replaced with notes that have an alert flag set on them. More along the lines of how standing penalties are setup, but I don't know if we need custom types... although that may make implementing copy note templates easier, so maybe that is a better route.

Josh

[Elizabeth Davis (elidavis)]

Just adding the idea of batch editing/removing copy notes would be very handy.