Find a title and check its copies
When a student asks for a book, finding the title is only the first step. The librarian also needs to know whether a copy is available and where it belongs.
InstiKit keeps a catalogue record for each title and separate records for its physical copies. A school can therefore maintain one set of book details while tracking several copies with different locations, conditions, or loan records.
Record the details that help librarians search
The catalogue supports title, subtitle, author, publisher, language, topic, and category. Staff can also record the subject, publication year, edition, volume, ISBN, call number, page count, price, and a short summary.
Librarians can search titles and narrow the list by author, publisher, topic, language, or category. These details help when locating a particular edition or finding books for a subject display.
For example, a teacher looking for books about plants can work with the librarian to find the relevant titles and check the available copies.
Maintain a record for every physical copy
Each copy has its own number, which schools can use as their accession number. Copy records can include condition, supplier, invoice number and date, remarks, and storage location.
Room, rack, and shelf fields help staff record where a copy belongs. Two copies of the same title can have different locations without needing duplicate catalogue entries.
The copy list also shows lending information, helping the librarian distinguish a book on the shelf from one that is currently issued or on hold.
Add new stock and import existing records
Book additions record when copies are added to the library. Staff can enter the details for each copy, including its purchase information and condition.
Schools moving from a spreadsheet can import catalogue records, books with copies, or copies for existing books using the supported import formats. The import process reports errors that need correction.
Print labels and keep shelves up to date
Print QR labels for a chosen range of copy numbers, with a selected number of columns and labels per page. Each QR code represents the copy number, and the printed label includes the book title.
When books are moved to another shelf, staff can update locations for selected copies in bulk. Condition and hold status can also be updated in bulk. Copies currently on loan are skipped by these updates.
This helps the librarian keep the stock register useful as the collection grows and shelves are rearranged.