Accession Numbers: AV and Media

Scope:  These instructions describe procedures for assigning accession to audio-visual and media resources, including best practices for claiming accession numbers via shared tracking spreadsheets.

Contact:  Ellen Maxwell and Lesley Looper

Unit:  Resource Description

Date last reviewed: 10/10/2022

Date of next review:  03/10/2023

Assigning AV and Media Accession Numbers

Unlike print materials which are assigned Library of Congress call numbers, the majority of AV materials and computer discs at Duke University Libraries are assigned a local accession number.  

Each AV format (DVD, Blu-ray, videocassette, compact disc, sound cassette, etc.) and computer format (CD-ROM, etc.) has its own run of numbers.  The catalog may show some overlap of accession numbers but they should be for different locations.  For example, both Lilly Library and the Music Library collect DVDs, so the catalog might show two different film titles both labeled DVD 100, but they should be differentiated by location.

Copy catalogers and original catalogers processing AV materials select accession numbers from Excel spreadsheets in a Box folder named “AV and Media Accession Numbers”.  The link to the Box folder requires a Duke NetID for login.  Open the folder and find the spreadsheet for the location and format you are cataloging.  Open the appropriate spreadsheet via the "Microsoft Excel Online" function as pictured below:

Next, claim the accession number(s) you need by inputting the next consecutive number in the next empty row, and add your NetID and the date in the next two columns.  To avoid creating large gaps, please claim only the numbers you need to complete the cataloging at hand.  This will ensure the numbers will actually be used consecutively.