Declaring an Item Lost

Owned by Natalie Sommerville
Last updated: Jul 24, 2023 by Jacquie Samples
2 min read

Scope: This document describes how Resource Description staff will update item, holdings, and bibliographic metadata  (<10) once the decision is made that they are lost from collections at Perkins/Bostock, Lilly, LSC, Music, Marine Lab and the Divinity School libraries.  See the document Missing to Lost Process (in Batch) that is maintained for the Metadata & Discovery Strategy Department by Jacquie Samples .

Contact:  Natalie Sommerville 

Unit: Resource Description

Date last review:  05/03/2022

Date of next review:  11/01/2022


Background Notes: 

  • Lost (IPS=LO) – item cannot be found and is not expected to be found, Collection Strategy and Development (CSD) may want to replace these. 
  • KEEPR collections materials set to lost should be reported to CSD for review when no other copy is extant, second copies should be transferred to the KEEPR collection as needed.  See Step 3 below.

Overview: 

Step 1: Item listed as available in catalog was not located on shelf by Access and Delivery Services at the request of a DULCS staff member, a DUL staff member, or a patron.

Step 2:

  • Verify that Aleph does not consider the item to be on loan (look for an asterisk by the number of circulations in the item record list)
  • Verify that the lost item is not showing as at the Library Service Center.  Consult with the Team Lead for Original Cataloging or the Head of Resource Description if print the holdings record contains print retention notes.

Step 3:  If the item is not on loan, set to Lost, keeping in mind that some may fall under print retention program guidelines.  Look for print retention notes in the 538 field in the holdings record.  Consult with the Team Lead for Original Cataloging or the Head of Resource Description if print the holdings record contains print retention notes.

  • To set to lost:
    • If it is a single copy, the item process status is set to LO by CS staff, suppress at the holdings and bibliographic record levels by adding STA _ _ $$aSUPPRESSED field so it doesn’t display in the catalog; then the holdings are removed from OCLC. If the holding location is the LSC, communicate with LSC staff so the item will be de-accessioned.
    • If there are multiple holdings of a single volume, the holdings record to which the lost item is attached must be suppressed and holdings are maintained in OCLC for DUL
    • If there are multiple copies or multiple volumes and only one or some of the copies or volumes is lost, CS staff only mark the relevant items with an IPS of LO.  Only suppress a holdings record if all copies or volumes linked to it are lost.  Only suppress a bibliographic record if all holdings and copies/volumes linked to it are lost.  Only delete holdings in OCLC when all copies or volumes are lost.

For further consideration: 

  • If  a single item is replaced, the original item record is still marked LO by CS staff – the replacement is a new item, an added copy
  • If a book is set to Lost, but then circulated, ADS will contact CS via asktech@duke.edu
    • CS staff will the item by unsuppressing records, updating IPS, and updating OCLC holdings as appropriate