Library Technical Services

Basics of the Voyager Acquisitions and Cataloging Modules

Scope: Library staff use this procedure as a guideline for learning basic skills necessary to use the library's Voyager system.

Contact: Ardeen White

Date last updated: 05/01/06

Windows and the Voyager Desktop

• Voyager uses Windows to accomplish tasks using icons, menus, and dialogue boxes. Individual windows can be minimized, maximized and closed using the control bar in the top right corner of the window.
• Each Voyager module you need to work in needs to be opened separately.
• The modules can be kept open and used as needed.

Logging on in Voyager and in the Cataloging Module

1.  With the desktop open, double click on the Voyager icon. (The desktop on your own computer may have slightly different icons depending on how it has been up.)

2.  In the Voyager box, double click on the Voyager Cataloging icon.

3.  In the box on the Voyager Cataloging screen

4.  In the Select a Cataloging Location box,

1. • Highlight the box for the unit that you work in or the unit you are doing work for.
   • Click the OK button or hit Return. The Cataloging Module is available for use.

5.  Minimize the screen by clicking on the box at the upper right with the horizontal bar in it. The screen goes blank and "Voyager Catalog…" displays in the Windows lower toolbar. Click on the bar to go back to the full view of the screen.

Logging on in Voyager and in the Acquisitions Module

1. With the desktop open, double click on the Voyager icon
2. In the Voyager box, double click on the Voyager Acquisitions icon
3. In the box on the Voyager Acquisitions screen
   • Click on the Operator Id box and key in your ID
   • Click on or tab to the Password box and key in your password
   • Click the OK button or hit Return

4.  In the Voyager Location box,

Setting Session Defaults and Preferences (Cataloging Module)

1. Call up the Cataloging module.
2. Click to open the Options menu
3. Click on the menu choice Preferences
4. Under the Options menu choose Preferences and look at the Session Defaults and Preferences tab. When each of the seven tabs is clicked on a corresponding dialogue box will open.
5. Set the session defaults and preferences specified in the Voyager Manual: Voyager Cataloging Module: Session Defaults and Preferences Configuration
6. Click on OK to save changes or click on Cancel to close without saving.

The Cataloging and Acquisitions Modules Screens

• Each opening screen of the Cataloging and Acquisitions modules has five main areas.
• The title bar contains the name of the Module. When highlighted it sits on top of any other open modules and is called the "active" screen.
• The menu bar (just below the top) lists menu items and, beneath each, lists more specific choices
• The tool bar shows Icons that are used as you work in the modules.
• The status bar at the bottom of the Voyager screen displays descriptions of the MARC tags when you are in the Cataloging Module. It also displays the word, "Special Character" when you are in the diacritic mode while cataloging.
• An ellipsis indicates that a dialog box will display. The box needs to be checked or filled in.
• Menu items
  • Menu items provide the functions used for creating records, searching, editing records, and other activities needed when you work.
  • Menu items will change depending on what you are doing; some may be grayed out at certain times. As you work in Voyager modules, these become highlighted for use.
  • Notice the arrows and ellipses in the drop down menus
  • Arrows indicate that a second menu will display with more choices
  • Ellipses indicate that a dialog box will display and needs to be checked or filled in

  Opening and closing menu items.

  • Click on the File menu. A drop down menu displays with additional choices.
  • Highlight Template. Another menu displays with two more choices.
  • Close the menu by pressing the ALT key or by clicking outside the menu
• Click on the Record menu. A drop down menu displays with additional choices.
  •   Click on Search …A Search dialog box displays with tabs for different kinds of searches you can do.
  • Notice that the Voyager Cataloging title bar is grayed out.
  • Close the Search box by clicking on the Cancel button.

Icons

Thirteen Icons display across the Cataloging Module screen. By placing the arrow over the icon, a message box displays with an explanation.

• Blank page with folded corner: Create a new record from a template
• Open folder with page: Open a record from a work folder
• Computer disk: Save the active record to a disk
• Magnifying glass: Search the database
• Printed page with folded corner: Return to headings list (when you've done a search)
• Printed page with T: Return to the title list (when you've done a search)
• Boat: Save to the Voyager database
• Strapped books with "+": Create new holdings record
• Strapped books (plain): Retrieve existing holdings records
• Stack of books with "+": Create new item record
• Stack of books (plain): Retrieve existing item records
• Linked catalog cards: Show associated records
• ?: Help

Notice that some icons are grayed out. As you work in Voyager modules, these become highlighted for use.

Eleven Icons display across the Acquisitions Module screen

• Blank page with folded corner: New
• Magnifying glass: Search
• Check mark and question mark: Problems list
• Books on shelf and question mark: Claims list
• Wires and boxes: EDI process (electronic data interface, used for sending orders to vendors electronically)
• $, DM, etc.: Currency
• Kardex: Check in
• $ through open door: Fiscal close
• Computer screen: Defaults
• Paint pallet: Preferences
• ?: Help

Printing Records

• Click to open the File menu
• Click on Print Record
  • This option will appear only if you have a record open
  • This prints the fixed and variable fields of the active record to the printer to which Windows is configured
  • Even though the fixed field areas may not print out the way they appear on the screen, the information will be labeled.

Voyager help (Cataloging Module)

1.  Voyager online Help

2.  Keyboard Equivalents

• There are key board equivalents that can be used instead of using the mouse and clicking
• Keyboard equivalents are preceded by either the CTRL or ALT keys

3.  Record types and relationships (an overview)

• The bibliographic record provides description and access.
• The holdings record includes the location, call number, copy-specific notes, and volume holdings.
• On Voyager, multiple holdings records can be attached to a single bibliographic record. Each copy of the work has its own separate holdings record.
• The item record includes information about the individual physical item.

Saving to the Database

Saving in Cataloging

• Saving to the database in Voyager requires going through MARC validation as well as heading validation.

After you have created a new record that you want to save, click on the Boat icon.

           Before saving in the Cataloging module, Voyager tries to validate all fields and headings. Voyager displays a dialog box listing MARC      validation errors encountered when an attempt is made to save a record to the database. "Validation" checks to see ithe tags, indicators and subfields are currently valid in the MARC tag tables, not whether the content of the fields is correct.

1. Records cannot be saved to the database with MARC errors present.
2. Fix the errors that are listed.
3. Click the Boat icon again. An Authority Validation box displays with a list of the invalid headings on the record.
   • Heading validation
   • You can search for valid headings. [Link to be added here]
   • Scan the list for obvious errors or typos.
   • If none, click on the Continue button. A Voyager dialog box will display letting you know the record was added to the database. Click OK.
   • Update record alert
   • In Voyager, a record is not locked when someone is using it. Therefore, two people can be making changes to a record at the same time.
   • If two people are working on a record at the same time, the second person to save the record will be notified that changes have been made. The message is:
     This record has been updated by:
     [user name] at [date, time]
     View the current version before saving?
     Yes No Cancel
     
     1. Click on Cancel. This will leave you with the record that you have updated.

     Print the record out (either by using File>Print record menu options or by Ctrl+P).

     1. Close your record without saving the changes -- NONE OF YOUR CHANGES WILL BE RECORDED.
     2. Call up the record again and make the changes on this newer version of the record.
     3. BEWARE: Clicking on No will save your version and overlay previous updates. DO NOT OVERLAY another person's work by using this option.

Saving in Acquisitions

• Throughout the Acquisitions module, you save to the database by choosing the Save or OK button that appears on each screen. You must choose that to save rather than simply closing the window.

Exiting Voyager

1. When you are done with your Voyager session, you can exit quickly by choosing Close all under the File menu. This closes all the records you have open.
2. Then click on the X at the upper right of the Voyager screen. This will close the Cataloging module.
3. Just as you entered each module separately, you have to close each module separately; there is no way to close them all at once.