Adding by hand & editing copies

Not every book scans, and sometimes you need to change a copy after it’s in. Both are quick.

Add a book by hand

When a scan comes up empty, or you have a book with no barcode at all, press Add it by hand (or No barcode? Add by hand). A short form opens.

1. Type the Title. This is the only required field.
2. Add the Author(s), separated by commas, if you know them.
3. Add the Publisher and Year if you have them.
4. Optionally paste a Cover image URL and a Description.
5. Set the copy count, then press Add to catalog.

What you enter is saved to the shared catalog, so the next library with the same book starts from your record.

Edit a copy

Every physical copy can be edited on its own. There are two ways in:

• On the Catalog tab, click any book in the Recent items list.
• Or use the Edit a copy — scan its barcode box in the sidebar, scan the copy’s barcode, and press Edit.

The copy editor lets you set:

• The barcode (assign one automatically if the copy doesn’t have a label yet).
• The call number and shelf location, so readers and stocktake know where it lives.
• The collection it belongs to.
• A condition note.
• The condition flags below.

Condition flags

A copy can carry one or more flags, instead of a single status. That way a book can be both damaged and not for loan at once, and its display status is worked out from the flags. The flags are:

• Not for loan
• Damaged
• Lost
• Withdrawn
• Restricted

Toggle whichever apply. A reference book might be Not for loan; a missing one becomes Lost (stocktake can set this for you). See Item condition flags for what each one means for lending.

Print a label

If a copy needs a barcode label, open it in the copy editor and use Print label. BeeShelf generates a scannable Code-128 barcode you can stick on the spine or inside cover.