Talking Book Topics July/August 2022 - Text File of Genres and Book #'s

Thanks for the discussion on Talking Book Topics. I create a text file of just the genres and book numbers from each bi-monthly issue. I use it for entering Quick Request that come in from the paper forms, especially when a patron selects every title in a specific genre. I'm including the text file from the July/August 2022 issue. I'm also happy to show anyone how I create the text file.

Catherine A. Durivage - MN1A

Thanks so much for sharing.
I'd like to know how you create them.
C

Hi Craig,
The short answer is that I copy all the order form listings into Notepad, edit all the extraneous characters using the Find/Replace function. It's hit and miss on just how much will copy over at one time from the order forms. Sometimes I have to do each page of the order forms separately. There is a lot of editing needed, but I would say it takes me about 15-20 minutes to create the file.
Once I have the text file created, I will sometimes copy and paste into Excel all the numbers, delete which ones a patron doesn't want and then copy back into Notepad the remaining requests and save the file. I use Quick Requests as the file name. Then I import the file into the patron record under Quick Requests. I tend to use this process when a patron selects almost every book number, but not all. It just depends when I will do this process. It is an extra step, but I'm assured that the numbers are correct compared to manually entering them.
Let me know if you want a demo on what I do.
Catherine

That's great. A nice overview of your process. I was curious what it looked and how long it takes to do it. We have been talking about providing genre-specific versions of Talking Book Topics as a scope on our OPAC and to offer lists of all kinds for patrons and staff use. I'll try it out and see what happens. I know who to ask if I get stuck. Thanks again, C

Quick update, with the help of Keystone we have been able to offer Talking Book Topics latest issue as a browse on the online catalog, along with genre specific versions each as their own browse, using our most popular local subject/genre codes. Staff really likes this because now you can directly order from the catalog books from Talking Books Topic in a structured way in general and by just the genre or subject you may like. It also offers the opportunity to see fuller annotations and the lists cross pollinate in cases where more than one genre or subject is indicated on the title. Long term, this may turn out to be a better way to use Talking Book Topics, because now you don't have to transfer items from paper into the catalog you can directly order them as they become available.