Contacts are stored in the Contacts table.
Generally an internal contact is assigned for all resources except for Journals. Usually the contact is a Bibliographer, but if the resource is not content driven, then the contact could be a group such as VERAD or ERRB. Additional external contacts are also linked to resources in ERM. Examples include Technical Support, Customer Service, Sale Representatives, etc.
How to enter Contacts:
Enter First and Last Name. If the contact is not a specific person, but rather a department or part of an organization, then the First Name should be the organization and the Last Name should be the type of support. For example First Name: EBSCO Last Name: Technical Support.
Enter title, e-mail address, phone, address, etc. If there is more than one phone number, then enter the toll free number under Phone and the other number(s) in the Contact Note field.
Link the Contact to an Organization. All contacts must be linked to Organizations. If the Organization does not exist, then you will have to create it. Save the Contact information and then go to Organizations. Create the Organization and link it to the Contact. (see below for more information on adding Organizations.)
Once you have created the Contact then it should be linked to the specific resources in the ERM database. To do this, search for the resource, click on the Contact screen and add the Contact name, and Role and any Notes and click "Add Contact".
When one person is replaced by another,
it is best to find the record for the old person and change that record to the
new information. That way the name is already linked to the correct resources.
From the Contact name, there is no way to know what resources that person is
linked to.
Organizations are stored in the Organization Table.
Each Organization is assigned one or more Org Type. The Org Type controls where the Organization will display in the ERM database drop-down lists. For example, on the Bib screen, the list of Publishers will only include those Organizations in ERM that have the Org Type "Publisher" checked off. Same for Vendors, etc. So before you add an Organization, make sure it is not already there. If you find it, then check off the appropriate Org Type in order for it to display where needed.
How to enter an Organization:
Enter the name, then choose the appropriate Organization Type or Types. Only check types that are correct. If unsure, then do not check. Types can always be added later.
Choose the Org Aleph Name from the drop-down list. If not found then leave blank.
Enter address, phone, URL, etc.
Link Organization to Contacts. If you have a contact at the Organization, but do not find the person's name on the list of Contacts, then you will have to add a new Contact for the person and link them to the Organization.
If there are Account details associated with the Organization, then add that information under New Account Number.
Boston College Libraries
last revised: March 28, 2006
lymanth@bc.edu