Add Books

Add new books to your library catalog with complete bibliographic information. Each book record represents a title, with media units tracking individual copies for circulation.

Time required: 5-10 minutes per book

Prerequisites

Library Manager or Assistant role
Media types configured (Book type available)
Publishers and authors set up (recommended)

Steps

Step 1: Navigate to Media Catalog

Go to OpenEduCat > Library > Media
Click Create to add a new book

Step 2: Enter Book Information

Fill in the basic book details:

Field	Required	Description	Example
Name	Yes	Full book title	”Data Structures and Algorithms”
ISBN	No	ISBN-10 or ISBN-13	”978-0132576277”
Media Type	Yes	Select “Book”	Book
Author	No	Primary author	”Robert Lafore”
Publisher	No	Publishing house	”Pearson Education”

Step 3: Add Publication Details

Field	Description	Example
Edition	Edition number	”2nd Edition”
Publication Date	Date published	2022-08-15
Language	Primary language	”English”
Pages	Number of pages	776

Step 4: Configure Classification

Organize the book for easy discovery:

Field	Description	Example
Subject	Subject area	”Computer Science”
Call Number	Library classification code	”QA76.73 .L34 2022”
Tags	Searchable keywords	”algorithms, programming, data structures”

Step 5: Set Circulation Rules

Define borrowing parameters:

Field	Description	Default
Loan Duration	Days for checkout	14
Fine per Day	Overdue penalty amount	1.00
Max Renewals	Renewal limit	2
Reference Only	Cannot be borrowed	No

Step 6: Add Cover Image

Click on the image placeholder
Upload book cover image
Recommended: 300x400 pixels, JPEG or PNG format

Step 7: Save the Book Record

Click Save to create the book entry.

Adding Book Copies

After creating the book record, add individual copies:

Step 1: Access Units Tab

In the saved book record, click the Units tab or Units smart button.

Step 2: Create Media Units

Click Add a line
Enter copy details:

Field	Required	Description	Example
Unit Number	Yes	Copy identifier	”001”
Barcode	No	Physical barcode	”BK-2024-00123”
Location	No	Shelf location	”Stack A-3”
Condition	No	Physical state	”New”
Purchase Date	No	Acquisition date	2024-01-10
Purchase Price	No	Cost	45.00

Step 3: Set Availability

Status	When to Use
Available	Ready for circulation
Reserved	Held for specific patron
Damaged	Needs repair
Withdrawn	Removed from collection

Bulk Book Import

Import multiple books using CSV:

Go to Media list view
Click Favorites > Import Records
Upload CSV with columns: name, isbn, media_type, author, publisher, quantity
Map columns and click Import

Field Reference

Book Record (op.media)

Technical Field	UI Label	Type	Notes
`name`	Name	Char	Required, book title
`isbn`	ISBN	Char	ISBN-10 or ISBN-13
`media_type_id`	Media Type	Many2one	Set to Book type
`author_ids`	Authors	Many2many	Multiple authors supported
`publisher_id`	Publisher	Many2one	Publishing house
`publish_date`	Publication Date	Date	When published
`call_number`	Call Number	Char	Library classification
`loan_duration`	Loan Duration	Integer	Days
`fine_per_day`	Fine/Day	Float	Currency amount

Troubleshooting

”ISBN already exists”

Another book has this ISBN:

Find existing record and add more copies
Verify ISBN is entered correctly
Different editions should use different ISBNs

Book not appearing in catalog search

Check that:

Record is saved (not in draft)
Media type filter includes “Book”
Search terms match title or ISBN

Cannot add book copies

Verify:

Book record is saved first
You have edit permissions
Unit numbers are unique