Using Function Keys for Quicker Data Entry

In the Retrospective Conversion Section of OCLC, each project team has a monthly goal of records to be converted. To reach that goal, the operators must be as efficient as possible, without sacrificing the quality of their work. Each operator uses an M300 Workstation to process shelflist cards according to specific customized instructions. Thousands of cards pass through an operator's hands, and converting a library's shelf‐list can involve a range of skills from updating an existing record with a minimum amount of editing to entering a new record—sometimes simple, sometimes complex—into the Online Union Catalog. Naturally the operators find that the user‐defined function keys are a terrific time‐saving device when used effectively. However, the level of an operator's expertise, as well as the degree of variety of the editing required on a project determine how the function keys are defined and used, if at all.