Cataloging training v12.2
ALEPH 500
Cataloging Training McGill University
Table of contents
Table of contents 2
The Cataloging module 3
Starting the Cataloging client 3
Connecting to a database 3
US MARC record formats 4
Creating a record using a template 4
Editing records 5
Searching headings 10
Saving a record on the client and on the server 14
Calling up an existing record in cataloging 15
Selecting a title in the OPAC and pushing it to the cataloging module 16
Duplication of records 18
Record validation 19
Deleting a record 21
Record status 22
Advanced cataloging 23
A: Special Fields 23
Tag 856 23
Tag LKR 25
B: Importing records 28
C. Fix Procedures 30
D. Offline cataloging 30
E. Locking Records 30
F. Searching local list 30
G. The OWNer Field & Cataloger Level 30
H. Changing Record Format 31
I. View Cataloger Field 31
J. Locate Function 31
Reports and batch utilities 32
The Cataloging module
The Cataloging module permits you to enter and modify bibliographic records in US MARC format. Data input is performed via forms for positional data elements, e.g., tag 008, and by means of a template or a combination of templates for the body of the bibliographic record. This, in conjunction with the availability of comprehensive help on US MARC tags and sub fields at all times during data entry, facilitates ease of use of the module.
Starting the Cataloging client
If your GUI client has been installed in the default directory during set-up, then the Cataloging client can be started by clicking on ‘Start|Programs|Aleph 500|Cataloging’.
Alternatively, if you have the ‘Aleph Applications’ toolbar open, you can click on the button labelled ‘CAT’.
Connecting to a database
When the Cataloging client opens, you will see a form similar to the one reproduced below:
This is asking you to select which ‘Library’ you would like to act as your home library. Aleph is installed with a demonstration library called ‘USM01’ which is a bibliographic library with records stored in US MARC format. Normally you would choose the library that contains your records.
You may find that your client has been set up to connect directly to a library without intervention from you. If it does not, you should see an entry in the database list for your library. Click on the entry to highlight it, then on the button labelled ‘OK’, and your client will attempt to connect to the chosen library.
If your Home Library list does not contain an entry for your library, you will need to alter (or ask your Systems Librarian to alter) a file called PER_LIB.INI in the directory ‘C:\AL500\CATALOG\TAB\’. In here, there should be a line containing an entry for your library. This has been already been covered in the OPAC documents.
US MARC record formats
Your Aleph 500 system uses three US MARC record formats. These are used for:
1) bibliographic records
2) the authority records
3) holdings (serials information) records
Aleph also supports a fourth proprietary MARC record type called the ADM (ADMinistrative) record. Although it is not an official format, Aleph applies US MARC conventions to it. You will see it in more detail below.
The US MARC format for bibliographic data specifies the encoding of data elements that are needed to describe, retrieve and control various forms of bibliographic material. US MARC specifications are defined for:
BOOKS BK
SERIALS SE
COMPUTER FILES DF
MAPS MP
MUSIC MU
VISUAL MATERIALS VM
MANUSCRIPT MS
Each of these specifications has certain peculiarities that distinguish it from the others. For example, there is no tag 440 for MS format, and there are extra tags available to cover cartographic projection information for MP format. The full definitions (including Holdings) can be found in the ‘US MARC manual: concise bibliographic formats’ which can be downloaded from the Library of Congress website.
The other definitions will be described further below in the relevant sections.
Creating a record using a template
The Open Template function permits you to create a new record based on pre-defined MARC tags and sub fields. Different templates may be created and used for various physical formats (for example, the US MARC formats), types of material (e.g., HMSO publications), and so on. It is also possible to combine one template with another, and an example of where you might want to do this would be when you have defined Holdings information in US MARC tags and wish to combine this information with bibliographic data introduced via a Serials format template.
To catalogue a new bibliographic record using a template, select Open Template from the File drop-down menu or click on the following icon:
A popup dialog box similar tot the one on the next page will appear. Here you should highlight the template you wish to use, click on the button labelled ‘OK’, and the appropriate template will appear. Some of the tags or sub fields need not necessarily be blank, and this will depend on the template you have chosen. For example, you may have chosen a template that you have pre-defined for a series from which you purchase many titles, and the template may therefore have the series data already included.
Editing records
How do you enter your bibliographic information? Firstly, to move around the record, you can use the following keys:
Up/Down arrows / Move up or down one lineLeft/Right arrows / Move left or right one space
Tab / Moves to the next field
Page Up / Moves up one page within the record, if there is too much data to fit on the screen at once
Page Down / Moves down one page within the record, if there is too much data to fit on the screen at once
Ctrl+Home / Moves to the very first line of the record
Ctrl+End / Moves to the very last line of the record
Secondly, editing is performed as follows:
Tag: Overwrite (i.e., type over the top) to change a tag. To erase a character, use the Spacebar and not the ‘Delete’ key
Indicator: Overwrite (i.e., type over the top) to change an indicator. To erase a character, use the Spacebar and not the ‘Delete’ key
Sub field code: Overwrite (i.e., type over the top) to change a code. To erase a code, use the hotkey <Ctrl>+F6 or ‘Delete sub-field’ from the drop-down Edit menu, not the Spacebar or the ‘Delete’ key
Data area: This works in ‘insert’ mode (like a word processor). To erase a single character, use the ‘Delete’ key. To erase a string or group of characters, highlight the text and then use the Spacebar or the ‘Delete’ key. You can highlight for deletion or copy by holding down the left mouse button and dragging the cursor over the desired text. To copy, use the hotkey <Ctrl>+C or Copy from the drop-down Edit menu, and to paste, use the hotkey <Ctrl>+V or Paste from the drop-down Edit menu.
Having chosen a template, you first need to enter data in the 000 (or LDR) and 008 tags. These tags require position ally sensitive data to be entered, and to save you from having to count how many spaces to leave here and there, a simple labelled input form is presented to you which, when completed, inserts your data in the correct fixed positions in the bibliographic record. An example is shown on the next page.
Which then produces:
You can see how the system has counted the correct number of spaces before inserting the data.
Your template displays each MARC field and sub field on a different line, detailing the tag, indicators, sub field code and sub field content. Dependent upon the configuration of your client, the form may also display a description of the MARC field as shown above. When you are positioned on a MARC field or sub field, you can press the F2 function key to display the ‘Tag Information’ popup help. This will give a description of the currently active MARC field, along with information regarding the indicators, valid MARC subfields, and a description of the subfields. It also specifies which fields and subfields are repeatable. An example for tag 250 is shown below.
You can now continue to edit the template using the methods described above. You will also find the hotkey list that follows on the following pages to be useful in providing shortcuts to data editing.
Function / Hotkey / DescriptionUndo / Ctrl+Z / This function reverses your last action. Each click reverses one more action.
Redo / Ctrl+Y / This function restores the last action that was undone
Open form / Ctrl+F / Opens a form that enables you to edit the contents of a field. If no form is available, the system will open the sub-field(s) for you to edit directly in the catalog record.
Expand from template / Ctrl+ E / Adds fields and sub-fields from a template to your current record
Help on field / F2 / Provides a guide to the use of valid indicators and sub-field codes
Locate similar record / -- / Finds a record in another database that is similar to the one currently being edited.
Record's triggers / -- / A trigger is a reminder to perform a task related to the record. This function enables you to view, add and delete triggers from the Cataloging module that relate to the record currently being edited. These triggers may include messages produced by the system, regarding errors found when the Check record function was used.
Change record's format / -- / Changing the record's format will also change the forms (for entering field data) and the checks that are performed on the record.
New field (choose from
list) / F5 / Enables you to add a new field by choosing from a list of fields
New field (user-defined) / F6 / Lets you add a field whose tag, indicator and sub fields you may define by yourself
New sub-field / F7 / Opens a new sub-field below the current sub-field
Copy / Ctrl+C / Copies highlighted text into the clipboard
Copy sub-field / Ctrl+S / Copies the current sub-field into the Windows
clipboard. Both the sub-field code and contents will be copied.
Copy field / Ctrl+T / Copies the current field into the Windows clipboard. The tag, indicator, sub-field codes and the contents will all be copied.
Copy record / Ctrl+D / Copies the entire contents of the current record into the Windows clipboard. Used with Paste Record, this option can be used to merge records.
Paste / Ctrl+V / Inserts the copied field below the current field. The field's tag, indicator, letters of the sub-fields and the contents will all be pasted.
Paste sub-field / Alt+S / Inserts the copied sub field below the current sub-field. Both the sub-field code and the contents will be pasted.
Paste field / Alt+T / Inserts the copied field below the current field. The field's tag, indicator, letters of the sub-fields and the contents will all be pasted
Paste record / Alt+D / Paste the entire contents of the copied record into the current record. Duplicated fields will appear one after the other. This option can be used to merge records.
Delete sub-field / Ctrl+F6 / You have the option of deleting only the contents of the current sub-field, or both the sub-field code and the contents. You can control which is deleted by the placement of the cursor. To delete only the contents of the sub-field, place the cursor anywhere in the contents. To delete both the sub-field code and the contents, place the cursor on the sub-field code.
Note that if only an "a" sub-field remains, you will be able to delete its contents, but not the letter "a" (even if the cursor is on the sub-field code). If any other sub-field is the only remaining sub-field, for example, only a "c" sub-field remains, you may delete both the sub-field code and its contents. In their place, an "a" sub-field with empty contents will be displayed.
Delete field / Ctrl+F5 / Deletes the current field. To delete a field, place the cursor anywhere in the desired field (on the tag, the indicator, the code of any sub-field, or the contents of any sub-field).
Delete record from server / -- / The record will not actually be deleted, but all fields except the LDR field will be removed. In addition, all links from the record to the OPAC indexes will also be removed.
Check field / Ctrl+W / For the current field, this function:
checks that the indicators and/or sub-field codes are valid for the tag
checks that mandatory sub-fields are present
checks that non-repeatable sub-fields are not repeated
checks whether a new record will be opened in the headings list
checks whether a duplicate record will be opened in the Direct Request Index
Check record / -- / Checks the current record to ensure that:
required fields are present non-repeatable fields are not repeated
all dependent fields are present for USMARC records
Sort record / -- / Sorts the fields of the current record according to the order defined in the ALEPH table of codes. However within the 5xx, 6xx 7xx and 8xx groups of fields, the order of the fields remains as they were entered by the cataloger.
Fix record / -- / Automatically fixes the current record according to standard library-defined procedures which make changes such as:
deleting extraneous fields for records that have been imported and converted to ALEPH format changing tags, e.g., for translation from MARC codes to UNIMARC codes
View record's catalogers / -- / This option enables you to view the list of catalogers who have edited the selected record. The Cataloger Level of each person is given, along with the Date and Hour that each cataloger edited the record.
Searching headings
The ability to search headings speeds up data entry and ensures consistency of cataloging standards by allowing you to select previously used text which you can use as the basis for data entry in your catalogue record. You need not confine yourself to entering data pre-existing data from your bibliographic library; you may also add data from, for example, an authority library. (Authorities will be covered in greater detail below.)