IntroductIon ProcessModIfIcatIons

HIstory

As more and more print serials are replaced in favor of electronic versions, discoverability of print content is vital for seamless access to library resources. Mississippi State University Libraries worked to enhance the discoverability of print journals within the online catalog through a detailed inventory project and subsequent “clean-up” of MARC holdings statements in the libraries’ ILS. Not only was this project incorporated in order to assist MSU students and faculty in the discoverability of print journals, but also to display more accurate holdings for collection analysis and in OCLC for interlibrary loan. This process allowed for the transformation of confusing holdings records while still following acceptable MARC holdings standards.

Step 1: Make corrections to information supplied under the “Basic” tab.

Step 2: Deselect the “automatically update MARC holdings” function under the “OPAC Display” tab.

Step 3: Add necessary notes under “Extended Info” Tab.

Step 4: Standardize public notes under field 852

Step 5: Clean up and compress MARC holdings based on the new display

modifications

Step 6: Inventory physical holdings and update holding records in Sirsi to reflect what we actually have.

Mississippi State University Libraries created standards that conform closely to current ANSI/NISO standards, but were slightly modified to fit the needs of our institution.

Spaces between entries and entries on separate lines were included to make the holdings in the library’s online catalog display more cleanly and appear in a format that could be more easily understood by patrons.

|82|av.1:no.1 (2011:Jan.) – v.1:no.12 (2011:Dec.)In other words:|82|av.1:no.1space(2011:Jan.)space-spacev.1:no.12space(2011:Dec.)

The added spaces are a deviation from the ANSI/NISO standards, but it was decided that we would sacrifice the standards in order to have a cleaner interface for our patrons. The problem arose, in large part, because of our OPAC display.

Whenever there are missing issues, a comma is placed after the holdings then the holdings pick back up on the next line.

Now, manually entered MARC holdings enhance the look of the OPAC display by creating a more readable format for holdings statements.

Other problems arose from previous system migrations as some historical data was not compliant to the Sirsi ILS.

Mississippi State University Libraries decided to correct these problems by cleaning up MARC holdings through a detailed inventory project and subsequent correction of holdings records.

Mississippi State Libraries uses the SirsiDynix Integrated Library System.

Serial control records •Where all information for print serials is contained.

•“Automatic Update” feature for updating MARC holdings.- As journals/serials were checked-in, SIRSI would automatically add the latest issue received into the MARC holdings record for public display.

•“Pattern” manually established to instruct SIRSI on how individual issues of a journal would be displayed.

- Dependent on data entered by staff, which was not always consistent or conformed to set pattern.- Inconsistencies in data entered “confused” SIRSI resulting in extremely faulty displays to the public.

•Designed to display received issues in paragraph format, resulting in confusing, unreadable interface due in part to the display and font of Mississippi State Libraries’ online catalog.

Before After

BenefIts/outcoMes

Progress (as of BegInnIng fy2014)

Titles completed: 3,125 Incomplete: 950

• Improves discoverability of print holdings• Collection analysis• Correct historical errors (title changes, etc.)• Ability to fill gaps found through the inventory project

• Cleaner records for OCLC, which better facilitates ILL

Main: 3,200Veterinary Medicine: 425Architecture: 100Special Collections: 350

Active: 652 Inactive: 3,423

Active vs. Inactive Titles

Active

Inactive

Print Bound Journals

Main

Veterinary Medicine

Architecture

Special Collections

Progress

Complete

Incomplete