Bibliographic Record

General Information

Creating Templates

Voyager Accounts and Passwords

Required Fields in Bibliographic Records

Editing Existing Records

Validating and Saving Records

Exporting Records

Making a New Record by Copying an Existing Record

Deleting Records

Troubleshooting Common Problems

General Information

Cataloging module preferences:

  • Set Yale University Library standard preferences and Manuscript Unit local preferences, using instructions in the Cataloging Module Preferences supplement of this manual. 

  • Setting these preferences will ensure that cataloging module search, display, and validation function as needed for Manuscript Unit procedures.

Creating new records:

  • Optionally, suppress bibliographic records during editing and review process.

  • A suppressed bibliographic record must have at least one MFHD, to avoid deletion of orphan bibliographic records by YUL catalog maintenance staff

  •  If a final call number has not been assigned, temporarily enter “Manuscript Unit” in MFHD 852 ‡h, and omit ‡i

  • Before saving an unsuppressed in-process bibliographic record, verify that it contains the following:

    • All required  fields

    • At least one unsuppressed MFHD record with at least a TS location code (852 ‡b) and a temporary call number (852 ‡h Manuscript Unit)

    • Sufficient description and access points so that the record will make sense in the OPAC and other publically-accessible venue

Editing existing records:

  • Generally, do not suppress an existing bibliographic record during editing, to ensure that it remains  accessible in the OPAC and Aeon

  • For closed collections, add the following to existing records:

    • 099 _9 note listing former call numbers

    • Temporary 506 note:
      In-process collection. As of [month year], this collection [is or will be] closed to readers temporarily, and will reopen when processing is complete. For more information, please consult the Closed Collections Schedule on the Beinecke Web site, at www.library.yale.edu/beinecke

    • Temporary MFHD, with TS location code (852 ‡b) and a temporary call number (852 ‡h Manuscript Unit

    • If existing analytic records will be superseded by full processing, determine if these should be unsuppressed, suppressed, or deleted during processing

Finalizing records:

  • Delete any temporary MFHDs and unsuppress final MFHDs

  • Delete any temporary in-process 506 notes

  • Verify that bibliographic and MFHD records are unsuppressed.  Only unsuppressed records are publicly accessible.

Creating Templates

  • Two folders of standard Manuscript Unit templates, “bib templates” and “MFHD templates,” are located at: J/ mssunit/voyager templates/cataloging

  • The “bib templates” folder contains five subfolders for the five most commonly-used descriptive standards: DACS, DCRM(MSS), DCRM(G), DCRM(M), and DCRM(C).

  • These templates should be copied to each cataloger’s workstation at: C/voyager/catalog/template

  • Also use these templates as necessary to create customized templates for specific cataloging projects. Save customized templates under a different name in the same C directory.

Voyager Cataloging Module Accounts and Passwords

Cataloging module password profiles are assigned to staff as follows:

  • Cataloging Coordinator: search, create and edit, and delete (bib, MFHD, item)
  • Archivists, Archives and Catalog Assistants, and students: create and edit (bib, MFHD, item); delete (MFHD, item)
  • Students: create and edit (item); delete (item)
  • Students: search only

Student assistants must have their own passwords, and these must be cancelled after students leave. To obtain or cancel a student password, contact the Cataloging Coordinator.

Required fields in bibliographic records

The following fields are required in all records:

  • Leader
  • 008
  • 040
  • 245
  • 300
  • 506
  • 520
  • 561
  • 546
  • 524
  • 6xx (at least one)
  • 852

The following fields are required when applicable (see field definitions for more information):

  • 006, to justify corresponding 655
  • 035 __ ‡9, with finding aid search string
  • 099 _9 ‡a, with former call number
  • 1xx
  • 264, for single items only
  • 33x, for single items only
  • 351
  • 555, for collections with finding aids or lists
  • 530, when an entire collection or series has been microfilmed
  • 500 title source, for single items and VIM records
  • 6xx corresponding to 1xx
  • 856 42 ‡3 ‡u, with finding aid link

Editing Existing Records

  • Always update an existing record, rather than creating a new record and deleting the old one.  As OCLC uses bib id numbers to match edited records for overlay, maintenance of existing records will prevent duplicate records in OCLC.
  • For the same reason, do not reuse records; instead, records that were created in error or are no longer needed should be deleted.
  • To delete bibliographic records, see the Cataloging Coordinator.

 

Validating and Saving Records

  • Always save using “Save to DB” button; the “Save” button only saves a local copy on the cataloger’s computer.

  • All records are reviewed by the appropriate supervisor and curator, and by the Cataloging Coordinator.

  • The Cataloging Coordinator compiles Unit cataloging statistics from records sent for review. 

  • Keep track of the review, completion, and unsupression of each record, and the updating of accession records.

 

Exporting Records

  • Export all new bib records to Backstage, both for Backstage processing and to ensure export of the new record and any subsequent updates to OCLC. Export records to Backstage by checking “ok to export” on the bib record system tab, and then “Save to DB.”
  • Records exported each day are processed by Backstage and overlaid in Orbis overnight. If necessary, keep track of exported records until the date of overlay appears on bibliographic record history tab the following day.
  • Generally, records with Uncat call numbers are not exported or updated in OCLC.  To make exceptions, contact the Cataloging Coordinator.
  • To delete records from OCLC, contact the Cataloging Coordinator.
  • Updated records re-exported to OCLC will overlay all fields only for record type p (mixed materials).
  • Updates to all other record types will overlay only the local fields (59X and 69X).

Bibliographic records with one or more of the following are excluded from OCLC export (per OCLC rules):

  1. The bib is suppressed. Unsuppressing a suppressed bib queues it for export.

  2. The bib has been suppressed for more than 30 days with the “OK to export” box checked. The bulk import application only exports records from the last 30 days.  If a record has been suppressed and marked “OK to export” for more than 30 days, unsuppress it, then click “Change to Today” in the system tab and “Save to DB”.

  3. The bib does not have any mfhds attached.

  4. The bib, suppressed or unsuppressed, has all suppressed mfhds (must have at least one unsuppressed mfhd).

  5. “Suppressed”, “Cancelled”, or “Withdrawn” appears in the 852$h of all mfhds attached to the bib.

  6. “UNCAT”, “In Process”, or “On Order” appears in the 852$h of all mfhds attached to the bib.

  7. At least one mfhd attached to the bib has “yulint” as the location code.

  8. The bib has a 948 containing GEAC or CIRC (case-sensitive matching).

  9. The bib has a 948 or 040 containing Mvl (case-sensitive matching) or a 948 containing Marcive (case-sensitive matching).

  10. The encoding level is 5 or 9.

  11. No previous MARS/Backstage or OCLC export (per MARS or OCLCREC operator id in history tab). New records must be exported to Backstage first.

Making a New Record by Copying an Existing Record

No additional local guidelines.

Deleting Records

If a record should be deleted from Voyager and/or OCLC, notify the Cataloging Coordinator.

If the collection has a finding aid, verify that the finding aid is deleted or updated with the new call number, bib id, and extent as needed.  Make sure any new/updated bibliographic records link to the finding aid.

If the collection has been fully or partially digitized, contact DSU staff to ensure the Digital Library is updated with the new call number, bib id, and box and folder numbers of digitized items as needed.

If the collection has 544 fields for associated materials, make note of them so they can be added to the new/updated bibliographic record and/or finding aid as needed.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

No additional local guidelines.