MnPALS Cataloging Users Group: Fall 2008

Draft Minutes

Present: Kristi Akland (SMSU), Ruth Anderson (MHS), Kathleen Ashe (SMSU), Mary Beatty (MSU Mankato), Heather Biedermann (MSU Mankato), Bobby Bothmann (MSU Mankato), Rod Bruce (PALS), Deb Domek (PALS), Virginia Dudley (MINITEX), Michelle Ehlert (Metro State), Pierre Ford (MSU Mankato), Mary Ann Greenwald (PALS), Robin Horowitzt (MN State Law Lib.), Joe Jackson (Winona State), Cynthia Jorstad (Northland), Deb Kellen (Hill Ref.), Mary Jo Kennedy (FIRE Cntr), Karen L'Heureux (Lake Superior College), Adam Marsnki (Normandale), Deb Meissner (MSU Mankato), Connie Moeller (Lake Superior College), Dee Dee Narum (Bemidji State), Pam PItts (Crown College), Sarah Quimby (MHS), Sara Ring (MINITEX), Al Rykhus (PALS), Diane Sharits (MSU Mankato), Kay Streng (Mpls College Art & Design), Edi Thorstensson (Gustavus), Jane Young (Century), Linda Swanson (Concordia), Sharon Evensen (UCC), Ginny Bakke (Gustavus), Romelle Quast (South Central), Jean Kramer (MSU Moorhead).

1. Opening Remarks

The meeting was called to order by co-conveners Robin Horowitz and Bobby Bothmann.


2. Recorder---Please identify yourself when speaking at the meeting to ease the recorder's job. As the recorder you may ask someone to repeat his or her comment to verify your notes.

Linda Swanson, TRC, served as recorder.


3. Additions/Changes to Agenda

Additions/changes to the agenda. The agenda was accepted as presented (Adam Marsnik/Kathleen Ashe)


4. Approve Spring Minutes

Approve Spring 2008 minutes. The minutes were accepted as presented (Kathleen Ashe/John Daniels). Adam Marsnik expressed thanks for the Printer Friendly Version link. Rod Bruce acknowledged responsibility for this link.


5. PALS Report

Mary Ann Greenwald (PALS) talked through some of the points since the report had not been linked on the agenda.

Global change to bib or holding record. Currently, PALS is testing this with MHS and MCTC to determine the procedure. Mary Ann emphasized that, if this were to be allowed, the procedure must be followed exactly. The changes must be made on the development server first, then rerun on the production server. John Daniels (MCTC) described how he had used the procedure to switch URLs from libproxy to restore the original URL. Mary Ann suggested that large files should be run in the evening, since they all need to go through the indexing queue. Since records go through sequentially, sending a large file of changes during normal cataloging hours could significantly affect how quickly new records are indexed in a library's logical base. Al Rykhus noted that in Version 19 you can set a priority on a file of records, so you could control when they would go through the indexing queue. He also pointed out that you can only do one change per run, so you would need to repeat the process a number of times if you wanted to make multiple changes to the records.

Automatic creation of holding and item record. The tab_z30 table can be edited so that a holding and item record can be created automatically, based on the 049 code, when a bib record comes through the OCLC loader. PALS is currently testing this with Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Mary Ann suggested a webinar to explain the procedures and discuss the ramifications of the process.

Local holding records (LHRs) to OCLC. PALS has sent a test file of Inver Hills Community College local holding records to OCLC. Mary Ann will be covering this topic at one of the breakout sessions, “Exporting LHR (Local Holding Records) to OCLC – MARC Tag cleanup on serial holding records,” today [Wednesday, October 29] at 3:00

Reindexing of the database will occur on the development server November 22-29. The file will then be copied to the production server, which will be down Sunday, November 30, until noon.

Creation of the ADM record. In ver. 18 the ADM record is created when the item record is created, not as in ver. 17 where the ADM record is created when the bib record comes through the OCLC_server. If you have records without an ADM record, you can right click on xxx50 and load an ADM record. This process is described in Knowledge Base answer #3275.

Bobby Bothmann urged members to use the Forum for further discussion. Mary Ann handed out a “Communication Tools” sheet describing the use of the Forums, Wikis and mailing list.


6. Planning for Workday (Spring 2009)

The Acquisitions/Serials User Group has suggested that Cataloging coordinate the workday scheduling with the Acq./Ser. Group. Since the groups share some issues, back-to-back workdays would allow individuals to attend both workdays. Members discussed meeting times and locations, agreeing that late April would be a good time and that Metro State would be a convenient site.

Members brainstormed possible topics, including:

• Using MnPALS Plus to identify records that need correcting because the facets don’t display correctly
• LHRs and OCLC. Mary Ann reported that she and Dee Nolan will be doing regional training sessions across the state on this topic.
• PromptCat and Cataloging Partners
• Reports for database cleanup
• How to use the keyword index for fixed fields
• Editing tab_type_config
• Kay Streng asked how people keep up with authorities death dates. Members shared local practices. The Authorities Task Force is on hold until a new authority file is loaded in 2009.
• Tips and Tricks session
• How to handle titles from aggregators
• Prediction patterns
• Poor quality vendor records in the database

Bobby Bothmann announced that the Steering Committee would meet to discuss workday planning and would also meet with the Acq./Ser. Steering Committee to explore the possibility of coordinating the workdays.

Although there were no opening remarks, Bobby did have a “midway remark.” Lisa Lentz is no longer employed at Hill Reference Library. Therefore there is an opening on the Steering Committee.

7. Discussion of eBook MARC records

This topic originally came to the Systems Group but was passed to Cataloging.

Currently records are provided by vendors and the files are loaded by the PALS staff. he basic question is that catalogers need a mechanism to get records into Aleph in an automated way. Mary Ann reported that batch records can be loaded, but PALS does it. Because of our multi-ADM environment, the integrity of SYS01 and server security could be compromised if each library could load batch records on their own. PALS staff members have checked with many consortia, none of which allow individual libraries to batch load records.

Mary Ann reminded individuals that you may batch load up to 25 records at a time from the OCLC save file. Bobby Bothmann replied that this is not a good solution, since catalogers must monitor each record and still must create holding and item records for each one.

Adam Marsnik recommended that further discussions should happen before workday and be discussed again at that time. There was general agreement with this suggestion.


ADJOURN

The meeting adjourned at 1:57.

Agenda

1. (12:00 pm) Opening Remarks
2. Recorder---Please identify yourself when speaking at the meeting to ease the recorder's job. As the recorder you may ask someone to repeat his or her comment to verify your notes.
3. Additions/Changes to Agenda
4. Approve Spring Minutes
   
5. (12:15 pm) PALS Report:
   1. PALS Workplan
   • Open Tasks
   • Completed Tasks since Spring 2008 User Groups
6. (12:30 pm) Planning for Workday (Spring 2009)
7. (12:50 pm) Discussion of eBook MARC records
8. (1:00 pm) Adjourn