[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] SPAM: Some questons about Evergreen

Fri May 4 16:45:32 EDT 2007

I'm also a cataloger with PINES and will attempt to answer some of your
questions (my answers are integrated in your message below, but in red).
I do disagree with Jen on something, so you will get a different
perspective.

________________________________

J. Elaine Hardy

Library Services Manager - Collections & Reference

Georgia Public Library Service,

A Unit of the University System of Georgia

1800 Century Place, Suite 150

Atlanta, Ga. 30345-4304

404.235-7128

404.235-7201, fax

ehardy at georgialibraries.org

www.georgialibraries.org

-----Original Message-----
From: open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org
[mailto:open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org] On Behalf Of
Frances McNamara
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 2:17 PM
To: open-ils-general at list.georgialibraries.org
Subject: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] SPAM: Some questons about Evergreen

We have put up the Gentoo image on VMware and are using it single user, 

via VNC.

I was able to go in and immediately Z39.50 to LC and OCLC (using our 

passwords) and to Import bib records.  I figured out how to Create some 

bib records.  I figured out how to create some items and check them in 

so they show up in the web catalog.  I figured out how to Edit a MARC 

record after it was added.  I added some books, sound recordings, 

scores, dvds and can see them in the pac.

I mostly did this without documentation, only using the help button in 

MARC Edit and create, so I have some questions about what I am seeing.  

If there is user doc I should look at, let me know.  I can see this 

works fine for some collections.  I purposely looked into some of the 

things important to a large academic like us.

There is a document, which is a work in progress and may not reflect
some of the latest updates at http://open-ils.org/dokuwiki/doku.php This
is, however, specific to PINES cataloging policies and procedures.

1.  When I Import a MARC record there seems to be a capability to 

Overlay.  Is there any doc that describes how that works?  (actually a 

lot of our real work would require a loader for files of MARC records, 

but I would think that could be developed or the scripts to batchload 

initial loads could be adapted.  We do use such utilities a lot and they

allow for some data modification during import including deleting or 

moving data and automatic creation of items.)

In order to overlay, you must first mark the record to be overlaid in
the local database using the actions for this record menu. After you
identify the correct record in z39.50, you select the "marc editor for
overlay" button. A MARC edit screen is displayed. After you make any
desired edits, click on the Overlay record button. You then see the
record from your database previously marked for overlay so that you can
review and make sure the correct record was marked. From here, you can
either overlay or cancel. If the wrong record is marked, you must
cancel, then close the marc edit for overlay screen, find the right
record in your local database and then proceed as above.

You can also merge records in your local system as well as move specific
items attached to incorrect records to the correct records. These are
very easy utilities in Evergreen. If the above document is clear on how
to do this, or if it is for an earlier version, let me know and I can
walk you through the process.

2.  When I Create a MARC record while typing in the 100 Author field it 

gave a message about how there was no authority record for that name.  

Are authority records used in this system?  If so, how do they get in 

there?  Can you Create MARC an Authority record as well as a bib 

record?  We actually send out bibs and load authority records.  Is that 

done in this system?  Are the cross references and see also references 

used in any way?  Seems like all the indexes are Keyword, so I'm not 

sure how references in authority records would be used.

There are several issues with the authority file and authorizing
headings that the development team is working on. At present, our AF is
out of date. You can not yet search the local AF or create records for
it.  

3.  When I Create or Edit a MARC record, if I save it with empty 

variable fields they stay in the record.  That was disconcerting as most

systems get rid of them on save.  Not a big deal, but you might want to 

fix.  I had a lot of difficulty editing the Fixed Field.  The 008 

displays as a labelled display at the top, and then as a plain field 

down in the variable fields.  When I did Ctrl/F8 as per Help it wouldn't

let me edit in the labelled part.  It let me edit down in the 008 but I 

couldn't figure out how to edit it so it was correct.  I was unable to 

add Date1 and place of publication code to the 008 when I created a new 

bib.  Seemed like I should have been able to, so maybe I was doing it
wrong.

This is where I disagree with Jennifer and agree with you. When the
record is saved, empty fields should be deleted to prevent them ending
up in the final record. I don't find it difficult at all to add a new
field or subfield.

There are still a few issues with the fixed field, but are mainly
display for some formats. The labeled display can be directly edited
without using CTRL/F8. That command was added so that we could edit the
field directly rather than the labeled display. I have become so
accustomed to OCLC editing, that I use the labeled display rather than
directly editing the LDR or 008. When in the labeled display, if you
click on the label, you can edit the content. You can also double click
on the content to edit. 

4.  When I create a MARC record, is there somewhere that data about when

that bib was created, or changed or who did it is kept?  Systems do this

in various ways.  In my current system there is also a "bib_status" and 

a "staff_only" flag.  We use those because we add and display bibs that 

are on order or in process but then we don't send them to set holdings 

in OCLC until they reach a "full cataloging" type of status.  We also 

export records for various reasons based on such a status.  Is there 

anything like that in Evergreen?

I believe the PINES cataloging Coordinator has mentioned to the Dev team
that we would like to see dates for when a record was brought in,
created and edited. You can see who did the work in the record summary. 

5.  After creating a MARC record I went to "Holdings maintenance" to add

what I would call an item record.  I could add item or items and save 

them.  It seems like there is the idea of a "location" in the sense of a

"Branch" that I had to choose before Creating the items.  But there does

not seem to be an idea of a "collection".  So if in that branch they 

have a separate "Reference Collection"  Where do you put that 

information so the user knows to go to a special place, not the regular 

stacks to get the piece?

Most PINES libraries use location in coordination with call number
prefixes to indicate collections. As an example, STATELIB-L's location
of OFFICE is for desk copies located in individual's offices. These
items don't circulate, cant have holds placed on them and are invisible,
or shadowed, in the OPAC.

6.  When I create a single item it nicely grabs the Dewey and LC call 

numbers from the MARC bib and lets me choose one and "Apply" it so I 

don't have to retype it.  It defaults to the Dewey number.  Can I assume

I could default to the LC number if I wanted to?  Or not pick up the 

Dewey number?

Yes - I'm fairly sure this is a configurable option, but one of the
developers could answer this more readily than I.

7.  When I created an item, for a single piece it was OK except that we 

mark each book "c.1" on the spine even if we only ever get one copy.  

It's not clear where that should go.  It is obviously much more 

important when you get to multiple volumes.  I created a record for a 2 

volume set.  There is nowhere to put the volume numbers except in the 

call number field after the call number.  I input a more complicated 

example by putting in PC world, a magazine, and making numerous items.  

So they have call numbers like   QA76.8.I26P3 c.1 v.22 (2004: 

Jan-Jun).   I put all that in the call number fields for v. 20-23.  When

I looked at this in the pac the items did not sort in correct order even

though I had put them in in order, which seems odd.  Also when there are

multiple volumes with the same call number you get a separate listing 

for every single volume or copy in the Browse call number list.

Is anyone having problems with putting copy and volume information into 

the call number field?  Are there any plans to have separate fields for 

that type of information?  It might be needed.

We have asked for the sorting problem to be resolved. I don't use copy
numbers so I can't speak specifically to that issue. Currently, the only
way to indicate volumes and other part or issue information is in the
call number field. That is how PINES libraries indicate parts, vols,
etc, so that is how Evergreen was designed. I'm sure that there could be
a change to that part of the software for those libraries that would
need a different method. 

I have no problem entering volume info in the call number field. There
is that pesky display/sort issue, however.

Also, in a lot of systems between the bib record and the item records 

there is a layer of "copy" records.  This becomes important with Serials

where there might be one copy in the main library and another in the law

library.  The items get grouped together by the "copy".  They also get 

summary holdings based on that copy because eventually listing all the 

items isn't useful and you want to say v.20-25 instead.  We tend to have

separate copies for the bound volumes which shelve in the stacks, as 

opposed to the unbound issues that shelve in the "Current periodicals" 

section.  Is there any plan to put a copy record between the bibs and 

items?  Or does such a copy record actually exist in the background 

somewhere?

Some of this is handled by having vols/items attached to different
libraries. So you would have vols/items attached to the main library and
then to the law library. Evergreen treats libraries as separate entities
in holdings maintenance. This would be similar using separate
locations/collections such as Stacks and current periodicals as well.
Since there is no serials module as yet, this may change for serials.

8.  When I create an item, the bib did not show up in the pac until I 

checked in that item.  We don't do that.  We have too much stuff going 

through, it just goes to the shelf, they cannot stop and check it in 

before doing that.  Is there an option to not have to check it in?  

Actually we have some items where we have a flag "staff only" so it 

won't display in the pac and we have some bibs with that sort of "staff 

only" flag too.  Is there anything besides the status of the item that 

controls that in Evergreen currently?

I thought in process items did display in the PAC, but I may be wrong.
The State Library has such a specialized collection that I don't use all
the features in any ILS, so someone else will have to speak to that.
PINES libraries use this function so that if a hold has been placed on
the tem, circ staff will be alerted and correctly route the item to the
holds shelf. It is likely to be a configurable feature, though, so that
your library could have the item marked directly as available.

9.  When creating items there is an option to print spine labels.  I 

looked at that briefly.  It seemed like it did not work well with LC 

call numbers.  Is there somewhere that you set up a bit of code to break

up LC call numbers?  Also, can you edit directly into the little box 

that displays how the label will look?  I wasn't sure if I could do
that.

Since the print function was designed for Dewey numbers, it probably
doesn't format LC call numbers correctly. PINES libraries don't use LCC
and it has been too long since I worked in a library that did for me to
advise the guys on how to format them. Again, something that could be
added.

You can edit in the box that displays the call number. You can also
change the basic configuration of the label (number of lines, etc) as
well.

Your last two questions are probably best answered by others. So I will
leave those. Please let me know if there are any other cataloging
questions I can answer for you, or if I have not fully or clearly
answered those above.

10.  Is it true that there are only Keyword indexes.  Do people think 

there is a need for the type of Browse indexes in current library 

catalogs?  Usually that is where the cross references and see also 

references in authority records have been used.

11.  One other thing.  Of course we would assume we would need to 

contribute to development if we were thinking of trying to use this, but

do you think this software could work for a database of 5.2 million bibs

and 7 million items?

I'm sure we'll have other questions but as I start to look at this, I 

just want to make sure I am not missing some documentation or 

misunderstanding any of the basic functions.  Thanks.

Frances McNamara

University of Chicago Library

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