We are looking for assistance with cataloguing serials (we have books mostly under control now) and there must be something we are missing. Semantically, a serial publication has a "single" (in the sense unique) *biblio* record (title, publisher, size, periodicity, etc) --- and multiple "items" (Vol I, No. 1 through Vol X..., No. y). However, this approach does not mingle well with Koha terminology or methodology as far as we can see. We have entered the *unique" biblio - see [1] below for how Koha has recorded it. We then entered two "items" which just added two 952$ records to the single biblio - see [2] below. The results are pretty useless from an OPAC user's standpoint. [S]he can find the single entry for the magazine, but refining the search for a year, or a boat name, whatever, still brings up exactly the same output - and adding the other 400+ issues of this periodical in the same way will (to put it mildly) muddy the waters. End result, 402 952$'s attached to a biblio, and a web page that will probably strangle Koha output (Marc view as well as normal view.) Question 1 ) Do we need to enter (presumably via MarcEdit) a new biblio for each item? Is this what all other Koha users do? (as an aside we have over 230,000 periodicals on spreadsheets. Are there any easier methods to replicate the biblio? or to use the "add item" in a more constructive manner? Question 2 ) The keywords|abstracts that we have for our serials is extensive and must be searchable by OPAC users. So far we have used 952$z for keywords (Koha input interface cuts this at 256 chars, while SQL makes 2^24 available, I'll need to modify tmpl|css) and used 520$a,3\, for abstracts - but these latter are firmly glued to biblio rather than item records. How do other Koha admins enter very lengthy but "mandatory for search" data? Question 3 ) How should date, volume and issue number be treated? We have ducked the question by concatenating to "Vol 6, No. 1, July 1971" but this plays havoc with other dates (copyright for the biblio is the year of Vol 1 No 1, in this case 1965) and is not likely to be user friendly for just looking for 2007 issues etc. Bottom line, does anyone have a schematic for what detailed Marc records are required at biblio and item level to make 230,000 well documented serials available in the OPAC? Many thanks, Paul - tired old sys-admin. [1] - biblio: LDR 01584nas a22002297aa4500 005 20110325141405.0 008 110325c1965 -usmr#pe |||| 001 0deng d 022 _a00362719 040 _aOPIACS _cOPIACS _dOPIACS 100 _aSchanen, William F. _eEditor, Publisher _98136 210 _aSailing Magazine 245 _aSailing Magazine : _bThe Beauty of Sail _cSchanen, William F. 250 _aPublished monthly 260 _a125 E. Main St., Port Washington, WI 53074 Tel: 262-284-3494 _bPort Publications _c1965 300 _avarious _billustrated _c38x24 310 _amonthly 362 0 _a1965- 651 _aNorth America _zGreat Lakes _98137 942 _2ddc _cCR 999 _c12844 _d12844 [2] Koha items attached to the above biblio 952 _pSLMG11030001 _xtest _40 _egoj _00 _6SLMGUNKN1 _912839 _bOPIACS _10 _oSLMG-UNKN-1 _d2011-03-25 _t1 _zHey Mon Were Makin' Knots- annual Out Island Regatta, The Cup-Bikini Cup, Parade of Characters- Yankee The Amo, Thales, Windspirit, Talofa, Barloa, Islander, Freda, Sunfish Sailing- a look at Sunfish class, Cal 33s, Mini 18 foot c _8periodical _hVol 6, No. 1, July 1971 _51 _71 _cperiodicals _2z _g$7.50 _yCR _aOPIACS 952 _w2011-03-25 _xtest second ITEM _pSLMG11030002 _r2011-03-25 _40 _egoj _00 _6SLMG-UNKN-2 _912841 _bOPIACS _10 _oSLMG-UNKN-2 _d2011-03-25 _t1 _zBack on the SORC campaign trail, Tough Sailing Great Sunbathing- Sugar Bowl Regatta in New Orleans,New Zealanders in Small Boats Win Australian Classic- annual Sydney Hobart Race, Seguin in the southern Caribbean-riding the trade wind in the southern cari _8periodical _hVol 6, No. 10, April 1972 _51 _71 _cperiodicals _2z _g7.50 _yCR _aOPIACS --- Archives and Collections (ACS) Society 205, Main Street, Picton, Ontario, K0K 2T0, Canadahttp://www.AandC.org Canadian Charitable Organization 88721 9921 RR0001 Dedicated to maritime conservation and education.