[Koha] Linking an item to multiple bibliographic records

Fri Jun 19 09:07:55 NZST 2009

Koha folks,

In the migration process for my library, I've come across an odd subset
of records in our existing ILS.  This system allows you to link an item
record to multiple bib records.  We use this for providing additional
access to certain issues of certain medical journals; these issues are
at once a volume/issue of a series AND a monographic publication with
ISBN.  Patrons may look for the resource under either paradigm, either
trying to find an article within (using a journal citation), or obtain a
book on a specific topic (these certain issues are grouped by subject).

Example:

Seminars in Neurology, volume 12 (1992) has the monographic title
"Neurodermatology".  The series record just has the subject heading
"Neurology-Periodicals", while monographic record has subject heading
"Neurodermatitis" and an authority link to the editor.

Koha's data structure doesn't allow a record in the Items table to point
to multiple records in the Biblio and Biblioitems table.  Let's ignore
that Biblio and Biblioitems are split, since there has been discussion
of merger in the future, and best not to hack a solution on something
that'll disappear.  What other ways could we come up with share the item
information between two different bibs?  Here are a few of my ideas; I'd
love to hear more!

*         Attach the item to the monographic record, and fill in the
series information to match the series record.  Add some kind of code to
the series record's display to show items attached to other bibs with
the same ISSN and/or series title.

*         Attach the item to either record, and then do some kind of
field repurposing in the Item record to include the biblio/biblioitem
number of the other, and have the OPAC display this somehow.

*         Just include a link the monographic record to the series, and
tell people to look there for the item's location/availability

*         Duplicate the item record, and come up with some kind of way
to sync it... must show both items checked out if one is.

*         Keep the item data in both MARCXML records, but only import
the info into MySQL for one

*         Use the Summary level in Koha 3.2... somehow....

Have any of you encountered this kind of problem before?  What were your
solutions?  Does the above make sense?  Could something else be done?

Thanks so much,

Ian Walls

Systems Integration Librarian

NYU Health Sciences Libraries

(212) 263-8687

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