[Koha] Serials - uploading data and setting up, suggestions and advice needed

[Elaine Bradtke]

We're coming to the point in our conversion process where I need to start
thinking about serials.

We have a database that I will need to convert to MARC.  That's the easy
part.
We have analytics already in Koha with 773 (Host Item Entry) fields, with
the host Record control number in place, ready to link to the parent serial
records once they are uploaded.

We have both current subscriptions and  serials that have lapsed or ceased
publishing in the same database.

All our holdings are in plain text in one field in the database. Some of
our holdings are complicated, which is why we used plain text. The plan is
to import past holdings for both current and non current serials into a
notes field and then start setting up frequency details as new issues come
in.  I think we have to do this in two steps (upload as biblios and then
add subscription info)?

Some questions -

* Create an item record when receiving this serial:
I don't think we want to create an item record for each issue, they never
circulate, they're always kept in the same place.  Has anyone done this,
and why would it be a useful thing to do?

*Vendors - we don't use vendors, but we do want to know when an issue is
overdue so we can follow up on it.  Will we be notified even though we've
opted out of 'claiming' missing or late issues? Or will we have to set up
each publisher as a vendor?

*How many issues appear by default on bibliographic records: Is there a way
to set this to 'all'?  What do they look like?

It would be useful if I could see Koha catalogues with serials records in
them to understand what it will look like. . .
Thanks in advance for any advice.
-- 
Elaine Bradtke
Data Wrangler
VWML
English Folk Dance and Song Society | http://www.efdss.org
Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent's Park Road, London NW1 7AY
Tel    +44 (0) 20 7485 2206 (This number is for the English Folk Dance and
Song Society in London, England. If you wish to phone me personally, send
an e-mail first. I work off site)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registered Company No. 297142
Charity Registered in England and Wales No. 305999
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Writing about music is like dancing about architecture"
--Elvis Costello (Musician magazine No. 60 (October 1983), p. 52)