[Koha] Source of Acquisition

[Charles Kelley]

Hello, all!

    I have been asked to add a new indexed item field (subfield, that is).
Here's the story.

    My library keeps track of its acquisitions in an old Access database.
Each acquisition is given a unique ID number consisting of two parts: the
year of acquisition and its sequence in the acquisition scheme for the
year.

        <acquisition year>-<sequence number>

    For example the acquisition number of *A dictionary of Japanese and
English idiomatic equivalents*, ISBN 0870111116, c. 1, is 1986-1003. The
acquisition number of the same title, c. 2, ordered in the same batch as c.
1, is 1986-1003. This means, as you might already induce, that in 1986, c.
1 and c. 2 were the 1003rd books ordered. A third copy ordered later in the
year would get the acquisition number 1986-1657. If a fourth copy is
ordered in two years, it might get acquisition number 1988-0384; meaning it
was the 384th work ordered in 1988.

    I am building a Koha catalog this library's from a spreadsheet and
Access database, I have been asked to preserve this acquisition number. It
is very important to the staff, and I am too new to challenge the staff
about it. I am confident that in a few years, we'll have a better different
system in operation; but for the present, I think I ought to keep it.

    Well, I can insert the number into the 952$e field. I could repurposed
the 952$k field since that field is not in use. If I do the former (952$e),
I can rely on the regular Koha indexing handle the number, the indexing,
and so on. If I do the latter (952$k), I have to create and build a new
index;* and I run the risk that Koha will dedicate 952$k to a function in
the future.

    Have libraries in this discussion list done 952$e? Have libraries in
this discussion list done $952$k? Is there an alternative solution?
Abandoning the porting is not, at this stage, an option although I concede
that in the future, we will likely end up dropping this version of the
acquisition number.

    * I have read the sections on building an index on the Koha wiki.

    Thanks for your help, everyone.

-- 
    -- Charles.

    Charles Kelley, MLS
    PSC 704 Box 1029
    APO AP 96338

    Charles Kelley
    1-5-2 Tsukimino #210
    Yamato-shi, Kanagawa-ken, 〒242-0002
    JAPAN

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