[Koha] MARC records again!

[Steven F. Baljkas]

Wednesday, February 4, 2004     16:48 CST

Hey, Anthony,

IIRC Koha 1.2.2 is non-MARC, and yes, it is possible to convert non-MARC
records into MARC.

It might be easier to do this as you 'exit' from 1.2.2. and then you will be
able to bulk import MARC records in 2.0.x.
IIRC, too, Chris et al. have noted that it is possible to have the MARC
tables 'filled in' from non-MARC records, as some clients/adopters do not
want to have to deal with MARC at all.

Anyway, for the solution I would propose, if you have access to a Windows
machine (once before I mentioned this ignorantly assuming everyone did: my
apologies for that), then there are some neat utilities available off the
MARC Tools page at the Library of Congress site, specifically MARCEdit and
the associated tools it relies on MARCMaker and MARCBreaker, all of which
are freebies. You could map out your records and convert them into MARC and
then have them ready for reimporting through bulkimport. In between time,
your library cataloguing staff might even want/have time to
correct/standardise/enhance the records as well.

If I have understood correctly, it is possible to bulkimport more than one
batch of records (i.e. it isn't a one-time process just for establishing the
data in the MARC tables). If so, it might be easier (and less stressful) to
keep the two batches separate, as records which are already MARC and records
just converted into MARC are likely to have different 'issues' (I am trying
to think positive, but glitches happen).

If you need any help mapping records to MARC, give me a shout; I'll be glad
to help.

Cheers,
Steven F. Baljkas
library tech at large
Koha neophyte
Winnipeg, MB, Canada

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <ablackie at mailer.fsu.edu>
To: <koha at lists.katipo.co.nz>
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 3:41 PM
Subject: [Koha] MARC records again!


> Hello,
>
> Staying in the subject of Koha and MARC, I currently have some records in
> a Koha 1.2.2. database.  I hear that importing bulk MARC records in to
> that is not a beautiful thing.  A decision has been made to then
> upgrade/fresh install Koha 2.0, then do a bulk MARC import into the
> 2.0.
>
> My questions are:
>
> 1 - Is there any possible way to export those records in the 1.2.2
> database into the 2.0?  I have asked this before but I'm thinking a
> little differently now.  If I can export what is in Koha 1.2.2 as MARC
> (or something that will allow me to use another tool in order to convert
> it to MARC), then import those MARCs into 2.0, along with the other MARCs
> that I already have, that will be a solution.
>
> 2 - Once I get to transfer all of the files from 1.2.2 (gotta think
> positive), and add the bulk of MARC records that I have, I will then need
> to export ALL of the records from 2.0 to MARC (or something that will
> allow me to use another tool... same as above).  Is this possible in 2.0?
>
> Any help is greatly appreciated.
>
> Regards,
> Anthony