[Koha] Importing data into MARC

[Baljkas Family]

Tuesday, September 7, 2004     00:15 CDT

Hi, Andres,

Glad to hear back from you.

> >How many records are we talking about? And how many fields of information do you want/need preserved from the second database with the purchase info?
> i have to libraries with about  30.000 record each.  The titles datasbes
> has an average of 21.000 records the purchase database has about 30000,
> meny titles are repeated and we just keep there five or six fields that
> are relevant for purchases.

Given the number of records you're dealing with, manual item by item re-entry certainly isn't an option.

** Could you provide an example or sample of the data? **
 
> >In terms of MARC coding solutions, would the 852 field suffice alone? The $z subfield is repeating.
> >
> Maybe, I'm not a MARC expert, we need to keep track of the purchase
> information.
> 
> >There is also the 541 note which is repeating and could be incorporated to contain more copy-specific information with defined subfields. [snip]

Depending on the nature of information in those 5-6 fields you might be able to use a 037 tag or the 852 as suggested earlier. With only 5-6 fields, they should provide enough 'space' and it is probably not worth the effort trying to script more extensive notes which require linking entries.

> This week I'm working in mapping CEPAL ==> MARC21, with some help from
> the librarians. We were somewhat stuck becouse in CEPAL layout we have
> a filed coded 002 were we have an inventory number: it seems to us that
> this maps to field 035 of MARC21.

Yes, the 035 would be suitable. I've seen it used in migrations to store old system numbers deemed worth keeping.

> You'll hear from me soon.

Cool. Good luck with your CEPAL ==> MARC21 mapping.

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