[Koha] (no subject)

[kim at mad-seumas.net]

Hi Koha people! I have 4 hopefully easy questions about mapping MARC to KohaDB.
My library uses 'free form' call numbers, to put it nicely.  
For example: 420.0101 1 Molinsky/WW Songbook

We are a special library for ESL/bilingual/dual language teachers, and were
fortunate to have an OCLC retroconversion done with an LSTA grant through our
regional library system. We currently have no automation system and are looking
forward to getting Koha running soon.

Our call #s are in 099 with a repeatable subfield 'a':
099 420.0101  $a 1 Molinsky/WW Songbook

1) Can Koha understand the multiple $a fields and map the first part to
biblioitems.classification and the second part to something else?  If not, I
think I will change the ISO file to subfield $b for the second $a part (and dump
the db and re-import it).

2) Where should I map the second part? (Let's assume I changed it to a subfield
$b.) To biblioitems.dewey or biblioitems.subclass?  How have others used these
fields?

3) As you know, biblioitems.dewey is of type double(8,6) and
biblioitems.subclass is type char(3).  If I use one of these fields, I will have
to change the type, probably to varchar(25).  Will changing this field type have
any effect on other parts of Koha (scripts, displays, calculations, etc.?)

4) My call #s have strange characters like forward slashes, dots, hyphens, and
spaces.  Will this be a problem?

Thanks much for all your help.
Kim Scannell