[Koha] Cataloguing serials

[Archives and Collections Society]

We are looking for assistance with cataloguing serials (we have books 
mostly under control now) and there must be something we are missing. 
Semantically, a serial publication has a "single" (in the sense unique) 
*biblio* record (title, publisher, size, periodicity, etc) --- and multiple 
"items" (Vol I, No. 1 through Vol X..., No. y).

However, this approach does not mingle well with Koha terminology or 
methodology as far as we can see. We have entered the *unique" biblio - see 
[1] below for how Koha has recorded it. We then entered two "items" which 
just added two 952$ records to the single biblio - see [2] below.

The results are pretty useless from an OPAC user's standpoint. [S]he can 
find the single entry for the magazine, but refining the search for a year, 
or a boat name, whatever, still brings up exactly the same output - and 
adding the other 400+ issues of this periodical in the same way will (to 
put it mildly) muddy the waters. End result, 402 952$'s attached to a 
biblio, and a web page that will probably strangle Koha output (Marc view 
as well as normal view.)

Question 1 )  Do we need to enter (presumably via MarcEdit) a new biblio 
for each item? Is this what all other Koha users do? (as an aside we have 
over 230,000 periodicals on spreadsheets. Are there any easier methods to 
replicate the biblio? or to use the "add item" in a more constructive manner?

Question 2 )  The keywords|abstracts that we have for our serials is 
extensive and must be searchable by OPAC users. So far we have used 952$z 
for keywords (Koha input interface cuts this at 256 chars, while SQL makes 
2^24 available, I'll need to modify tmpl|css) and used 520$a,3\, for 
abstracts - but these latter are firmly glued to biblio rather than item 
records. How do other Koha admins enter very lengthy but "mandatory for 
search" data?

Question 3 )  How should date, volume and issue number be treated? We have 
ducked the question by concatenating to "Vol 6, No. 1, July 1971" but this 
plays havoc with other dates (copyright for the biblio is the year of Vol 1 
No 1, in this case 1965) and is not likely to be user friendly for just 
looking for 2007 issues etc.

Bottom line, does anyone have a schematic for what detailed Marc records 
are required at biblio and item level to make 230,000 well documented 
serials available in the OPAC?

Many thanks,
Paul - tired old sys-admin.

[1] - biblio:

LDR 01584nas a22002297aa4500
005     20110325141405.0
008     110325c1965    -usmr#pe |||| 001 0deng d
022    _a00362719
040    _aOPIACS
        _cOPIACS
        _dOPIACS
100    _aSchanen, William F.
        _eEditor, Publisher
        _98136
210    _aSailing Magazine
245    _aSailing Magazine :
        _bThe Beauty of Sail
        _cSchanen, William F.
250    _aPublished monthly
260    _a125 E. Main St., Port Washington, WI  53074 Tel: 262-284-3494
        _bPort Publications
        _c1965
300    _avarious
        _billustrated
        _c38x24
310    _amonthly
362 0  _a1965-
651    _aNorth America
        _zGreat Lakes
        _98137
942    _2ddc
        _cCR
999    _c12844
        _d12844

[2]  Koha items attached to the above biblio

952    _pSLMG11030001
        _xtest
        _40
        _egoj
        _00
        _6SLMGUNKN1
        _912839
        _bOPIACS
        _10
        _oSLMG-UNKN-1
        _d2011-03-25
        _t1
        _zHey Mon Were Makin' Knots- annual Out Island Regatta, The 
Cup-Bikini Cup, Parade of Characters- Yankee The Amo, Thales, Windspirit, 
Talofa, Barloa, Islander, Freda, Sunfish Sailing- a look at Sunfish class, 
Cal 33s, Mini 18 foot c
        _8periodical
        _hVol 6, No. 1, July 1971
        _51
        _71
        _cperiodicals
        _2z
        _g$7.50
        _yCR
        _aOPIACS
952    _w2011-03-25
        _xtest second ITEM
        _pSLMG11030002
        _r2011-03-25
        _40
        _egoj
        _00
        _6SLMG-UNKN-2
        _912841
        _bOPIACS
        _10
        _oSLMG-UNKN-2
        _d2011-03-25
        _t1
        _zBack on the SORC campaign trail, Tough Sailing Great Sunbathing- 
Sugar Bowl Regatta in New Orleans,New Zealanders in Small Boats Win 
Australian Classic- annual Sydney Hobart Race, Seguin in the southern 
Caribbean-riding the trade wind in the southern cari
        _8periodical
        _hVol 6, No. 10, April 1972
        _51
        _71
        _cperiodicals
        _2z
        _g7.50
        _yCR
        _aOPIACS


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