Increasing Access Makes MarciveWeb DOCS Popular with Libraries
MarciveWeb SELECT Questions & Answers
Ready for the 21st Century? Start Your Conversion Now
Overnight Authorities Destination Need Not Be Library
Special Offer Extended: Free Authorities Analysis through September
Blackwell Authorities Files Can Be Kept Up-to-Date
Academic Main Libraries Can Share MarciveWeb DOCS Subscription with Law Libraries
MarciveWeb DOCS Adds Boolean OR and NOT
New Schedule Set for MarciveWeb DOCS and GPO CAT/PAC Plus
Lack of New GPO Records Affects Customers of Our GPO Services
SLS Customers: New Labels in May
GPO Data and SLS Customers Have New Path For Record Retrieval
Vanderbilt Migrates...and Survives!
Growing numbers of libraries are shifting their CD-ROM and print subscriptions to Web-based products. The change has been dramatic at MARCIVE since the release last August of MarciveWeb DOCS, the Web version of the MARCIVE-Enhanced GPO Database.
A CD-ROM product on a standalone machine in the basement of the library is not going to be heavily used. Patrons and librarians have to remember that it exists, and make the effort to go to it. Putting the product on a Local Area Network helps considerably, but libraries find their LANs are getting overloaded.
MarciveWeb DOCS opens up the database to every library computer hooked up to the Web--as well as other campus and off-campus locations. The product appears to be ideal for academic libraries where the main library wants to offer access to the law library, and for public libraries with several branches.
Valparaiso University's Moellering Library and their Law Library now have Internet access to the database, and there is no limit on the number of simultaneous users. Instead of trying to decide who would be the "home" library for the holdings feature, they opted to list them-selves in the level of "nearby" libraries. The University of Houston libraries have a similar arrangement.
Kathy Tezla, Head, Center for Government Information, Woodruff Library at Emory University, also opened up access to their law library...and more. "Initially, we had another CD-ROM Mocat product on a workstation in the documents department, where it was an invisible resource that basically only the documents staff used. The reference department was encouraged to use it, but had to make a conscious effort to do so. Then we put the CD on a local area network, but it was still only accessible from certain workstations, and the documents processing staff had to access it from a public workstation which was often frustrating. We evaluated the Web Monthly Catalog products and chose MarciveWeb DOCS.
"We [now have] access though a system-wide information gateway. Now everyone in the libraries on campus including the Law Library can access it without being limited to a particular workstation. Also anyone using their university accounts can access it from their dorm room, office or home."
For other libraries which have made a similar decision, please see page 6 or contact Joan Chapa.--JM
We have now started sending out the new spine and pocket labels heralded in newsletter #30. Any cataloging orders submitted after March 18 were filled with new stock. What does this mean to you?
 | Absolutely smear-free printing of call numbers and author/title information. |
| Tough stock that resists tearing. |
| Laminate-like coating to repel grime. (You may not even need label protectors.) |
| Professional appearance with crisp letters and numbers. |
As always, our labels have an acid-free adhesive so that your books won't be "burned".--JM
All prospective and current customers are invited to our Users' Meeting to learn about the newest developments with MarciveWeb SELECT. You do not have to be registered at the MLA conference to attend. The meeting will be on Saturday May 23 at 2:00 PM, Room 307 of the Philadelphia Marriott. Please e-mail info@marcive.com if you plan to attend or call Brenda Garza at 1-800-531-7678.
During the conference (May 23-26), stop by booth 502 to talk about your particular cataloging and authorities requirements--or just to say hi!
| how to use the new defaults in MarciveWeb SELECT to save yourself time. |
| where to click in MarciveWeb SELECT to get a complete list of MARC tags with examples. |
| when you can use Express Order and when you must use Standard Order. |
| how Special Order can save you from creating an original cataloging record from scratch. |
If you have any questions about authorities processing or migrating from one system to another, please make plans to come to our Users' Meeting at 8:00 am on June 28. Contact Brenda at info@marcive.com or 1-800-531-7678 if you plan to attend.
We will also have several representatives available in our booth, #1833, during the conference (June 27-30). Looking forward to seeing you in DC!
| examination of names and subject headings to bring them up to a current, consistent form (authorities processing) |
| correction of inconsistencies such as ending punctuation in traceable fields |
| smart barcode label creation and holdings field generation |
| upgrade of brief records to full records with subject headings and complete MARC tagging |
| shelflist conversion of the remaining pockets of unconverted materials |
After the tremendous reception that law libraries gave MarciveWeb SELECT last year, we are eagerly anticipating AALL in '98. Want to see what all the excitement is about? Come by our booth, #411, July 12-14.
Throughout the conference (November 3-5), both of our Web products MarciveWeb DOCS and MarciveWeb SELECT will be demonstrated in booth #219.
MARCIVE Newsletter
Number 31 May 1998
Editor: Janifer Meldrum
Address changes: Brenda Garza
Contributors:
Joan Chapa
Jim Noël
Rose Marie McElfresh
MARCIVE, Inc.
P.O. Box 47508
San Antonio TX 78265
1-800-531-7678
(210) 646-6161
FAX (210) 646-0167
E-mail info@marcive.com
Web Site http://www.marcive.com
All of the information in this newsletter is protected by copyright. If you would like to use any of the information, please reference the source. If you would like to republish an entire article, please let us know.
Contact Customer Service to see what databases are available to you. Many longtime customers moved directly from batch ordering (paper or CIS) to web ordering (MarciveWeb SELECT) without modifying their profiles.
For example, if you are only profiled for the Library of Congress database, all the other databases are suppressed from your view. You need to add the Professional Media Services Corp. A/V Access{Special Char 226 in Font "Symbol"} database to your profile to get the best hit rate on A/V. Please be aware that there is a $0.60 per title surcharge for use of the A/V Access{Special Char 226 in Font "Symbol"} database. Also: these records do not generate call numbers, therefore you need to supply your own.
All of the currently available databases contain some audiovisual cataloging:
| LC - Library of Congress |
| GPO - Government Printing Office |
| NLC - National Library of Canada |
| PMSC - Professional Media Service Corporation |
| NonA - Nonauthoritative (keyed at MARCIVE from a retrospective conversion project) |
| SupN - Super Nonauthoritative (keyed at MARCIVE from an LC card) |
| NLM - National Library of Medicine |
The designation NLM includes cataloging from AVLINE, as well as CATLINE and history of medicine databases.
We supply cataloging for several medical jobbers, including J. A. Majors, Login Brothers, Matthews, and Rittenhouse. They send us ISBNs when you order the books from them. We search for those ISBNs against our database, using your previously established profile.
No-hits can result when we have not received the cataloging from National Library of Medicine yet or when there is a discrepancy between the ISBN supplied by the jobber and the one in the NLM record.
Your best course of action is to call MARCIVE Customer Service and establish access to MarciveWeb SELECT. Then when you receive books--but no cataloging--you can search the MWS database to see if a record is now available and order it. Or you may be able to modify another record to fit.
This March we began using a new label stock which is highly resistant to dirt and abrasion, and a new procedure which affixes the call number through heat transfer. Although you can write on the label with a ball-point pen, you cannot stamp the label because the ink will not stick.
A better way to put a location on the label is to have us print it. Location codes can be printed above or below the call number, depending on your profile.
A location of "FOLIO" or "OVERSZ" can be printed automatically. Call Customer Service and tell them the number of centimeters at which you wish us to start printing this designation automatically.
A location such as "REF" or "SPEC" can be printed if you supply that code as you order the cataloging. Whether you use search request forms or MarciveWeb SELECT, you can supply a location field on a title by title basis.
Under some circumstances, it may be appropriate to include location code(s) in a library-specified call number field. For example, in "SPAN, FIC, MARQUEZ, CASSETTE", the codes are an integral part of the call number.
Please contact Customer Service for help with your particular situation. --JM
You have less than 20 months before you turn your calendar to January 1, 2000. Are you ready for the 21st century? Is your library?
There is just about enough time to automate your library, if it is not online already.
But you need to start planning now.
The first step is to build the foundation for automation by converting your shelflist cards into MARC format.
Call Rose Marie McElfresh for a packet of information on retrospective conversion, including a questionnaire.
Evaluate your shelflist. Pull a representative sample of 50-100 cards and photocopy them. Remember to include the full range of materials, including audiovisuals and special collections.
Send the completed questionnaire and the photocopied samples to Rose Marie for a free hit rate test and estimate.
Use the estimate for budgeting purposes. Point out to funding agencies that cost-effective automation takes time and that you need to act now in order to start the 21st century right!
Send your profile, purchase order, and shelflist cards to MARCIVE.
It is best to have your system installed before we output your database. This is the time to choose an automated system, if you haven't already.
Start now and you can have a great automation party on January 1, 2000!--JM
| Adler School of Professional Psychology, IL; Horizon (Marquis) |
| Alvord Elementary-Junior High Library, TX; Athena |
| Bermuda Biological Station For Research, Bermuda; EOSi Data Trek Manager Series |
| Center For Migration Studies Library, NY; Winnebago Circ/Cat |
| Florence-Darlington Technical College, SC; DRA (Atlas) |
| Kaneville Public Library (part of DuPage Library System) IL; Ameritech Dynix |
| Killeen Independent School District, TX; Caspr Inc. Libraryworks |
| Longe Life Libraries, IL; Brief Record Upgrade into Caspr Libraryworks |
| Mill Creek East Elementary, IN; Caspr Inc. Libraryworks |
| Northwood School, North East ISD, TX; Athena |
| Saquache County Public Library, CO; Winnebago Circ/Cat |
| Scottsdale Memorial Hospital--Shea, AZ; EOSi GLAS |
| Shell Services Company, E&P Technical Info. Ctr., TX; Library Corp. Bibliofile |
| SIBIA Neurosciences, Inc., CA; Inmagic |
| South Orange And Maplewood Board of Education, NJ; McGraw-Hill Columbia Library System |
| Trinity Lutheran Seminary, OH; Endeavor Systems |
| U.S. Naval Activities, UK; Follett Unison |
| Upton Town Library, MA; CARL Corp. |
Libraries looking for enhancement of current cataloging may elect to have multiple tasks performed before loading the records into their local system.
Such is the case with University of Nevada, Reno. The Library sends current cataloging files to MARCIVE for automatic upgrade of all headings (Overnight Authorities). Cataloging files received via FTP by 2 PM any business day are examined, processed, and matching authorities records output overnight. This is a standard service.
What UNR wanted is a slight twist on the standard service: authority records are being picked up by the Library but the bibliographic records are picked up by Blackwell North America for Table of Contents enhancement. The Library then picks up the doubly enhanced bib records from Blackwell.
The rapid response time of MARCIVE's Overnight Authorities service makes such processing practical for libraries of all sizes and requirements.--JM
Last fall we offered a free authorities analysis of a library's database. We had no idea how many libraries would take advantage of that offer. However, we were very pleased to see that many libraries were interested in finding out what we could do for their data--and then contracting with us for service. We have therefore extended this offer through September 30, 1998.
If your library is in the market for authorities processing, please contact Rose Marie McElfresh or Joan Chapa at info@marcive.com for more details on how you can see results on your own data.
It has been several months since Blackwell announced that it would no longer handle authorities work. How are you keeping your database up-to-date?
We can load a copy of your existing authority file (whether it came from Blackwell or any other source) and use it as the basis for ongoing authorities work. Colgate University is an example of a library which required this processing of us.
Contact Joan Chapa or Rose Marie McElfresh for details.--JM
Many libraries acquire and load bibliographic records corresponding to purchased full-text databases or microfiche collections. Often headings in the records do not conform to LC practice and can cause problems when loaded into a catalog which does. MARCIVE processing can help avert these problems.
Vanderbilt University recently acquired the Chadwyck-Healey English Poetry Full-Text Database with its 4500 corresponding bib records. Before loading the records, the Library sent the file to MARCIVE for processing. A high percentage of the names could be matched to LC practice and upgraded. Appropriate authorities records were then output for loading into the Library's SIRSI database.
Bib records supplied by vendors can be useful for getting the authors and titles into your OPAC.
But without item-level fields, it's hard for a patron to know where to find the documents. Vendors such as UMI and Chadwyck-Healey may not be able to build holdings fields to your exact specifications--but we can!
Costs for processing these small databases are typically quite low and turnaround fast. If your library would like pricing for processing a file of vendor-supplied cataloging, please contact either Rose Marie McElfresh or Joan Chapa here at MARCIVE. They will need to know the number of databases, the number of records in each, and whether you need authorities processing, item builds, or both.--JM
MarciveWeb DOCS makes it easy and inexpensive for main library and law library depositories to share service.
In many situations, both the main library and the law school library of a university are federal depository libraries and have coordinated the collection of particular documents tools to avoid overlap. Such libraries may have made use of local area networks to mount CD-ROM products that would be of interest to both libraries.
MARCIVE's Enhanced GPO Database on CD-ROM (GPO CAT/PAC or CAT/PAC Plus) has often been networked in these environments. However, with the growing number of depository CD's, maintaining them has become a problem and libraries are now investigating the purchase of various Web products.
Now these libraries have an easier way to share a subscription through MarciveWeb DOCS, the Internet version of our GPO Database. Please see the story on page 1 for three libraries providing access to both main and law libraries. --JIC
To see MarciveWeb DOCS in your own library, please contact Joan Chapa. We can initiate a 30-day demonstration account beginning on a day convenient to you. Joan is available at 1-800-531-7678 or jchapa@marcive.com
All MarciveWeb DOCS users now have complete Boolean searching functionality with the addition of "OR" and "NOT" options.
If you have been waiting until Boolean searching was fully implemented for MarciveWeb DOCS, contact us today for a subscription or 30-day demonstration.
Beginning with the February MarciveWeb DOCS update and the GPO CAT/PAC Plus CD-ROM disc, we have a new update schedule. We are going to process the update near the middle of the month, regardless of how many records have accumulated since the prior update.
In the past, updates went out whenever GPO distributed its monthly cataloging file to us. However with increasing delays from GPO in the distribution of these files (see related story), users were being deprived of the most current data. Since we key the most current titles directly from shipping lists, it seemed reasonable to at least update the file with shipping list data.
| Central Washington Univ. |
| College of William and Mary, VA |
| Emory Univ., GA |
| Hartford Public Library, CT |
| Indiana Univ. of Pennsylvania |
| James Madison Univ., VA |
| Law Library of Louisiana |
| Occidental College, CA |
| Oregon State Library |
| Southern Illinois Univ. |
| State Historical Society of Wisconsin |
| Univ. of Houston, TX |
| Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst |
| Univ. of Alabama, Huntsville |
| Univ. of Colorado, Colorado Springs |
| Univ. of Nebraska, Kearney |
| Univ. of Tennessee |
| Univ. of Texas, Dallas |
| Univ. of Washington |
| Wesleyan Univ., CT |
| Western Washington Univ., WA |
As many of you are now aware, GPO has not made new records available since January. While there have been a few occasions where we encountered significant delays in getting the records, the delay we are experiencing at present is longer than I've seen in the past several years. I've been in touch with GPO and LC at different times. From what I am hearing the trouble appears to be a combination of staff changes and computer system changes disrupting the normal operation that gets the GPO records to LC each month.
As I write this (mid-April), I am anticipating receiving a file sometime in the next several days, and I will try to let everyone know when we have new records.
How does this affect what you receive from us? For customers of the GPO records themselves, everything is holding as is until the new records begin arriving. We anticipate a series of monthly files, not one large "catch-up" file, and they will be processed as quickly as reasonably possible when they begin to arrive.
For customers of GPO CAT/PAC or MarciveWeb DOCS, we are changing our production schedule to create regular monthly updates in spite of delays such as this. In the past the updates were done only when new GPO records had been received. We expect that monthly updates will still normally include new GPO records, but when no new GPO records are in hand by mid-month we will produce a new version of the database using the shipping list records processed since the last update. This will at least allow title access to current materials.
Shipping list services are unaffected by the GPO record delay.
We appreciate your patience as we work through this problem.
We are looking forward to receiving new label stock for our Shipping List Service: Label Subscription customers in the next few weeks.
As soon as testing is complete, the new stock will be used for all customers. You do not need to contact us to change over.
As in the past, labels will be printed left to right on the page. However there will only be two columns rather than the current four.
For those customers picking up their files via FTP, we have implemented a change long awaited: a permanent path for each customer's files. This benefits both Ongoing GPO Data Subscription customers and Shipping List Service: MARC Record Subscription customers.
You should find that all of your files from now on are in the same directory from week to week or month to month. That means that if you miss the e-mail message announcing a file's availability from us for some reason, you can just check this directory to see if the new file you are waiting for has been put out yet.
Depending on the software you use to pick up your files, you should be able to "bookmark" your directory or set it up as your default for our server, saving you from keying the long path name each time.--JN
When the Vanderbilt University Libraries' migration team celebrated their success with a survival luncheon, they were kind enough to include our manager of GPO services, Jim Noël.
Just because he couldn't attend doesn't mean he was left out of the group photo.
Jim was able to help as the Libraries reprofiled their Ongoing GPO Data Subscription for a SIRSI implementation. At the same time, the Libraries were bringing up MARCIVE Shipping List Service.
Survival Luncheon, January 1998.
Back row left to right: Bill Walker, Larry Romans, Maryanne Vaughan
Front row: Magdalena Buchowski, Jean Wright, Nancy Boggess-Korekach, [Jim Noël, in absentia], Donna Wair, Gretchen Dodge