Database Maintenance

Qualifications for doing PINES Database Maintenance Work:

All related bibliographic searching and matching knowledge/skills as required for PINES Cat1s: knowledge of PINES title control numbers (TCNs); knowledge of, and experience with, the use of Z39.50 interface to OCLC’s WorldCat, and experience with using transfer and merging functions in PINES Evergreen.

Guidelines for importing, merging, or updating bibliographic records:

Avoid bringing in duplicate records or overlaying wrong records in PINES. Always search PINES database again before importing a record. When loading an in-coming OCLC record, please stop the process if you are warned of a matching record found in PINES. For example: “A record with TCN ocm33023358 already exists.” In these cases, investigate whether you need to merge records. Currently, Evergreen does not stop you from importing a duplicated record when the PINES record had a nonOCLC based TCNs. For instance, you won’t see a warning “matching record found on i0890240825”, so please be extra careful in searching to avoid importing duplicated records in such cases. Evergreen also does not warn of collisions based on dentifiers such as ISBNs, LCCNs, 024s, 028s, or ISSNs.

Update older records encountered, particularly if you are attaching new items, with current OCLC versions (such as a CIP record). However, a PINES record may have added ISBNs or other useful notes such as 520/505, better subject headings, etc.; so please enter that data from the PINES record, preferably making those edits in OCLC before overlaying the record.

If the PINES record has the original OCLC number but the bibliographic record has been altered, please report the case to the PINES Cataloging Coordinator.

Overlay any PINES record with a TCN anything other than an OCLC number with a matching OCLC record. This will replace the TCN with the OCLC number.

Transferring copies to better records or merging duplicated records:

Sometimes volumes or copies are attached to the wrong bibliographic record with correct holdings attached. In this case the incorrect volumes or copies should be transferred to the correct record rather than merging or overlaying. All catalogers are encouraged to transfer volumes and copies when a postings on the CAT-L list suggests transferring their copies from incorrect records to matching ones, especially when TCNs of both are provided. And catalogers are encourage to inform the list when they discover volumes and items that should be transferred.

All PINES CAT1 catalogers have merging authority, so they are responsible for merging duplicate records within their own system. They are also encouraged to help PINES merge obvious duplicated records across the system.