Bibliographic records in PINES: Sources, ownership, and other polices

Records in the PINES bibliographic database consist of three levels.

The first level is a bibliographic title record, containing cataloging information at title level (e.g., author, title, edition, publishing information, physical description, etc.).

The second level is the call number or volume record which contains the holding library and call number for the items.

The third level of a cataloging record is an item record containing local holdings’ information such as circulation modifier, shelving or copy location, price, OPAC visibility, age protection, etc.

Bibliographic Record Ownership

Since only one bibliographic record for each unique entity should be entered into the database, the title record is owned by all participating systems. Local information of a library’s holdings belongs to the entering library (the call number and item levels of the record). While adding, deleting, or editing a bibliographic record at the title level should be undertaken in accordance with PINES cataloging standards and policies by a CAT1 cataloger, local library systems make their own decisions on local processing policies and procedures for handling their item information. Local cataloging policy should not violate PINES policies.

Call number and item records

Call number and item records are owned by the library system; however item attributes assigned to an item by a library should not violate PINES polices. PINES catalogers should only make changes to their library’s call number and item records. Only the owning library catalogers have the permissions and the knowledge to make changes to local attributes. If what appears to be an error in a call number or item attributes for another system’s holdings, or if a holding appears to be attached to an incorrect bibliographic record, catalogers should send a request to check on the potential error to the cataloging contact person at the owning system. If many libraries need to be contacted, a message can be sent to CAT-L.

If your system is notified that there seems to be a problem with your call number or item records, you have an obligation to try to resolve any such problems, or to seek resolution assistance from PINES staff via the helpdesk - http://help.georgialibraries.org..

Bibliographic Record Source

To maintain database integrity, bibliographic and authority records for the PINES database are sourced from one bibliographic utility. Currently, OCLC's WorldCat database is that source. Except for order records for acquisitions, bibliographic records from other sources may not be entered into the PINES database. Acquisitions or Order records should be replaced by matching OCLC records during cataloging so that no circulating item remains on such a record.

Batchloading Bibliographic Records

Currently, bibliographic records are not batch loaded and must be imported into the PINES database one at a time through the Z39.50 interface. Records solely for acquisitions may be batch loaded.

Bibliographic record integrity

It is against PINES policy to create and use brief records for item circulation. If no matching bibliographic record exists in the OCLC WorldCat database for an item to be a permanent part of a library system’s collection, a record following PINES cataloging standards should be created in OCLC and imported into the PINES database.

It is also against PINES policy to circulate groups of items (such as paperbacks) under a single brief record. Items barcoded for circulation shall be attached to a matching bibliographic record, either existing in the PINES database or imported from the OCLC database. Libraries may opt to not barcode such items and count them as non-cataloged types at check out.

Creating bibliographic records directly in the PINES database is restricted to records for ephemeral or temporary items. Ephemeral items have a limited, specific, circulation life and are not part of a library’s permanent collection. Any item, including kits or realia, intended to be part of a library’s permanent collection should be attached to a matching bibliographic record imported from OCLC. If no matching record exists in OCLC it should be created there and then imported into the PINES database.

NonOCLC records in the PINES database, particularly of poor quality, should be upgraded and replaced with a matching record from OCLC or merged with a matching existing OCLC record in the PINES database. Library holdings should not be attached to these records as is.

Records in the PINES database used for the purpose of acquisitions should not be used for circulating items. Items should be transferred to a matching OCLC record when the item is cataloged. Other libraries should not attach holdings to any acquisitions record. Any item inadvertently attached to an acquisitions record must be transferred to a matching OCLC record as soon as possible.

Brief Records (PreCats) Entered at Circulation

It is against PINES policy to use precat records to circulate items to avoid cataloging those items. This includes magazines, books, realia, sound recordings, etc.

If a patron finds an item they wish to borrow on a library’s shelf that is not in the PINES database, circulation should create a precatataloged or precat record, a brief temporary record that allows for a single circulation of an item. These records are not permanent records and are more like place holders and do not display in the patron OPAC and have limited display in the staff client. They should be routed to cataloging for resolution at Check In. It is the responsibility of the Cataloging Staff to remove precat records from the database, either by transferring the item to a matching bibliographic record or deleting the item.

Most libraries handle the circulation of Inter-library Loan items by entering precat records for them. In such cases. After they are returned, the item barcodes for these should be sent to cataloging for deletion.