-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Note Fields
Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000 09:55:22 -0400
From: Teresa Weisser <Teresa.Weisser@millersv.edu>

For original cataloging on OCLC, we include general access restrictions
which apply to all users of the bibliographic record in a 506 note.
When we
bring the records into our own catalog, however, I replace the generic
506
note with one which will make sense to our users.  Most of the generic
506
notes which I find on OCLC would be indecipherable to most patrons.  In
order to know whether they can access this resource now, they need
information which they don't necessarily have (i.e. Does the library
have a
site license to the electronic version of a periodical or just a print
subscription?)  With the customized 506 note, we try to tell them under
what
circumstances they can access the resource.  We've developed three of
four
different statements which cover the range of possibilities (e.g. on
campus
access only, off campus with an ID and so forth).  We use the 506 note,
rather than the 590, because we use the 590 for multiple kinds of local
notes, some of which we may not want to display to the public.  In our
system, the display is set based on MARC tag so we must either display
all
590s or none of them.  By using the 506 and placing it just under the
URL in
the public catalog display, we can include just the information we want
and
put it right where we want it.  If we had chosen to place the URL in the
holdings record, then I would have put the access restrictions note
there,
rather than in the bibliographic record.  It makes sense to display the
URL
and the access restrictions in the closest possible proximity to each
other.
Hope this helps.
Teresa A. Weisser
Electronic Records/Assistant Systems Librarian
Ganser Library
Millersville University
Telephone: (717)872-3604
Email address: teresa.weisser@millersville.edu