Re: Questions on MARC for holdings Oberg, Steve 15 Apr 2004 16:33 UTC
One other point I'd make in this discussion is that just because an ILS vendor says their system handles MARC21 for holdings, doesn't necessarily mean it is truly and/or completely MARC21 for Holdings *compliant*. Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily, in my view, although there are some librarians out there who foam at the mouth about the lack of MARC21 for holdings compliance with their systems. Don't get me started on that ;-) Having stated that, I think the capability for MARC21 for holdings in an ILS should be an important deciding factor when choosing a new ILS. Another factor that's almost as important, in my view, is whether and/or how well a vendor will succeed in correctly converting your existing holdings into the new system. One previous reply alluded to this. I know these observations don't necessarily answer your specific questions but I hope they will be of some help anyway. Steve ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Steve Oberg Electronic Resources Librarian & Assistant Professor Taylor University http://www.taylor.edu Editor, Bits & Bytes Column, _Serials Review_ http://sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00987913 -----Original Message----- From: Ellen Simmons [mailto:esimmons@UDALLAS.EDU] Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2004 12:46 PM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: [SERIALST] Questions on MARC for holdings Dear SerialListers, We are undergoing a process of selecting a new ILS system, and our choice has narrowed to two: a system that supports MARC for holdings and one that does not (as of yet). We have made several site visits to libraries using each system, but none of these libraries were utilizing MARC for holdings even when their ILS system was capable of doing so. In an effort to find out how strongly I should push for a system that supports MARC for holdings, I would like to ask any of you out there who do use MARC for holdings (and forgive my naivete'): How do you utilize MARC for holdings? What added value is there for your catalog? for your staff in serials processing? Do you download publication patterns via MARC for holdings? Does MARC for holdings affect OPAC display at all? Please share any other thoughts or answers to questions I _should_ be asking. I feel very ill equipped to advocate strongly one way or another when I just don't have a good handle on the purpose and function of MARC for holdings for my library. I appreciate very much your responses, and you can send them to me rather than the list if you prefer. Best regards, Ellen Simmons Periodicals Librarian University of Dallas William A. Blakley Library 1845 E. Northgate Drive Irving, Texas 75062 Phone: 972 721-4130 Fax: 972 721-4010 email: esimmons@udallas.edu