Question

Is it possible to have z303 (global patron), z304 (patron address), and z308 (patron ID) records in the ADM library in a multi-ADM environment? {The document “ExL_Shared_System_Recommended_Model (2006)” , on page 11 states that “Non-shared patrons have separate global records for each institution in which they are registered”.}

Answer

No. There is only one Z303, one Z304, and one Z308. The one occurrence of each of these tables is in the $usr_library. For example, the z303.pdf doc says: “The Z303 table must be included in the file_list of the library defined for the usr_library [of which there is only one] variable of the aleph_start file”

Additional Information

The $data_tab tab100 header says this about USER-SHARING:

Y = The library participates in a shared user environment; patrons created by this library are NOT identified in the user record (Z303-USER-LIBRARY is blank), and will display in the Patron List when a staff operator is connected to ANY library that is defined as "Y"; patrons that are identified as "belonging" to a library (Z303-USER-LIBRARY=an ADM library code) are NOT included in the Patron List..
<end tab100 USER-SHARING entry>

This means, with an ADM library "STU50", that when USER-SHARING = "N" the:

Z303-USER-LIBRARY = STU50
Z305-SUB-LIBRARY = STU50
Z308-USER-LIBRARY = STU50
Z353-USER-LIBRARY= STU50

When USER-SHARING = "Y" the:

Z303-USER-LIBRARY, Z308-USER-LIBRARY, and Z353-USER-LIBRARY should be blank; and Z305-SUB-LIBRARY = ALEPH.

Thus, USER-SHARING plays no role in how many z303/z304/z308 libraries there are; there is always just one of each and it is in the $usr_library.

What USER-SHARING *is* determining is the value of the z303_user_library column and the Z308-USER-LIBRARY and Z353-USER-LIBRARY fields (which are components of the z308 and z353) record keys: whether they should be blank or be the ADM library.

• Article last edited: 1/8/2014