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    Switching to Union Catalog / Union View

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    • Article Type: General
    • Product: Aleph
    • Product Version: 18.01

    Description:
    Overview:
    We currently have a shared bib environment. Members would like to start entering their own bib records into our bib library, ABC01, if they feel a shared bib record is not working for them. We hope this will have two outcomes.

    One: Individual members will be able to present their own branded, institution web OPAC showing only their own bib records with holdings and any shared bib records showing their own holdings.

    Two: A virtually de-duped Union View OPAC showing de-duped bibs from all members and showing all members holdings.

    Methods to Achieve This:

    We would use some of the concepts, tables, configuration files and indexes described in the “How to set up a Union Catalog” to arrange the de-duping and would have to start using the OWN field when cataloging library-specific bibs.

    Initial Questions:

    1. We currently have logical bases set up for each library based on the WSL – Sublibrary index. Will this setup remain in our new configuration?

    2. Will the Union View be yet another logical base? I am unclear on how this will affect our current searching.

    3. We have a logical base for Journals. Will we still be able to have a Union View journal base as well as individual library ones?

    4. How do we set up the OWN tag? I have read the document “How to set up Ownership of Bibio…” from April 2001. Is this the most current one? None of our current bib’s contain an OWN tag. Will they require one added retrospectively?

    Resolution:
    I think that Union View is more relevant to your situation than Union Catalog. You should look at the "How to Set Up and Configure Union View for Your OPAC", which is right after the “How to set up a Union Catalog” on the Doc Portal (in the How To -- Cataloging section). See KB 5330 in regard to differences between Union Catalog and Union View.

    1. Certainly the logical bases for each library will remain.

    2. The union view will be the U-NOV01 base, specified in tab_base.eng. (See "How to Set Up and Configure Union View for Your OPAC", section 2.2.) The U-NOV01 base should have the same characteristics as your NOV01PUB base except, because it begins with "U-" the system will recognize it as a Union View base and use the z120 equivalency tables to deduplicate the bib records being displayed.

    3. You will want have a U-xxxxx journal base -- and a U-xxxxx base for any base which is not a library base. The only bases which will *not* be U- Union View will be the library bases.

    4. The Own Document you refer to should be fine. This has not changed. The only case in which it will be necessary or relevant to create an OWN tag will be where there are multiple bib records for the same title in different libraries. Thus, the addition of the OWN field can be done dynamically as Catalogers add new records for their institution.

    • Article last edited: 10/8/2013