CONSER’S Publication Pattern Initiative: why is it important and what’s in it for you?

1. CONSER’S Publication Pattern Initiative: why is it important and what’s in it for you?

2. Today’s presentation • Background on the CONSER initiative • What is the problem and what is CONSER doing about it? • What CONSER has achieved to date and still hopes to accomplish • A brief review of MARC 21 holdings • How patterns are added to CONSER records • New initiatives • Experience at my institution • What’s in it for you and your library

3. The Challenge • The MARC 21 Holdings Format was created in the 1980s as a means to communicate holdings data. • It is now for the first time being widely used by integrated library systems (ILSs) • Part of the holdings format is the inclusion of fields that include publication patterns that allow the ILS to predict the future issues of a serial • This is a time-saver for check-in, but creation of the patterns is often time-consuming

4. The Challenge • However, most ILSs have not fully implemented the format • Each ILS handles predictive pattern data differently forcing time-consuming and costly pattern creation in many libraries • Pattern data can be shared by ILS customers but not with users of other ILSs • And sharing an initial load does not help with ongoing maintenance • If a library decides to migrate to a new ILS down the road, the check-in data will have to be recreated

5. The Solution • A pattern should be created once and shared with all others who own the serial (like bib records!) • If each ILS would fully implement the MARC 21 Holdings Format, check-in data could be shared and migrated, just as we now do with bibliographic records

6. CONSER’s Efforts • Patterns and dates/numbers associated with the beginning pattern are being added to CONSER records on OCLC in field 891 (distributed to RLIN in fields 853/863) • CONSER is sharing this data to: • share the intellectual effort of pattern creation and • to promote conformance with the standard

7. CONSER Publication Pattern Initiative • Began in 1999 to experiment with the addition of patterns to CONSER records on OCLC • Experiment was determined a success in 2001 and declared an ongoing part of CONSER • This has been the first group to really test the holdings format • Task force members have contributed proposals to MARBI to enhance and improve the standard

8. CONSER Initiative • Key goal involves working with ILS vendors to promote improvements • Pattern participants have partnered with different ILSs to propose changes and promote cooperation • CONSER has also promoted documentation and training to spread awareness and increase skills • Documentation on the CONSER Pub Pattern Web site http://www.loc.gov/acq/conser/patthold.html • SCCTP Holdings Workshop

9. Accomplishments • CONSER/OCLC database currently has over 50,000 patterns • Many of these were created by Harvard and contain captions but not always pattern data • Participants have input over 10,000 patterns • Currently 19 participating institutions • New participants continue to join • Mentoring program developed for new institutions

10. Accomplishments • ILSs have responded • VTLS has always been able to load patterns • III has developed a pattern loader • Endeavor has promised full compliance in the future • Most major vendors send representatives to CONSER task force meetings at ALA • But it’s slow going nonetheless!

11. Accomplishments • Other accomplishments include • Improvements to the MARC 21 Holdings format • Free availability of documentation • Training opportunities • Outreach via discussions at ALA and NASIG and meetings such as this • Raising awareness that non-compliance with standards is unacceptable!

12. A brief overview of the holdings format • MFHD uses paired fields 853 and 863 • 853 carries the captions and patterns • 863 carries the enumeration and chronology of the holdings that relate to that pattern • Captions and patterns • Caption: the word, phrase, or abbreviation that the publisher uses to indicate the issues or parts of a serials or multipart (e.g., volume, issue, number, jahrgang) • Pattern: includes the frequency, regularity, and number of issues or parts; this is the part that makes prediction work

13. Example of 853 fields • Monthly serial des. by vol., no. year, and month 853 $a v. $b no. $u 12 $v r $i (year) $j (month) $w m $x 01 • $a and $b = 1st and 2nd levels of enumeration • $u = numbers per volume (used to determine when 1st level will increase) • $v = numbering repeats with each volume (1-12) • $i and $j = 1st and 2nd levels of chronology • $w = monthly frequency • $x = calendar changes with the first month (January)

14. Example of 863 field • Serial begins with vol. 1, no. 1 in January 2002 863 $a 1 $b 1$i 01 $j 2002 • $a = 1st level of enumeration • $b = 2nd level of enumeration • $i = 1st level of chronology • $j = 2nd level of chronology

15. Pattern for this serial in a CONSER record on OCLC • 853 and 863 fields are imbedded in 891 fields in $9 • Indicators apply to 853 and 863 • $8 links the 853 and 863 fields 891 20 $9 853 $8 1 $a v. $b no. $u 12 $v r $i (year) $j (month) $w m $x 01 891 41 $ 863 $8 1.1 $a 1 $b 1$i 01 $j 2002

16. Pattern for this serial as it appears in RLIN • Records are exported using MARC fields and 852 field with “universal pattern” 852 Universal pattern 853 20 $8 1 $a v. $b no. $u 12 $v r $i (year) $j (month) $w m $x 01 863 41 $8 1.1 $a 1 $b 1$i 01 $j 2002

17. Relation to Holdings • These are the fields used locally to create detailed holdings statements • The primary difference is in field 863 • In CONSER, only issues noted are first and last to which pattern apply • Locally, more complete holdings statement is given, including gaps, non-published issues, etc.

18. More on MFHD • Fields 854/864 are used for supplements • Fields 855/865 are used for indexes • Fields 866/867/868 are used for textual data • Usually used for back holdings • Not used for predictive check-in • For more information and examples, see: http://www.loc.gov/acq/conser/patthold.html

19. How are Patterns Added to CONSER Records? • Participants use a macro designed by Robert Bremer (OCLC) on Passport and CatME • The macro makes use of data in the bibliographic record to create a pattern in seconds • For simple patterns, the macro works great • For more complex patterns, additional data is added or corrected • Works well for new patterns, but not subsequent patterns

20. New Initiatives

21. Universal Holdings Record • Two CONSER task groups: • Diane Hillmann (Cornell) is heading a CONSER task group on the definition and uses of a universal holdings record • Linda Miller (LC) is chairing a group looking at the long-term storage of pattern data and the technical aspects of a universal holdings record

22. Universal Holdings Record: what is it? What are its uses? • The complete record of what has been published, not what is held by any one institution • Could exist on OCLC (or RLIN?) in association with the bibliographic record • Potential uses: • Building local holdings records • Collections development, digital archiving, preservation, etc. • Supporting union listing • Sharing creation of holdings data rather than each institution doing it locally

23. Patterns and Electronic Serials? • Yumin Jiang is chairing CONSER Task Force • Charge is to explore current use of holdings data, explore potential uses for pattern data and role of ILSs, and consider needs for the future • Recently issued and completed a survey

24. Patterns and Electronic Serials • Most responses say that this level of detail is not needed for electronic serials • Most libraries currently use summary holdings only • However, consider the following: • Uses of pattern data for potential self-checkin of e-journals • Uses for archiving and document delivery • Need for more detailed data if print is discontinued • Use for claiming broken links or undelivered issues

25. Other activities • Working with subscription agents to determine whether data from them could be used to create patterns • OCLC is exploring a pattern subscription and notification service

26. How does this affect me/my library? • Your library may be able to use the patterns in CONSER records • Are you using MARC holdings? • Does your ILS have the capability to download this data? (Talk to your vendor!) • Look at the Publication Patterns Workflow FAQ document at http://lcweb.loc.gov/acq/conser/patthold.html

27. How does this affect me/my library? • If you are using MFHD, you will have new capabilities when ILSs implement new coding that has been approved by MARBI • If you are using MFHD, CONSER’s documentation and training will be useful to you in better understanding the standard you are using

28. How might this affect me/my library in the future? • Hopefully your ILS will have fully implemented MFHD • You will then have the capability of downloading patterns from CONSER records • This will save time from in-house pattern creation • Pattern data related to electronic serials could enable automatic check-in by the journals themselves!

29. How will this affect me/my library in the future? • When your library decides it is time to go to a new ILS, you won’t have to recreate all of your check-in data!

30. My institution’s experience

31. Can I participate? • Yes! Requirements are: • Ability to work directly on OCLC • Ability to contribute a minimum of 75 new or revised patterns a year • CONSER is recruiting more libraries to contribute pattern data as CONSER Enhance libraries • CONSER Enhance libraries receive credits from OCLC and are mentored by an existing participant • Interested? Contact Les Hawkins (lhaw@loc.gov)

32. Where Can I Learn More? • CONSER Publication Pattern Web page: http://www.loc.gov/acq/conser/patthold.html • Or contact: • Carlen Ruschoff, Chair, CONSER Publication Pattern Task Force (ruschoff@deans.umd.edu) • Les Hawkins, CONSER Coordinator (lhaw@loc.gov)