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SUNCAT: a brief history

SUNCAT: the creation, maintenance and challenges of a national Union Catalogue of serials in the UK Natasha Aburrow-Jones SUNCAT Project Officer. SUNCAT: a brief history. UKNUC Feasibility Study (2001) SUNCAT Scoping Study (2002) JISC and RSLP funded

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SUNCAT: a brief history

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  1. SUNCAT: the creation, maintenance and challenges of a national Union Catalogue of serials in the UK Natasha Aburrow-Jones SUNCAT Project Officer CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  2. SUNCAT: a brief history • UKNUC Feasibility Study (2001) • SUNCAT Scoping Study (2002) • JISC and RSLP funded • Based in EDINA, with partners: University of Edinburgh and Ex Libris • 3 Phases; 2 stages • Stage 1: pilot (Feb.2003-July 2006) • Stage 2: service (Aug. 2006- ) • More detail on our website at: http://www.suncat.ac.uk/description.shtml CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  3. SUNCAT aims • SUNCAT: primary aims • For researchers, a single tool for the location of serials, including information about access • For librarians, a central repository of high quality bibliographic records for downloading to local catalogues and a location tool for ILL • Additionally - to raise consciousness of the importance of quality serials information among UK researchers and librarians CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  4. What is a serial? • AACR2 (chap.12, 12.0A) talks about: • “continuing resources”, successively issued (i.e., serials) or integrating (e.g., updating loose-leafs, updating Web sites) • Certain “categories of finite resources (i.e., those with a predetermined conclusion): resources that exhibit characteristics of serials … but whose duration is limited.” • Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science says: • serial • A publication in any medium issued under the same title in a succession of discrete parts, usually numbered (or dated) and appearing at regular or irregular intervals with no predetermined conclusion. In AACR2 2002, serials are classified as a type of continuing resource. … Serial publications include print periodicals and newspapers, electronic magazines and journals, annuals (reports, yearbooks, etc.), continuing directories, proceedings and transactions, and numbered monographic series cataloged separately. When serials split, merge, or are absorbed, a title change may occur. CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  5. British Library National Library of Scotland National Library of Wales Imperial College, London London School of Economics Manchester Metropolitan University Queens University, Belfast University of Birmingham University of Bristol University of Cambridge University College, London University of Durham University of Edinburgh University of Glasgow University of Leeds University of Manchester University of Newcastle University of Nottingham University of Oxford University of Southampton University of Wales, Cardiff University of Warwick Contributing Libraries: Phase 1 CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  6. Aberdeen University Birkbeck College, University of London Bolton University British Film Institute British Geological Survey British Medical Association CCLRC Cranfield University Edinburgh College of Art Essex University Exeter University Hull University IET (formerly the IEE) International Institute for Strategic Studies Kent University King’s College London Lancaster University Leeds Metropolitan University Liverpool University London Business School London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Manchester Public Libraries Medical Research Council Napier University National Art Library National Maritime Museum National Museums & Galleries of Wales National Museums of Scotland Natural History Museum Reading University Royal Botanic Gardens. Kew Royal College of Nursing Royal Geographical Society Royal Institute of British Architects Royal Northern College of Music Royal Society Royal Society of Medicine School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London Sheffield University Sheffield Hallam University Society of Antiquaries of London Stirling University Sussex University University of Central Lancashire University of East Anglia University of London Research Libraries University of Ulster University of Wales, Swansea Wiener Library, Institute of Contemporary History Wellcome Library for the History & Understanding of Medicine Women’s Library, London Metropolitan University York University Zoological Society of London Contributing Libraries: Phase 2 CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  7. SUNCAT: technical description • Runs on the Aleph 500 software, supplied by Ex Libris • Aleph is an LMS used all over the world, and has the extra functionality needed for a union catalogue • A physical union catalogue • Records from all contributing libraries stored in one central database • No federated searching involved, to improve search results • Records deduplicated to view at point of searching CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  8. SUNCAT: Processing files from contributing libraries • File of serials titles (bibliographic and holdings records) sent to SUNCAT via ftp • Data specification drawn up by SUNCAT, to harmonize data, and put it into a form suitable for loading into database • Data specification approved by contributing library before data is converted • Rejection reports / character conversion error reports run • Locations tables are added to SUNCAT • Data is loaded into SUNCAT • Further details on our website: • http://www.suncat.ac.uk/librarians/data_processing_initial_load.html CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  9. SUNCAT: Standard data manipulation • Bibliographic: • Local control number is placed in 001 tag • Change in tag 022 (ISSN) lower case “x” to upper case “X” • Change 245$h[computer file](or variations thereof) to $h[electronic resource] • Strip 510 tags (only indicator 1 = 0, 1, 2) • Change 6XX$xPeriodicals to $vPeriodicals only when it is the last subfield in the tag • Holdings: • All holdings information is placed in an 852 tag • Library is described in 852$a; locations in 852$b and $h • Summary textual statements are in an 852$3 • Holdings will look like: • 852$$a<MARC organization code (if applicable)> $$b<sub-location>$$h<shelf mark>$$3<holdings information> • 000000001 852 L $$aStEdCA$$bA:PE$$3No. 1, Spring 1995 -- No. 5, Autumn/Winter 1996. CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  10. SUNCAT: Non-standard data manipulation • Non-MARC libraries: • Two data specifications: one to put data into MARC 21 format, and one for manipulation of that data • Usually easy to convert into MARC21, BUT: • Records will not be catalogued according to AACR2 • Records tend to be minimalistic • May be problems in matching with other records CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  11. SUNCAT: Non-standard data manipulation • MARC libraries: • Dependent on LMS • Themes run through different libraries with same LMS • Variations within one type of LMS (due to e.g., historical practices, previous database legacy issues, etc.) • Essentially, every library is treated as unique • No such thing as a “standard” manipulation! CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  12. SUNCAT: Matching records • Deduplicated union catalogue • Uses a complex matching algorithm • 3 stage selection process for matching • “Preferred” record display • List of common titles (LOCT) • Matching above format CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  13. Matching: The SUNCAT ID • What is it? • SC-ID is a unique identifier at a title level • What does it do? • SC-ID links records for the same title together which may not have matched appropriately using the standard algorithm • How does it do this? • By checking every record, and running a refined matching process before load, and assigning an appropriate SC-ID • What does it look like? • Stored in the 049$a; 9 digits preceded by “SC” and ending with a 2-digit Modulus 11 check • What are the results? • Removal of overlapping sets • Will allow SUNCAT team to merge / separate sets manually which may not have merged / have mismatched with the standard algorithm CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  14. SUNCAT: Data quality • Data conversion has shown up issues in data quality – varying standards both in bibliographic and holdings records • Matching algorithm does not match all bibliographic records for the same title successfully, due to paucity of data • Results in some duplication of records on the database • SUNCAT resolving this by: • Improving the matching algorithm • SUNCAT team matching / unmatching records to appropriate sets • Asking contributing libraries to upgrade their preferred and unique records CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  15. SUNCAT: Developments in progress • Librarians’ Interface • Allows librarians from contributing libraries to: • Download records • Access reports regarding non-matched records • Notify the SUNCAT team of mismatches or records that should have matched into a set • Verify unique records • Match poor quality records to the appropriate set, chosen from a pool of records • Customise reports of notifications of changes to the preferred record CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  16. SUNCAT: developments in progress • Download from the web • Allows download for those libraries who do not use z39.50 CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  17. AIMSS: Automating Ingest of Metadata on Serial Subscriptions (1) • Based on work carried out in Phase 1 • Used for electronic journals only • ONIX for Serials formats • Partnership with Serials Solutions • Funded by JISC PALS Metadata & Interoperability Projects 2 • Autumn 2005 to Summer 2006 • Transmitting information serials information from publishers/aggregators to participants in chain CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  18. AIMSS: Automating Ingest of Metadata on Serial Subscriptions (2) • Use of ONIX to update SUNCAT with holdings information from participating libraries • Develop capability for EDINA to accept ONIX for Serials messages (Serials Online Holdings) • Map ONIX for Serials fields to MARC21 fields • Investigated how to upload the data received into SUNCAT records • Develop and disseminate expertise to libraries • Encourage wider use of ONIX for Serials format • www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=project_aimss CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  19. Maintaining SUNCAT • Regular updates from libraries to maintain currency of database • Improve matching to reduce instances of duplication • Increase number of libraries in SUNCAT CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  20. The future of SUNCAT • Stable service • Regularly updated • High quality records for downloading • More libraries • More unique titles • Improved geographic coverage • Different union views • Linking with related services CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

  21. SUNCAT SUNCAT service: http://www.suncat.ac.uk/ SUNCAT team: suncat@staffmail.ed.ac.uk Natasha Aburrow-Jones natasha.aburrow-jones@ed.ac.uk CIG annual conference Sept. 2006

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