CAT ADMINISTRATION
Chapter 2. WORKING WITH RECORDS
Merging Bibliographic Records
In some cases, a database may contain multiple "duplicate" bibliographic records. When reserves are placed against a title for which multiple bibliographic records exist, multiple "reserve lists" may result (one for each bibliographic record). The Bib Record Merge feature provides a means of removing "duplicate" bibliographic records from the database and consolidating items and reserves lists. Bib Record Merge facilitates selection of the "correct" record (record to keep) and "incorrect" record (record to merge), then automatically transfers item records and reserves from the "record to merge" to the "record to keep," and deletes the "record to merge" from the database.
To merge "duplicate" bibliographic records:
-
Select Catalog - Bib Record Merge from the Cat Admin menu (see
The Cat Admin Menu
for details).
- The Identify Record to Keep screen displays.
Identify Record to Keep Screen
- Select the record you wish to keep:
- Select the index you wish to search from the Search For menu, either Title, ISBN or A-G Control Number, then enter the desired search term in the associated text box.
- Click the Submit button to submit your search.
- The screen refreshes to display a list of index entries that match your search criteria.
- Use the Previous and Next buttons to view other pages of the list.
- Click an index entry in the list to view titles for the entry. The Viewing Titles Info For section of the screen refreshes to display all titles for the associated index entry. Each line in the list shows the Title and Author of the title, the AGCN, the Publisher and publication Date, the number of items associated with the title that the library owns (LibraryOwn) and the number of Available Item. Use the scrollbar to view the entire list.
-
Click the Keep button for the title you wish to keep.
- The Identify Record to Merge screen displays.
Identify Record to Merge Screen
- The Record Selected to Keep is shown at the top of the screen, along with the # of Items and # of Reserves for the title.
- Select the record you wish to merge:
- Select the index you wish to search from the Search For menu, either Title, ISBN or A-G Control Number, then enter the desired search term in the associated text box.
- Click the Submit button to submit your search.
- The screen refreshes to display a list of index entries that match your search criteria.
- Use the Previous and Next buttons to view other pages of the list.
- Click an index entry in the list to view titles for the entry. The Viewing Titles Info for section of the screen refreshes to display all titles for the associated index entry. Each line in the list shows the Title and Author of the title, the AGCN, the Publisher and publication Date, the number of items associated with the title that the library owns (LibraryOwn) and the number of Available Item. Use the scrollbar to view the entire list.
- Click the Merge button for the title you wish to merge.
NOTE: If the record selected to Keep and the record selected to Merge are the same record, an advisory dialog displays the message "You cannot merge the same record." Click the OK button to close the dialog, and select a different record to Merge.
- The Perform Merge screen displays.
Perform Merge Screen
- The screen shows the Record Selected to Keep (with the # of Items and # of Reserves associated with the record), the Record Selected to Merge and Delete (with the # of Items and # of Reserves associated with the record), and a summary of the results of the merge transaction (shown in the If You Press Submit field).
- Click the Submit button to complete the merge transaction.
- A confirmation dialog displays the message "Merge Successful."
- Click the OK button to close the confirmation dialog.
- The system returns to the Select Record to Keep screen to allow merging of additional records.