Analysis of Readex's Serial Set MARC records: Improving the data for the library catalog

• Published in: Government information quarterly 2013-01, Vol.30 (1), p.87-98
• Main Authors: Draper, Daniel, Lederer, Naomi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Libraries; Authority; Batch; Bibliographic records; Cataloging; Classification; Colleges and universities; Colorado; Errors; Government information; Government Publications; History; Indexes (Measures); Languages; Libraries; Library cataloguing; Library Services; Literature Reviews; MARC; MARC records; Metadata; Online Catalogs; Presidents; Serial Set; State government; State Universities; United States; United States of America
• ISSN: 0740-624X; 1872-9517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.giq.2012.06.010

Colorado State University Libraries (CSUL) purchased the digitized United States Congressional Serial Set, 1817–1994 and American State Papers (1789–1838) from the Readex Division of NewsBank, Inc. and, once funds and records were available, the accompanying MARC records. The breadth of information found in the Serial Set is described, along with the difficulties in using the print version (incorporated in the literature review, which includes citations of announcements of the digital collections and reviews of the software). The digital version of the Serial Set has its advantages, but there are additional rewards (much greater discovery opportunities) when items in the digital collection are directly accessible from the library catalog. The purchased MARC records, while overall excellent, had problems that needed to be corrected before they were loaded into CSUL's Innovative Interfaces library catalog. Patron access impact was used as a criterion when determining which of the records would be fixed before loading. High impact problems were identified and solutions derived for: multiple 245 (title) fields; 245s indicator zero with titles beginning with a, an, or the; dollar sign used in text; fixed field date; languages; subject headings; creating proxy URLs; classification numbers; and author authority control (e.g. corporate entries and presidential entry errors). ► Breadth of information found in the U.S. Serial Set and American State Papers ► Advantages of MARC records for the digitized Serial Set and American State Papers ► Purchased MARC records had problems that needed to be corrected before loading. ► Patron access influenced selection of problems that required fixing. ► Problems and solutions to them are provided for nine high-impact areas.