PALNI Guideline: Batch MARC Database Load Projects

Submitted by admin on Mon, 02/26/2007 - 5:52pm.

The following document provides guidelines and a recommended procedure that libraries should try to follow to have a file of MARC records "batch loaded" into the PALNI shared bibliographic database. As outlined in the following document, staff recommend using the PALNI help desk to initiate and schedule a new batch load project.


PALNI Guidelines for
Bibliographic Batch Record Load Projects
Revised February 26, 2007

  1. The PALNI Library will contact a vendor that is offering a collection and the related MARC records that the library wants to have batch loaded into the PALNI database.

  2. The PALNI Library Director should contact the PALNI office with an outline of the planned acquisition and batch load as early in the project as possible. A problem tracking ticket should be created by the library for tracking purposes. If possible, PALNI staff should be kept “in the loop” of correspondence with the vendor to help if there are any questions.

  3. The PALNI Library Director should be responsible for all of the contractual contacts necessary with the vendor. Some vendors may require a “third party” contract to allow PALNI staff to download or access the records. PALNI staff will assist with any contractual language that the Library Director needs in this regard.

  4. During negotiations with the vendor, Library staff should ask that the 049 data be “normalized” in any records provided as part of a single project. This will aid greatly in completing the project quickly and accurately. This normalization would insure that identical data is in the 049 field of all of the MARC records supplied by the vendor. The 049 is used for mapping data into the holdings and item records during the load.

  5. The library should ask the vendor to contact PALNI staff with information about accessing the file(s). Specifically, they should provide (1) a URL or FTP site, (2) username/account number and password, and (3) any site-specific protocols or paths.

  6. Prior to doing the load, PALNI staff will need to work with Library staff to create a new file for mapping data into Holding records and items for the new bibliographic records.

  7. Upon notification that a load file is ready, staff will download it to the PALNI server and begin the conversion work on the records. Library staff may be contacted to verify that the records and mapping are correct. Large bibliographic files will not be loaded during the normal working hours of the PALNI libraries. They will be held for evenings and weekends. During loading, the records will be marked for authority processing.

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