Updated 7/1/2022
Searching for copy begins in Alma because the item may already be held by the Frick or Brooklyn libraries. Alternately a record may have been created in the system for the item when it was ordered but not in hand (typically by the Frick). Or the library may already own a copy of the item (which should be discovered when de-duping donated materials, but some items may accidentally bypass that process).
1. Start by using an ISBN search if an ISBN # is available on the item.
2. Sometimes a record in the catalog lacks an ISBN #. If there is no result from an ISBN search, or there is no ISBN, search by title, publisher, keyword, etc.
3. If you find a records that seem to match, take particular care to check that it is for the same publication and edition as the item in hand. The following fields in the bibliographic record must match the bibliographic information found in the physical item for the record to be considered a match.
008 – Language (position 35-37)
020 – ISBN (if present)
100 – Author/Artist
245 – Title
260 – Imprint including place of publication, publisher and date published
300 – Physical description including the pagination and dimensions
If the above mentioned fields are all the same in the item and in the record, it is safe to consider the record a match for the item. See Appendix A for additional notes on these fields.
4. If everything indicates the record found is for the item being searched, check to see whether the MoMA library owns a copy, and not just the Frick or Brooklyn. Check also make sure the status of the MoMA copy is not Lost, Missing, Damaged, or long overdue (3+ years). In these cases we might wish to replace the missing copies. See the Head of Library Services to determine if the copy in hand should be retained. And if Alma indicates MoMA has a copy, double-check the item in hand for a barcode, labels, or markings to make sure it is not, in fact, the one already in the collection. If so, stop and return that item to regular shelves. (This would be unusual, but is not unknown)
5. If the record in Alma is for an item held only by the Brooklyn or Frick library, follow the steps in section I.B.
6. If MoMA has a copy of the item present in the library and it has been determined the copy in hand should not be retained, place the duplicate item on the duplicate shelves in either Manhattan or Queens for disposal. If a duplicate book is signed, it should be given to the Head of Library Services, who will determine if it should be kept.
7. If you have determined that no record for the exact item in hand exists already in Alma, go on to step I.C
Many materials are owned by more than one library, and MoMA is often not the first one to acquire the item, if that is the case follow the steps below.
Evaluate the record. The Frick creates bibliographic records at the point of ordering, and while some may be adequate copy, many or most are simply placeholders until the item is physically received and cataloged. Similarly, the Frick imports numerous bibliographic records from vendors at the point of ordering. Sometimes MoMA receives and processes the item before the Frick or Brooklyn receives their copy and improves the placeholder record.
A record is deemed adequate and sufficient if it has actually been cataloged by Frick or Brooklyn staff. The signs of this are as follows:
If the record is adequate, go to Connexion and find the record in WorldCat. Searching on the 035 OCLC number is usually the most convenient way to find it. Once the record is found update the WorldCat holdings to reflect MoMA's copy. Then proceed to section III to add MoMA holdings in Alma.
If the record in Alma is inadequate proceed with the copy cataloging steps in section I.C. Upon downloading to Alma, special steps to overlay the existing placeholder record will be required.
Worldcat, Library of Congress, and some other sources may be searched from within Alma from Metadata Editor (MDE)>Search & Browse>Search Resources. However, bringing in records this way bypasses the workflow that adds our holdings to the OCLC record for display in Worldcat. When cataloging, always search for copy from within Connexion.
1. As with searching in Alma, start by using an ISBN search if an ISBN # is present on the item. If there is no result from an ISBN search, or there is no ISBN, search by title, publisher, keyword, etc.
2. If you find a records that seem to match, take particular care to check that it is for the same publication and edition as the item in hand. The following fields in the bibliographic record must match the bibliographic information found in the physical item for the record to be considered a match.
008 – Language (position 35-37)
020 – ISBN (if present)
100 – Author/Artist
245 – Title
260 – Imprint including place of publication, publisher and date published
300 – Physical description including the pagination and dimensions
If the above mentioned fields are all the same in the item and in the record, it is safe to consider the record a match for the item. See Appendix A for additional notes on these fields.
3. Check the 040 $b. If the 040 field subfield $b has any other language than English (code “eng”) do not use the record as it signifies that the institution that input the record followed non-English standards for description and/or access points. Also consider it a non-English record If the 040 subfield $e uses a description convention source code other than aacr or rda (see https://www.loc.gov/standards/sourcelist/descriptive-conventions.html for complete list of codes). Another indication of a non-English record is when the 300 field physical description uses non English abbreviations or non-English full words. To increase chances of finding a record that have English as their cataloging source language select English in the language of cataloging field in the search dialog.
Note: The cataloging source language is distinct from the language of the item. A book written in German will likely have many German words in its catalog record. But if its cataloging source language is English, we are assured it has been described following English cataloging rules.
Records that lack $e rda in the 040, but that contain codes "a" or "i" in the "Desc" fixed field are acceptable.
4. If no records are found at all, or if the only extant records are for different editions, forward the item to the senior cataloger or appropriate staff person for original or modified original cataloging.
5. If the your search produces one or more records that match the item in hand and were cataloged in English, select the best record available based on the following parameters following this order of decisions
1. Encoding Level (Elvl)
The code identifying the degree or level of description attained by the record, indicated in the 17th position of the Leader (LDR) in the MARC record. Tables of the full list of OCLC and MARC 21 Encoding Level codes can be found online. In order of preference:
i Full-level input by OCLC participants
l Full-level input added from a batch process
[blank] Full-level input by national bib agency, usually the Library of Congress
If no records at those encoding levels are present then records at the following levels may be selected. However, records with these encoding levels will need to be forwarded, with the physical item, to the senior cataloger or appropriate staff person for approval. In order of preference:
k Minimal-level input by OCLC participants
m Less-than-full added from a batch process]
4 Core level, obsolete
7 Minimal level, headings checked with authority files
8
[EXAMPLE]
2. Library of Congress-supplied classification number, MARC 050 field
Prefer records with LC classification numbers as denoted by a second indicator 0 in the 050 MARC field. Records with classifications supplied by other agencies, as denoted by a second indicator 4, are acceptable but of secondary preference.
Check Alma to make sure that the LC call number in the record has not already been assigned to a MoMA item.
In Alma, select Resources > Browse Shelf Listing
In the Call Number Type field, select Library of Congress classification from the drop-down menu, if it is not already selected.
Copy the LC call number from field 050 of the Connexion record and paste it into the Alma Call Number field
Click Go
If the call number for the first title in the results list matches the number you searched, and it belongs to a MoMA holding (see the Library/location column of the results list), the record is unacceptable. If no matching call number is found, continue to the next step.
Exception: When the book being cataloged requires a local call number rather than an LC classification number (e.g. AECs and GECs), presence of 050 is not a requirement for acceptable copy.
[EXAMPLE]
3. At least one Marc 6XX field, subject access point
4. If the item is a single artist exhibition catalog or a monograph for an individual artist, the record should carry both a subject heading for the artist (i.e., 600 field), as well as a personal name access point for the artist (i.e. 100 or 700)] . This can be a sign of the overall quality of the record, but if it is the sole issue, than it is easily corrected by the copy cataloger.
Likewise, acceptable records should have both an 050 class number and at least one 6XX field. However, if a record is deemed to be acceptable in every way but for the lack of the 050 class number, then complete the copy cataloging, print out the record, and forward the item to the appropriate staff person for classification.
6. Once an appropriate record is identified in Connexion save it to your local or online save file. If no records are found that meet the above criteria, forward the item to the senior cataloger or appropriate staff person for original or modified original cataloging.
Records taken from OCLC or elsewhere often have MARC fields and codes we don’t need and that end up cluttering the record unnecessarily. Records should be reviewed and all following steps should be taken, as needed.
Remove any of the following MARC fields if present.!
1. Delete all 029 fields. 029, Other System Control Number, is an OCLC MARC field used for automated processes and it has no purpose in local catalogs. Stripping a record of 029 fields can be set up in your local configuration of Connexion as part of the gateway export, so shouldn’t have to be performed manually on records.
938 field also
2. Remove copy-specific notes. Delete any 5XX fields that have a subfield $5. That indicates the specific institution which owns the copy the note pertains to. Within Alma, copy specific noties will be present to describe unique features of copies held by among NYARC libraries. But none taken from OCLC are relevant.
3. Delete any 590 notes. 59X fields are defined locally and so are not relevant to other institutions.
4. Delete 6XX with second non-LC indicators. Remove any subject headings using local authorities or unrelated thesauri as denoted by the following second indicators:
1 - LC subject headings for children's literature
2 - Medical Subject Headings
3 - National Agricultural Library subject authority file
5 - Canadian Subject Headings
6 - Répertoire de vedettes-matière
7 - Source specified in subfield $2 if the $2 is anything other than aat. Aat subject headings can be kept.
5. Delete any 653 fields. The 653, Index Term-Uncontrolled, is strictly local and irrelevant.
6. Delete all 856 fields with URLs or other internet links. The 856, Electronic Location and Access, is used to link the bibliographic record to electronic versions of the materials or additional online resources relevant to the materials such as tables of contents or indexes. These online resources frequently aren’t maintained resulting in broken links. It is best to remove them altogether. Within the 856, the URL is usually in a $4.
Several MARC fields need to be added to the bibliographic record to be complete and this is best done within Connexion before downloading the record to Alma. To save time, inserting these fields with the basic or default content can be assigned to keyboard shortcuts using Connexion’s constant data.
1. Insert RDA descriptive fields 336, 337, and 338 if the record lacks them. These MARC fields—for Content Type, Media Type, and Carrier Type, respectively—are used to describe the physical aspects of the item according to RDA principles and codes. Separate 336 fields need to be entered for the text and the illustrations, which many of our materials have. The below example should be used for any bound material with both text and illustrations. For instructions as to what codes use for these fields in instances of other types of materials please see XXXXX.
336 __ $a text $b txt $2 rdacontent
336 __ $a still image $b sti $2 rdacontent
337 __ $a unmediated $b n $2 rdamedia
338 __ $a volume $b nc $2 rdacarrier
2. Add 541 and 561 notes as necessary. The 541 field, Immediate Source of Acquisition Note, and 561 field, Ownership and Custodial History, are used to describe where the item came from. The 541 is used most often to acknowledge a donor who gave us the item or to indicate which fund was used to purchase it. The 561 is used most commonly to record previous ownership, chain of custody, or other provenance details. See xxxxxdonor note guides for further explanation of when to use these notes and how to compose them.
3. For inscribed and presentation copies see:
Inscribed and Presentation Copies
Add a 655 field for items signed by the author or otherwise officially presented to MoMA. An AAT genre term is used for this so entire line is as follows:
655 _7 $a Authors' presentation copies. $2 aat
4. Add an 852 field. For the MoMA library the 852 serves multiple functions. It holds our local call number, cataloging statistics information, and some special collection tags.
i. First copy the LC call number from the 050 field taking care to change the $a and $b to $h and $i and inserting a new $a for our institution code. Example:
050 _0 $a N6853.P5 $b A4 2017
852 0_ $a NNMoMA $h N6853.P5 $i A4 2017
ii. Add a subfield $x for cataloging statistics. The main statistical information is composed as follows [Two-character cataloging code][yyyymmdd][your intitials]. The code for copy cataloging is CO so the full statistics string for something copy cataloged by me on July 1st this year would be:
$x CO20220701jl
and with the call number the entire string looks like this:
852 0_ $a NNMoMA $h N6853.P5 $i A4 2017 $x CO20220701jl
Note that the cataloging code is always uppercase and the cataloger’s initials are always lowercase. Previously, additional subfields $x were added solely to denote the fiscal years and catalog years (i.e. $xFY2022) but this is no longer necessary.
5. Add additional 852s to tag particular collections and projects. The three main tags currently in use are:
i. LACM — Latin American Collection Material. This tag is added to bibliographic records to help identify and count any materials in the library about art and artists from Latin America, defined broadly, or specifically purchased or collected by the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Bibliographer for Latin America. Most materials to be given this tag should already be identified for the cataloger.
ii. AABIB — African-American Bibliography.
iii. BKLG — Backlog processing. This tag is to be used to denote materials cataloged from our backlog beginning in summer 2022, for effective tracking and statistics. All materials to receive this tag will be clearly identified to the cataloger.
Any additional 852s added to the record must include a $a for our institution code and the tag must be entered in a $x as follows:
852 __ $aNNMoMA $x LACM
See https://sites.google.com/moma.org/alrc/cataloging/statisticcodes for further information on cataloging and other statistical codes currently and previously used in the MoMA library.
6. Update holdings in OCLC. This step can be taken at any moment after identifying the record that best matches the item and is cataloged at the highest level. The cataloger can decide when in the workflow it is most convenient for them so it won’t be overlooked. However, the following step, copying 852 fields to 952s, cannot be done until after holdings have been added to OCLC. 952 fields are not allowed by OCLC, and their presence will halt the attempt to add holdings.
Connexion menu: Action>holdings>update holdings
Connexion keyboard shortcut: F8
7. Copy the contents of the 852 fields to 952 fields. It is important for library staff to be able to search among cataloging statistics and for the LACM and AABIB tags. In Alma, 852 $x subfields are not searchable (the call number is, separately). So repeating that content in a 952 field makes it available for searches. Simply add a new 952 field for each previously created 852, and copy over the contents along with all subfield delimiters. So if a record has two 852s, it should also have two 952s like so:
852 0_ $a NNMoMA $h N6853.P5 $i A4 2017 $x CO20220701jl
852 __ $aNNMoMA $x LACM
952 0_ $a NNMoMA $h N6853.P5 $i A4 2017 $x CO20220701jl
952 __ $aNNMoMA $x LACM
Since 952 fields are locally defined, the indicators are not important and do not need to be copied from the 852s, though it doesn’t cause any problem.
The record is now ready to be downloaded to Alma.
1.
2. Export the record (f5–or action menu: export)
3. Select and copy the long 18 digit metadata management system (mms) number that shows up in connexion after successful export.
4. In Alma, choose all titles (because the exported records have no attached holdings or items yet), then mms id, then paste the full 18 digit mms id number in the search area.\
The remaining steps are performed in Alma. Staff may choose to continue cataloging additional titles in Connexion and then downloading the records to Alma as a group and adding inventory all at once, or perform this one by one.
1
SHELF CHECK
.
Choose edit record in display.
2. When bib marc record is revealed, choose add inventory
3. Choose proper holdings record from list of holdings templates (make sure a cataloger has set this up with the appropriate possibilities for the holdings templates.)
4. Add data to the 852 field (consult with cataloger about this)
5. Save holdings record.
6. Add inventory to the newly saved holdings record.
7. Choose item from the list of possible templates.
8. Fill the item field correctly (see catalogers for how/what to add)
9. Release both the holdings record and then the bib record from the metadata editor (again, check with catalogers on how to do this)
1. Choose edit record in display.
2. When bib marc record is revealed, choose add inventory
3. Choose proper holdings record from list of holdings templates (make sure a cataloger has set this up with the appropriate possibilities for the holdings templates.)
4. Add data to the 852 field (consult with cataloger about this)
5. Save holdings record.
6. Add inventory to the newly saved holdings record.
7. Choose item from the list of possible templates.
8. Fill the item field correctly (see catalogers for how/what to add)
9. Release both the holdings record and then the bib record from the metadata editor (again, check with catalogers on how to do this)