LC Subscription Database

LION makes significant use of a product developed for us by Richard Lewis at Dynix called LC Subscription Database to meet the cataloging needs of our members, both established and new members who are converting their collections using our Dynix system and the cataloging module. We have had this functionality since 1989, initially on our LS/2 system and since 1991 on our Dynix system. Prior to the LC Subscription Database we made effective use of the SelectMARC service from the Library of Congress.

LION subscribes to Books English from MARC Distribution Services of the Cataloging Distribution Service of the Library of Congress. Books English consists of "MARC records for monographs published in the English language anywhere in the world and cataloged by the Library of Congress". We have been subscribing since 1989. The 1999 subscription cost us $10,540. We expect approximately 333,000 records this year with approximately 220,000 upgraded and corrected records, and approximately 113,000 newly cataloged records. The files are available weekly; initially we received weekly files on magnetic tapes from the Library of Congress, now however we get the files from the Library of Congress's host database on a weekly basis.

We get the files from the Library of Congress by means of FTP (file transfer protocol) using the CuteFTP client on a Windows 95 workstation. We load the records into our Dynix system using LMR (Load MARC Records) and NetMARC with a profile developed for us by Richard Lewis. Our Dynix system gets the file from the workstation. The workstation acts as a server by using the Serv-U FTP server. The records are loaded and processed interactively by the MARC profile of TAP (Transaction Assurance Program).

The LCCN (Library of Congress Cataloging Number) of the incoming record is checked against the LCCN index of the BIB database for a match. If a match is found, the match is added to the MARCLOAD.MATCH.LOG for subsequent review by our Cataloger using XRMH (Report - MARC errors Multiple Hits). After review, matches are resolved by using BRM (Bibliographic Record Merge). Almost all matches of incoming records against existing BIB database records are upgrades or corrections, for example the Library of Congress increases the encoding level of a record from 8 which stands for pre-publication level, which includes records created in cataloging in publication (CIP) programs, to [blank] which stands for full level, where the information used in creating the record is derived from an inspection of the physical item.

If an incoming record does not match against an existing BIB record, then the incoming record is checked against the LCCN index of a second database of bibliographic records for a match. This second database is known as the LCBIB database and is made up of Book English records. If a match is found, the incoming record replaces the existing record because the incoming record is an upgrade or a correction to an existing record. If there is no match the incoming record is added to the LCBIB database.

The LCBIB database is accessible to users in UBR (Update Bibliographic Records) in both the Cataloging and Acquisitions module. When a user wishes to add an item to our Dynix system the user will search the BIB database using a title, LCCN, or ISBN search. If the user fails to find a match for the item they wish to add to our Dynix system, or acquisitions order they wish to create, then our Dynix system will ask the user if they would like their title, LCCN, or ISBN search agrument applied against the LCBIB database. If a match is found in the LCBIB database, then the user may select the LCBIB record. Upon selection the LCBIB record is presented to the user in order that the user may edit the record. Upon filing of the record, the record is de-indexed and deleted from the LCBIB database and added and indexed in the BIB database.

If the user is unable to find a match in either the BIB or LCBIB database then they are prompted by our Dynix system to enter a preliminary level record by means of a workform known as an initial search record. Please note that users of the Acquisitions module are encouraged to upgrade BSE (Bibliographic Short Entry) records to MARC records. These initial search records are made up of an item's standard numbers, title statement, imprint, physical description. Users are encouraged to avoid authorized access points, content and subject analysis. Every week I report all of these records created the previous week by using Recall. Our Cataloger reviews the report in an effort to upgrade the records with records which meet our standard which is level two of AACR2R. Most are non-monographic records because monographic records are found in the LCBIB database. We use OCLC in order to upgrade these records. Records for which no matches are found on OCLC are upgraded by our members or Cataloger.

Z39.50 clients have not been seen significant use by the LION office or our members. We believe the benefit of Z39.50 clients would be if we did not have the LC Subscription Database on our Dynix system, or if we had the luxury of providing OCLC to our members by means of Z39.50. I have taken the weekly initial search records report and put the LCCNs and ISBNs from these bibliographic records into a text file and then submitted the text file to BookWhere 2000 as a batch search with only marginal results. We believe that OCLC is still the best source for non-monographic records. We believe that we have a comparable service with our LC Subscription Database to OCLC's Bibliographic Notification. We have not explored acquiring records from jobbers, but would probably do so before considering OCLC's PromptCat.

Below are illustrative statistics from the period April 1998 to March 1999:

Book English

332,769 Books English records were loaded into our Dynix system. 205,357 upgraded or corrected Books English records matched existing LCBIB database records. 127,412 Books English records were added to the LCBIB database.

LION Cataloging

41,554 records were added to the BIB database. 14,149 LCBIB records were selected by users and added to the BIB database. 14,231 records were created by members and reviewed by our Cataloger for upgrade and quality. 8,528 records of the 14,231 records created by members met LION standards and were reviewed by our Cataloger for quality. These records may be upgraded by our Cataloger for authorized access points, subject and content analysis. 5,703 records of the 14,231 records created by members were initial search records and were reviewed by our Cataloger for upgrade.

Upgrading

27,402 upgraded or corrected Books English records matched existing BIB database records and were reviewed by our Cataloger. 12,910 records were selected by our Cataloger from OCLC upgraded records created by members as initial search records.