PCC Resources for
Organization Name: VTLS Inc.
Date: Originally submitted 06/08/2000, Updated Dec. 2001
Product Name & version: Virtua
Respondent Name: John Espley
MARC Holdings Format Survey for CONSER Task Force on Publication Patterns & Holdings, Task 3
1. Does your serial check-in software support the USMARC Holdings Format?
YES
2. Does your serials check-in software support automatic issue prediction for receipt purposes?
YES
2.A If so, are data elements used to provide prediction based on or similar to those provided in the USMARC Holdings Format?
YES
3. Does your system store data elements at the level of detail anticipated by the USMARC Holdings Format, especially the full range of subfield content conveyed in the 85/x fields?
YES
4. Is your system able to make use of the 85X $y (Regularity pattern) to anticipate normalized irregulars (or regular receipt exceptions) in making automatic issue prediction for serials receiving?
YES
4.A Is this support provided for a full range of the frequencies?
We try to, but we might be missing some possibilities. But we consider patterns that do not work to be defects, so we enhance the system to make it work correctly.
5. Does your system contain the capability to import MARC tagged holdings records?
YES
5.A Please briefly describe how imported MARC-based holdings records with publication patterns are matched to specific serials control records in your system?
The MARC Hodings record must have an id number (004 or 035) that matches either the 001 or 035 of a bibliographic record.
6. Does your system have the capability to export MARC tagged holdings records?
YES
7. Have users of your system successfully shared exported publication patterns with users of other serials systems in any of the following ways. Please specify all of the activities (a through d that your system has been able to support.
a. Exchanged generic patterns for given serial frequencies with other users of your ILS software.
YES
b. Exchanged generic patterns for given serial frequencies with users of other ILS systems.
Yes, via OCLC's use of the 891 tag.
c. Exchanged title-specific patterns with other users of your ILS system.
Yes
d. Exchanged title-specific patterns with users of other ILS systems.
Yes, via the OCLC's use of the 891 tag.
8. Is it possible for an operator to view 85X/86X fields related to prediction in the Check-in system? In the holdings record?
YES
In the holdings record?
YES
8.A Can the operator view check-in and holdings information in both MARC-coded format and your system's proprietary format (if any) from all technical service screens?
YES
8.B Can an operator make changes to values in the 85X/86X coded fields that impact expected issue descriptions emanating from the ILS prediction engine?
YES
(This question examines the degree of integration between coded MARC holdings values and the operation of predictive check-in. For example, I should be able to add a subfield y (*$y om07") to the 853 field of my title to cover the omission of the month of July from prediction. In the truly integrated system envisioned in 7A, such an update to the coded 85X field would cause suppression of the month of July when predicting monthly serial receipts without having to engage in separate manipulation of the check-in software.)
9. Is the check-in system able to generate MARC holdings data automatically as a by-product of establishing automated issue prediction in support of serials check-in?
YES
10. Does your system support and predict alternate chronologies such as years based on Arabic calendars?
You can certainly added a $m and have it display, but our system does not know what to "do" with it.
11. Can you support captions that incorporate diacritics?
YES
11.A Does your software limit the length of captions? If so, what is the limit?
No, none that I'm aware of.
12. What elements have you identified as necessary for serials publication patterns that appear to be missing from the current set of fields in the MARC holdings format? Please describe in detail.
The MARC Advisory Committee has usually kept aware of issues.
