Deep Impact: Metadata and SUNCAT

DEEPIMPACT

METADATA & SUNCATNatasha Aburrow-Jones

Introduction to SUNCAT

• SUNCAT: the Serials Union Catalogue for the UK

• Project started in 2003; service launched in 2005 – and still going strong!

• 100 Contributing Libraries – National, University, Specialist

How we accept data - carrier

• MARC Communications Format files ftp’d to a secure area on the SUNCAT server (preferred)

• WORD Documents• Excel spreadsheets• Access databases• csv / tab_separated files• Anything (everything) else

How we accept data - content

• AACR2• RDA• Hybrid• Anything (everything) else

Data normalisation

• For all libraries, some standard normalisation, e.g.,

• Change in tag 022 lower case “x” to upper case “X”

• Change 245$h[computer file] to $h[electronic resource]

• Change 6XX$xPeriodicals to $vPeriodicals only when it is the last subfield in the tag

Data normalisation - tailored

• Bib. data and holdings are tailored for each library, e.g.:

• Transfer 930$y to 852$b• Transfer 930$m to 852$3• Transfer 930$1 to 852$h

• If the 022 tag is not in the format of 4 digits dash 4 digits, then reformat

Incoming data

Incoming data (II)

Incoming data (III)

Incoming data (IV)

Normalised data

Impact of (non)-use of data standards

• Lack of consistency across records• Not matching with other records due to

paucity of data / different data used to describe the same item

• Multiple records in the same library catalogued differently

• Data not homogenous even within one library catalogue, let alone the 100 in SUNCAT

Satellite titles

Existing matching algorithm

• Based on that originally used by the California Digital Library

• Adapted by SUNCAT to include extra MARC fields

• Points based• Weighted to have non-matches rather

than mis-matches• Good for standardised materials

New matching algorithm

Conclusions

• It would be much simpler if everyone followed the existing standards, whether that be for content or carrier!

• BUT – that’s not going to happen. • So, we know that we’ll have to keep on

trying to standardise the non-standard.• The joys of cataloguing in a shared

environment!

Any questions?

L

Logan and Maiya

Contact details

[email protected]@TashaAJ

[email protected]

www.suncat.ac.uk