Naicheng Chang, Yuchin Tsai, Gordon Dunsire and Alan Hopkinson
The purpose of this paper is to provide broad overviews of functional requirements for bibliographic records (FRBR) in the context of Chinese machine-readable cataloguing (CMARC)…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide broad overviews of functional requirements for bibliographic records (FRBR) in the context of Chinese machine-readable cataloguing (CMARC). It examines areas of the FRBR model, FRBR system development, FRBR applications and FRBR research.
Design/methodology/approach
A Chinese Koha_LibFRBR testbed was set up to develop three activities: building a FRBR application function library called LibFRBR to maintain FRBRized bibliographic records, implementing a mapping algorithm between CMARC/MARC 21 and FRBR, and designing a new generation Chinese FRBR Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) user interface.
Findings
The pilot system implementation demonstrates a workable process with useful output using both automated means (through a Perl module) and manual means (through a cataloguing interface (CI)). The study shows that existing poor Relator Code system and the maintenance of very little authority data in libraries in Taiwan are disadvantages in utilizing the FRBR model.
Practical implications
The software modules developed by this research have been released in GitHub through Koha-Taiwan distributed with a General Public License for further application within the Koha community.
Originality/value
The concrete research outcomes include: providing workable practices for CMARC coding information in FRBR, developing FRBRization of Chinese Koha library management systems, developing FRBR tools including LibFRBR, an application function library used to convert bibliographic records into FRBRized structures in Koha, and FRBR CI for library cataloguers and providing a preliminary evaluation on the views of library cataloguers and OPAC users.
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Keywords
ABCD is a web‐based open and free software suite for library management derived from the UNESCO CDS/ISIS software technology. The first version was launched officially in December…
Abstract
Purpose
ABCD is a web‐based open and free software suite for library management derived from the UNESCO CDS/ISIS software technology. The first version was launched officially in December 2009 with a MARC 21 bibliographic format database. This paper aims to detail the building of the UNIMARC bibliographic format database for ABCD.
Design/methodology/approach
ABCD provides tools for building any MARC‐like or structured bibliographic format database; this feature is used to set up a UNIMARC bibliographic format database according to its structure as defined by IFLA. As a member of the ISIS family of software applications, ABCD provides a robust formatting language that allows the output of records according to the needs of the user.
Findings
ABCD provides a robust platform for building a UNIMARC bibliographic format database and many other facilities for editing records. But, it is not yet possible to have more than one active fixed length coded field in a worksheet.
Originality/value
CDS/ISIS users who have data in the UNIMARC format on old versions of CDS/ISIS software applications now have the opportunity to migrate their data into the new application without changing their structure. Aslo, a second international MARC format is provided to new CDS/ISIS users.
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The computer software package CDS/ISIS is suitable for the storage and retrieval of structured, text‐oriented information, such as bibliographic descriptions. Versions exist for…
Abstract
The computer software package CDS/ISIS is suitable for the storage and retrieval of structured, text‐oriented information, such as bibliographic descriptions. Versions exist for various hardware including IBM microcomputers and compatibles. The software is very attractive, mainly because it is powerful and because the producer, Unesco, normally fulfils requests to use it for free. Micro CDS/ISIS is reviewed in this paper which includes recent experience with Version 2.3.
Using document analysis and surveys this chapter presents a case study about a new master’s degree program in library and information science and its curriculum which was…
Abstract
Using document analysis and surveys this chapter presents a case study about a new master’s degree program in library and information science and its curriculum which was developed cooperatively from 2009 through 2012 by four EU higher education institutions for, and with, universities in three former Soviet countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Events that led to the collaboration are presented along with how faculty members were taught to teach new courses. It also discusses findings and results of an assessment of impact and satisfaction levels of the project. Stated project objectives and anticipated outcomes were compared with student expectations in order to provide a better understanding of the critical factors that might determine success of the new program. Although the project’s documentation was extensive, analysis and conclusions from it were limited to education and knowledge transfer goals of the program. Results from the study shed light on how to adjust course content to better meet student expectations and how to implement ongoing evaluation of courses at the international level. Since cooperation between institutions is always highly demanding, in particular when it is among institutions from different countries, the evaluation of this project will be of interest to anyone trying to improve cooperative agreements for educational purposes. Low response rates to the surveys limit the conclusions on general indications of effectiveness. This chapter provides only an early look at the impact of the program, and outcomes analysis based on a larger sample remains to be done.
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Formats for the exchange of bibliographic data use the ISO 2709 record structure which started out as the structure for the Library of Congress MARC format. The UNISIST Reference…
Abstract
Formats for the exchange of bibliographic data use the ISO 2709 record structure which started out as the structure for the Library of Congress MARC format. The UNISIST Reference Manual was an early international exchange format developed by ICSU‐AB and Unesco and included cataloguing rules suitable for use by A & I Services. The national libraries developed UNIMARC under IFLA auspices as their exchange format since the national formats were not totally compatible. Unesco, concerned about the lack of compatibility between the major international exchange formats, sponsored a symposium, resulting from which a Common Communication Format was developed and ISO began work on a data element directory. International formats also exist for nuclear and agricultural information as well as for serials data. Other formats exist which are used internationally and have different structural characteristics. The International MARC Network Study Steering Committee has taken an interest in the exchange of bibliographic data and has organized a test of UNIMARC and supervised a UNIMARC Handbook to clarify the format. International exchange formats tend to acquire accompanying cataloguing rules: indeed they will only be really effective if there are internationally accepted cataloguing rules and authority files.
Alan Hopkinson and Rajesh Chandrakar
To describe the first year of the implementation of radio frequency identification (RFID) in Middlesex University Learning Resources.
Abstract
Purpose
To describe the first year of the implementation of radio frequency identification (RFID) in Middlesex University Learning Resources.
Design/methodology/approach
The technology is explained in detail to set the scene. Information on the implementation is presented in chronological order.
Findings
Problems which would generally be applicable to other installations in these early days of the use of RFID in libraries are pointed out.
Practical implications
It is possible to implement RFID without too much lead time, although, had longer been available, some aspects would have gone more smoothly.
Originality/value
Contains valuable information for other libraries considering or intending to introduce RFID.
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Naicheng Chang, Yuchin Tsai and Alan Hopkinson
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate issues of different scripts in the same record (in MARC21 and Chinese machine‐readable cataloguing (CMARC)) and Chinese internal codes…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate issues of different scripts in the same record (in MARC21 and Chinese machine‐readable cataloguing (CMARC)) and Chinese internal codes (i.e. double‐byte character set) when implementing Koha. It also discusses successful efforts in promoting the adoption of Koha in Taiwan, particularly the contributions from Koha‐Taiwan.
Design/methodology/approach
A Koha CMARC/MARC21 testbed was set up to discuss issues of multi‐scripts and Chinese internal codes when implementing Koha, and to determine to what extent the various features of CMARC, which are not present in MARC21, such as linking fields, can be supported in Koha and what is required to implement them if they are not available.
Findings
In contrast to western characters, Chinese internal codes cause extra work, as special programming for character conversion is required when working with Koha. This situation is commonly seen in Asian countries such as China, Japan and Korea. This paper recommends implementing CMARC, MARC21 or even any other type of MARC format in Koha with strong commercial‐level support.
Practical implications
Koha‐Taiwan serves Koha Chinese users around the world. A successful Koha‐Taiwan could be a model around the world.
Originality/value
In recent years, the concept of implementing an open‐source library management system has been coming to the fore. In Taiwan, the local‐based commercial library system covers more than one quarter of the library system market in academic libraries because the company provides better tailor‐made support, mainly in scripts and multiple internal codes, than do western‐based commercial library systems. Evaluations and conclusions from this paper will be useful to countries where multi‐scripts and double‐byte character sets are issues.
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The following article summarises the results of the LIBACT1/GR project concerning the implementation of UNIMARC and CDS/ISIS in the National Library of Greece and the conversion…
Abstract
The following article summarises the results of the LIBACT1/GR project concerning the implementation of UNIMARC and CDS/ISIS in the National Library of Greece and the conversion of the existing records of the Library into the UNIMARC format. The article outlines the basic features of the CDS/ISIS implementation and describes a solution to the problems of implementing UNIMARC on this piece of software. A technique used for the automated UNIMARC formatting of the Library's bibliographic and authority records (from simple ASCII text original files) is also described and evaluated.
Although there are many articles on CDS/ISIS which describe projects in which conversion techniques are used, there is very little literature about the conversion programs…
Abstract
Although there are many articles on CDS/ISIS which describe projects in which conversion techniques are used, there is very little literature about the conversion programs themselves.This paper provides an overview of the conversion process and gives brief descriptions of some of the available programs.