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Marcive's Shipping List Service: Colorado State University Libraries' experience
Journal of Government Information 27 (2000) 547 ± 558
Marcive's Shipping List Service: Colorado State University Libraries' experience Nora S. Copelanda,*, Maryann Snyderb a
Catalog Librarian, Database Management, Bibliographic Control and Electronic Resource Services, Colorado State University Libraries, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1019, USA b Library Technician III, Database Maintenance Unit, Bibliographic Control and Electronic Resource Services, Colorado State University Libraries, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1019, USA Received 2 April 1998; received in revised form 4 August 1998; accepted 14 April 2000
Abstract The article relates the problems and challenges encountered when Colorado State University Libraries (CSUL) began receiving and processing Marcive Shipping List Service (SLS) records; describes the associated procedures, work flows, and quality control measures; and provides an analysis of SLS. Based on CSUL's experience, it is strongly suggested that quality control be given a high priority to ensure that problems resulting from the integration of SLS with Marcive US Government Printing Office (GPO) cataloging and any in-house records are identified and resolved at the point of receipt. Having new titles immediately available online through multiple access points and with the correct location and format is an invaluable service for library users. D 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Marcive Shipping List Service (SLS); Quality control; Database maintenance for government documents; Government Printing Office cataloging; INNOPAC system
1. Introduction Colorado State University (CSU) is a land grant institution of the State of Colorado located in Fort Collins, a community of approximately 113,000. Colorado State University Libraries * Corresponding author. Tel: +1-970-491-1822. E-mail address: [email protected] (N.S. Copeland).
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(CSUL) is a depository library serving more than 22,000 university affiliates and community users. Marcive is a source for US Government Printing Office (GPO) cataloging, as well as a provider of other customized products and services for library clients1. In 1989, CSUL loaded all GPO retrospective cataloging into its local online catalog after it was customized for CSUL by Marcive. Due to staff shortages, backlogs developed in the database maintenance of online records, and there was no quality control on data loads. It became clear that staff had to upgrade services so that library users could access the new document materials in a timely manner. CSU Libraries reorganized its departments according to function in 1996, and the Mainstreaming Task Force split the technical and public service functions of the Government Documents Department. In the process, one full-time staff position from the Government Documents Department was transferred to the Database Maintenance Unit (DBM) of the newly reorganized Bibliographic Control and Electronic Resource Services, previously known as Cataloging Services, to be responsible for government document online record maintenance. CSUL considered SLS records a way to provide immediate online public access to the shipping list materials with verified, linked circulation records instead of having to wait to load the monthly GPO cataloging records from Marcive. It was an opportunity to check the accuracy of the profile (the list of items the library requested from GPO) against the SLS records and the physical pieces received from GPO. Since there was an accurate circulation record created by the SLS records, the Libraries sought to minimize further database maintenance work by overlaying the GPO bibliographic records on the SLS records as they were received. In addition, CSUL saw this as an opportunity to stop creating manual shelf list cards for new monographic titles received through the SLS and have the online catalog serve as the shelf list. CSUL is currently an Innovative Interfaces Inc. (III) library using the INNOPAC system for its online catalog and OCLC as its cataloging utility. In March 1997, CSUL began subscribing to Marcive SLS records. The SLS records supply brief online MARC formatted records from information on the Daily Depository Shipping Lists from GPO, the lists of verified item numbers and Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) stem call numbers with appropriate agency headings added. From this file, SuDoc call number labels and smart barcodes can be produced based on the subscription choices of the library. SLS records can be sent via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) weekly, and attached item records (linked circulation records) can be created depending on the system loader capabilities of the subscribing library. 2. Rationale for subscribing to SLS Prior to 1995, the Government Documents Department at CSUL conducted its own public and technical services functions. The government documents were processed manually. Each document was checked against the shipping list from GPO, added to a manual shelf list, labeled by hand, and shelved. The manual processing of documents continued even though retrospective and on-going GPO cataloging records from Marcive were received and loaded into the online system beginning in 1989. Online records were not matched with the physical
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piece to verify the call number, location, or format or to verify that an online record had been received for the title or for the item. In addition, other online government document products began appearing with increasing rapidity. In November 1996, CSUL began discussions with Marcive to supply SLS records for monographs, including maps, in paper, microfiche, and electronic formats. SLS records for serials were not requested, since CSUL only created item records for bound serials and not for individual issues. 3. Quality control Quality control for vendor cataloging products is usually more challenging than for work done at an individual library due to a lack of complete control over the entire process. Fortunately, CSUL was able to design the SLS records and the III Marcive loader (used for loading both SLS and GPO records) to facilitate the process of finding discrepancies and resolving differences in SLS, GPO, and in-house cataloging. The following sections discuss the quality control measures in CSUL's SLS records and loaders and how they enabled staff at CSUL to find and correct errors. 4. Marcive specifications Marcive offers several options in the creation of the SLS records, such as the creation of local fields that can be used for quality control or for item record information and the provision for codes in the bibliographic record2. 4.1. Creation of circulation records CSUL asked Marcive to create a local MARC field 949 to contain item-specific information that would result in the creation of a linked item or circulation record once the SLS record was loaded into INNOPAC. Based on the specifications, the circulation record would contain item-specific location, loan period, and barcode. 4.2. Overlay match criteria To ensure the overlay of the SLS records by the Marcive GPO cataloging records and to provide local MARC fields for quality control, the Libraries had to consider several issues. CSUL decided not to overlay Marcive GPO records on existing full bibliographic records, because the database already had more than one full bibliographic record for many serials and for some monographs3. As mentioned before, since database maintenance was not performed on a regular basis before mainstreaming technical services functions into DBM, the database had both monographic and serial records for some titles as well as multiple bibliographic records for different formats of the same title4. There was also no way to identify the correct record to overlay or to identify any duplicate records and eliminate them before overlaying at the time when the SLS records were received. The CSUL system allows only one MARC
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tagged field to be used as criterion in the overlay program. CSUL overlays records if there is only one matching record that meets the criterion. For the reasons mentioned above, CSUL did not choose the overlay on the OCLC control number. It was decided to use the CSUL system's capability to generate a list of duplicate OCLC control numbers during a GPO load, so that DBM could resolve duplicate records on an individual basis and could add relevant information as new cataloging records were received from GPO through Marcive. 4.3. Creation of specific MARC fields CSUL requested that Marcive create a local MARC field for overlaying SLS records with GPO records. Marcive can create a local MARC field, for CSUL a 935 field, with a ``tmp'' prefix and assign it to both the SLS and GPO cataloging record as a matching device to be used for overlaying the SLS record with the incoming record. The ``tmp'' number is a unique number assigned to each SLS record by Marcive at the time the SLS record is keyed. When Marcive receives the GPO cataloging records, they are matched against the SLS records by SuDoc call number. As a match is made, Marcive adds the ``tmp'' number to the GPO bibliographic record. The ``tmp'' number is then used in the overlay process by the individual library. Other local MARC fields can also be used for the overlaying process. Marcive can also insert a code in the MARC leader for the SLS records in the Encoding level, byte 17. The code indicates if a bibliographic record is a fully cataloged record or is less than full and is non-standard cataloging based on MARC standards5. CSUL decided to code these SLS records ``partial'' or ``preliminary,'' code of 5, because they were preliminary records created by clerical staff and not by trained catalogers applying national standards. This prevented an SLS record from overlaying an already existing full bibliographic record. If an incoming record had a code of 5 in byte 17 of the leader, the INNOPAC loader would create a new record, and DBM would examine the record and decide on its disposition. 4.4. Fields for quality control To facilitate the quality control process, CSUL asked Marcive to create local MARC fields to store the GPO shipping list number and the GPO shipping list date, respectively. For CSUL, the fields were 926 and 927. When the system created an item record, these fields were also mapped to the item record and were used to verify that the items were attached to the correct SLS bibliographic record by matching the data in the fields to the data in the GPO shipping list. More importantly, once the SLS records were overlaid by the full bibliographic record, these fields were checked against the same information in the GPO cataloging records as a quality control measure to ensure that the overlay process was working correctly, and that there were no mismatches. No errors were found during testing or during the first months of use. The item record data in the 949 field of the bibliographic record was mapped into a corresponding local field in the item record. This verified that the initial call number, at the time the item was received, was the same as the call number in the full bibliographic record when it was overlaid. GPO input the current call number in the MARC field 086 in subfield
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``a.'' If a call number was changed because the issuing agency for that piece was changed, GPO created the new call number and input it as the last MARC 086 field in the bibliographic record. If the call number was invalid or was created by mistake, GPO placed that call number in the ``z'' subfield of the same field. CSUL wanted to ensure that if there was a change in the call number between the creation of the SLS record and the loading of the GPO cataloging record, there would be a systematic way to find them and correct the piece. Again, by using the system's capability to generate a list of records with ``a'' and ``z'' subfields in the MARC 086 field after each full bibliographic load, staff could search for bibliographic records with changed call numbers in the 086 MARC tag. If the ``a'' subfield did not match the call number in the item record, the pieces could be retrieved for remarking. Conversely, the system could not create a list of records that had multiple 086 fields to check if GPO had created another 086 as the current number if: (1) the issuing agency had changed since the creation of the SLS record; or (2) if there had been subsequent updating of the same bibliographic record. For that purpose, CSUL asked Marcive to investigate creating a nonstandard MARC field, such as a 9XX field, and transfer the last of the multiple 086 fields to that field. A list would then be created, and staff could check the call numbers that had been changed in order to update the call number on the piece. In the meantime, CSUL is relying on being notified of call number changes made by GPO in the GPO's Administrative Notes6. It is imperative for libraries that store the call number in the bibliographic record to check their specifications and their Online Public Access Catalog call number displays to determine which call number is displayed to the public. If both the ``a'' and the ``z'' subfields or the incorrect ``a'' subfield displays, staff will need to modify the record accordingly. 5. III INNOPAC loader specifications At the same time CSUL was working with Marcive on the SLS specifications, staff were also working with III to create INNOPAC loader specifications to load the FTP-retrieved SLS records and GPO cataloging records into the database. The loader for SLS records had to create a bibliographic record and a linked circulation record, index fields per CSUL specifications, and suppress records from public display until quality control was applied by comparing the physical piece received from the depository to the record. Once necessary corrections were made to the format, location, call number, etc., the records were displayed to the public by changing a code in the record. The loader for the GPO records specified that no item records were to be created, since any overlaid SLS bibliographic records would already have them, and, as mentioned previously, no item records were required for unbound serials. In addition, the loader specifications needed to protect any suppression code in the SLS records but allow any new GPO serial record to be displayed to the public immediately. 6. Quality control procedures and workflow Two and a half full-time equivalent support staff in DBM are assigned to do database maintenance for government documents: a lead worker to load the SLS records, create the
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lists for quality control, and act as a resource person to answer questions; one support staff to do continuous database maintenance and work on special projects involving government documents; and one support staff to spend half time doing quality control on the SLS records and to process the pieces. As database maintenance is performed online, the corresponding shelf list card is removed from the shelf list file. Student assistants in the Documents Processing Unit of Acquisition Services process daily shipments of government depository material. The shipments are opened, labeled, property stamped, and barcoded. The entire shipment is then sent to DBM. In DBM, the weekly SLS records are loaded into INNOPAC. Using the system's capability of creating lists of records and sorting them in any order from any fields, staff create a list of the weekly SLS records loaded into the system and make a printout of the call number, title, shipping list number, item location, and barcode in shipping-list order. Checking from a printed list is faster and more efficient for quality control than doing it online. Using the SLS record printout as a quality control tool, staff check all item records created online against the physical pieces received to verify that the Libraries has not received SLS records for pieces that are not selected per the profile, or that an SLS record is received without a matching physical piece. The call number, barcode, title, format, and location are checked for accuracy and the SLS record is updated, if necessary, e.g. if the SLS record has created an item record for a paper format per the SLS record, but the physical piece received is in microfiche, staff correct the location and the loan period. Once the record is correct, staff change the code in the SLS bibliographic and item records to allow public display and send the physical piece to be shelved. If CSUL has a serial record and a monographic SLS record for the same title, staff transfer the item record to the serial record, if it is not a periodical, and delete the monographic SLS bibliographic record. If the title is a periodical, staff delete the entire SLS record, since a new item record will be created when the periodical is bound. CSUL informs Marcive monthly of all titles that CSUL treats as serials and requests cessation of SLS records for those titles. All serials are separated into titles that have online check-in records and those that do not before being returned to the Documents Processing Unit to be checked in either online or in the manual shelf list. Staff create online check-in records for new titles and convert older titles as time permits. SLS records for pieces not received remain suppressed from public display. The Document Processing Unit claims these pieces. When claimed pieces are received, they are routed to DBM, and the pieces are verified against the online records and displayed to the public. CSUL has ceased creating manual shelf list cards for new monographic titles received through the SLS; the online catalog serves as the shelf list for these titles. Serial issues are either checked in online, or, if there is no local online record, the Serials staff downloads an OCLC record, if there is one, and creates the serials check-in record, inputting a special code. This code is used to create a monthly list to determine if Marcive has sent a bibliographic record and to reconcile the two. If Serials does not find a bibliographic record in OCLC, DBM creates a temporary record online, and codes it for monthly review to determine if Marcive has sent a bibliographic record and to reconcile the two. DBM checks each monthly GPO load to see if GPO has cataloged these serials and transfers all check-in and item records to the GPO cataloging record when it becomes available. If no cataloging records from GPO
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are available after 6 months, the titles are given to the Serials cataloger to create bibliographic records on OCLC. 7. Analysis of SLS From March 1997 through January 1998, CSUL received 14,214 SLS records from Marcive. The following analysis details CSUL's experiences during this time period. 7.1. Problem with monographic vs. serials records Fifty-nine (0.42%) SLS monographic records were received for items CSUL defined as serials. After discussions with Marcive, it was discovered that clerical assistants enter the SLS records from the shipping lists supplied by GPO or available on the WWW. With only the agency, title, and call number available, it was often impossible for staff to determine a serial from a monographic title. 7.1.1. CSUL decision To resolve this problem, CSUL catalogers decided that if a serial record is available in the database, the SLS record will be deleted, as well as any monographic bibliographic records for the same title, in favor of the serial record. Once CSUL decides to treat a certain title as a serial, Marcive is notified to stop sending SLS records for that title. If the piece is a monographic series with no online serial record, CSUL leaves the SLS record until GPO cataloging is received to determine if GPO treats the title as a serial or as an analyzed monographic series. 7.2. Problem of not receiving SLS records No SLS records were received for 154 (1.08%) physical pieces known to be monographs and which were in the CSUL profile. 7.2.1. CSUL decision As mentioned earlier, CSUL created a temporary record online to give immediate access to the users. DBM staff regularly search the database for full bibliographic records to check if GPO has cataloged the title. If the title is cataloged, then staff reconcile the two. If GPO does not catalog the title within 6 months, the title will be cataloged locally and given to the appropriate unit for processing. 7.3. Problem of call number discrepancies Eighty-one (0.57%) physical pieces with call number discrepancies between the SLS records, the shipping list, and the call number labels were received from Marcive. Some call number discrepancies were typographical errors made either by GPO or by Marcive. Others were due to changes in the call number after the shipping lists were published and needed to
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be resolved using Administrative Notes7. The call numbers for certain types of materials such as data at the end of the SuDoc call number, e.g. PRELIM., SUPP., FINAL, etc., were not added or were input incorrectly according to the GPO classification manual guidelines8. Another problem entailed the number of characters in the call number on the piece not matching the number of characters in the call number on the SLS records. There was also a problem in assigning a ``tmp'' number to a GPO cataloging record, if the call number in the GPO record ended in a ``v.'' (volume) or in a ``pt.'' (part). The GPO full bibliographic record would overlay one of the SLS records, while others would have to be linked manually. One hundred thirty-three (0.94%) of CSUL's records fit this category and are not counted in the numbers above. 7.3.1. CSUL decision By doing quality control work on SLS records, CSUL was able to find many of these discrepancies immediately. Most call number discrepancies were found when DBM staff processed pieces. When CSUL informed Marcive, they were able to update their records. This was important, since SLS records are overlaid only if the ``tmp'' numbers assigned by Marcive to both SLS and GPO cataloging records match. Marcive assigns a ``tmp'' number to each SLS record. For the same ``tmp'' number to be assigned to the full bibliographic record from GPO, the call number of the SLS and GPO records must match exactly. Per MARC standards9, SuDoc call numbers are input in MARC field 086 in subfield ``a.'' As mentioned above, if GPO changes a call number, the correct call number is input as the last MARC 086 field, and the incorrect call number in the ``z'' subfield of the 086 field. Marcive uses only the ``a'' subfield in the 086 field in its matching program. 7.4. Problem of discrepancies in format The SLS bibliographic record format did not match the format of the piece received, e.g. receiving a microfiche copy of a title that they have requested in paper format. 7.4.1. CSUL decision By checking each piece received against the SLS record, staff were able to modify the loan period and location in the linked item records to match the format received in order to ensure the correct location of the title in the library. 7.5. Problem of multiple SLS records for the same title One hundred nineteen (0.84%) multiple SLS records were received for the same item either in the same load or during the following 2 weeks. Each SLS record had its own unique ``tmp'' number. This error occurred because a shipping list or part of one was produced more than once at Marcive. Multiple SLS records having the same ``tmp'' numbers create problems for correct overlaying. It was not known which of the SLS record with the same ``tmp'' number would be used to match the GPO cataloging record. If both SLS records were left in the database, there would be a GPO cataloging record and an SLS record for the same title.
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7.5.1. CSUL decision After discussions with Marcive and III, CSUL determined to put both ``tmp'' numbers into one of the SLS records and delete the second SLS record. When the GPO cataloging record was loaded, it would then overlay the SLS record regardless of which of the two ``tmp'' numbers had been assigned by Marcive. 7.6. Problems with titles received according to the profile at GPO Every year CSUL reviews their GPO profile of selected items. If any changes are made, a copy of the profile is also sent to Marcive and is available on the WWW. Based on the profile, Marcive electronically sends the corresponding SLS and GPO cataloging records to each library subscribing to their service. Twenty-eight (0.20%) SLS records were received for items that were not included in CSUL's depository profile, and which were not received through the depository program. 7.6.1. CSUL decision CSUL decided to report the problem to Marcive with every load, so that the deselected items can be removed from the SLS item list. Then, the corresponding SLS records are deleted locally. 7.7. Problem with profile changes and updates to Marcive files It was noticed that SLS records were received for only some monographic titles in a series that CSUL had recently added to its GPO profile. Profiles are updated at Marcive just before each production, therefore, it is possible that the item numbers were not active when SLS records were created. 7.7.1. CSUL decision Since there was nothing that could be done by Marcive, CSUL added temporary records for the missing titles. On-going quality control procedures locate these lapses and links CUSL's records to the GPO records when received. 8. Quality control issues at Marcive 8.1. Receipt of labels and barcodes from Marcive Timely receipt of labels and barcodes from Marcive has been an intermittent problem since the SLS service began. Initially, CSUL staff were to expect receipt of labels and barcodes before the shipment of depository items were received from GPO; however, that did not occur. Often, the SLS records were not even received before the GPO shipment, because the SLS records were retrieved via FTP and loaded only once a week. On the other hand, the barcodes and the labels were received on the designated days. They have only been delayed twice. One delay was due to the UPS strike, and one was a production problem at Marcive.
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8.2. Duplication of barcodes between shipments One hundred twenty-one (0.85%) records were affected. Recently, Marcive reused the same barcode numbers on more than one shipment of SLS records and barcode labels. Because CSUL's quality control procedures require staff to check the first and last barcodes of each shipment, the problem was identified immediately. Marcive discovered that its barcode generating program did not reflect the final number in the CSUL file, but was set to begin in the same place as the previous file. CSUL fixed the SLS records that had already been loaded, and Marcive re-ran the other SLS files, so they would reflect the correct barcodes. 8.3. Label quality Label quality was a problem when ink smeared on some labels and wore off easily on others. Marcive subcontracts the production of labels. Some shipments of labels are adequate, and some are not. Examples of substandard labels were sent to Marcive, but shipments still vary in quality. Marcive has brought the problem to the attention of the subcontractor. Marcive has been testing different label stock and are expected to provide new and improved label stocks to address the quality problem. Quality is improving. 9. Statistics of overlaid records Forty-eight percent of the 14,214 weekly SLS records that CSUL received from March 1997 through January 1998 have been overlaid with full GPO bibliographic records as of February 28, 1998. Percentages overlaid per month are presented in Table 1. Two hundred and fourteen (1.51%) SLS records have not been overlaid because of differences between the call number in the SLS records and in the GPO cataloging records. Fifty percent have not been overlaid because GPO cataloging records have not yet been received. It will be a local library decision whether to, and how long to, wait for GPO Table 1 SLS records overlaid with full GPO bibliographic records Month
No. of SLS records
No. of overlaid
Percentage of overlaid
March 1997 April 1997 May 1997 June 1997 July 1997 August 1997 September 1997 October 1997 November 1997 December 1997 January 1998
1021 1355 1333 765 2221 1760 809 1058 1026 1525 1341
681 754 797 534 923 1213 460 523 563 331 30
67% 56% 60% 70% 42% 69% 57% 49% 55% 22% 2%a
a
As of February 28, 1998, CSUL had loaded Marcive GPO cataloging records only through January 1998.
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cataloging records before titles are cataloged by other means. At least, there is basic access to the material by call number and title when there is a SLS record online. 10. Update In January 2000, CSUL completed a search of 5757 SLS records that were received from March 1997 to June 1999 and not overlaid as of January 2000. It was found that 1736 (30.2%) of these were either GAO Comptroller General Decisions or GAO Reports to Congress, which are now available online and are not being cataloged by GPO. Of the remaining 69.8%, 622 (10.8%) were transferred to a full monographic record, 414 (7.2%) to a full serial bibliographic records, and 81 (1.41%) to a bibliographic record with a different format. One hundred eighty nine (3.3%) were deleted and were mostly monographic SLS records for which there were serial bibliographic records. Twenty-three (0.4%) duplicates were withdrawn. Sixty-nine (1.2%) SLS records were resolved by other staff during the course of the project. For the remaining 2621 (45.5%), no full bibliographic record was available. The 2621 SLS records that are not yet overlaid are 6.9% of the 39,346 SLS records received from March 1997 through June 1999 at CSUL. 11. Benefits of SLS and online processing procedures
New titles are immediately available online with the correct location and format, and
since the INNOPAC loader creates online linked item records, items can be checked out without further delay for patrons. SLS records can be accessed by title, call number, issuing body names, personal names and/or other index points depending on the indexing profiles and the online system of the library. This is an increase in access over a normal manual shelf list where access is only by call number. Libraries can eliminate the creation of manual shelf lists for titles having SLS records. Approximately 80% of student assistants' time in the old Government Documents Unit was spent typing and filing shelf list cards, as well as the considerable time spent by the supervisor reviewing their work. Now, student assistants are employed for special projects. Problems are identified quickly and can be resolved near the point of discovery in a timely manner and so prevent problems for patrons and result in better service. In-house decisions on the treatment of individual titles, serial vs. monograph, are resolved at the point of receipt.
12. Conclusion Based on CSUL's experience, the Marcive SLS is recommended to other libraries. CSUL has found Marcive's experience to be extremely valuable in understanding the SLS process, which helped CSUL to identify problems and explore solutions both internally and with
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Marcive staff. Marcive staff are willing to adjust CSUL's SLS files and correct problems, if possible, as well as supply information on their procedures. The authors recommend that quality control be given a high priority to ensure that problems resulting from the integration of GPO, Marcive, and any in-house cataloging records are identified and resolved at the point of receipt. The procedures CSUL has created for quality control have enabled the institution to control the receipt of most monographic titles and ensure their accuracy in the online catalog. CSUL continues to automate government document processing and develop quality control procedures so that patrons will have full, accurate, online information for all the Libraries' holdings. Notes 1. The Marcive Shipping List Service (SLS) is available from Marcive, 5616 Randolf Boulevard, San Antonio, TX 78233-7508, USA; Tel.: + 1-210-646-6161; e-mail: www.marcive.com. 2. The Marcive SLS. 3. Rawlison L. Summary: Marcive and local procedures. Available e-mail: [email protected] Accessed December 23, 1997. 4. Rawlinson L. 5. US Library of Congress, Catalog Distribution Service. USMARC format for bibliographic data. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, 1994. 6. US Superintendent of Documents, Library Programs Service. Administrative notes. Washington, DC: GPO, 1985. 7. Administrative notes. 8. US Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents. GPO classification manual: a practical guide to the superintendent of documents classification system. Washington, DC: GPO, 1993. 9. Library of Congress. USMARC format for bibliographic data.
Nora S. Copeland was formerly senior Project Cataloger to catalog US government documents under a Title II-C grant at CSUL. She was a member of the III International Users Group Steering Committee. Her recent articles include: ``Mainstreaming government documents technical processing,'' ``Data migration,'' and ``Quality control of the online catalog.'' Maryann Snyder is the supervisor of the Database Unit at CSUL. She has been involved in several projects with Nora Copeland, including the implementation and automation of government documents processing, automation of authorities processing, and quality control of the online catalog.
Marcive's Shipping List Service: Colorado State University Libraries' experience Nora S. Copelanda,*, Maryann Snyderb a
Catalog Librarian, Database Management, Bibliographic Control and Electronic Resource Services, Colorado State University Libraries, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1019, USA b Library Technician III, Database Maintenance Unit, Bibliographic Control and Electronic Resource Services, Colorado State University Libraries, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1019, USA Received 2 April 1998; received in revised form 4 August 1998; accepted 14 April 2000
Abstract The article relates the problems and challenges encountered when Colorado State University Libraries (CSUL) began receiving and processing Marcive Shipping List Service (SLS) records; describes the associated procedures, work flows, and quality control measures; and provides an analysis of SLS. Based on CSUL's experience, it is strongly suggested that quality control be given a high priority to ensure that problems resulting from the integration of SLS with Marcive US Government Printing Office (GPO) cataloging and any in-house records are identified and resolved at the point of receipt. Having new titles immediately available online through multiple access points and with the correct location and format is an invaluable service for library users. D 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Marcive Shipping List Service (SLS); Quality control; Database maintenance for government documents; Government Printing Office cataloging; INNOPAC system
1. Introduction Colorado State University (CSU) is a land grant institution of the State of Colorado located in Fort Collins, a community of approximately 113,000. Colorado State University Libraries * Corresponding author. Tel: +1-970-491-1822. E-mail address: [email protected] (N.S. Copeland).
1352-0237/00/$ ± see front matter D 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S 1 3 5 2 - 0 2 3 7 ( 0 0 ) 0 0 2 0 4 - 5
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(CSUL) is a depository library serving more than 22,000 university affiliates and community users. Marcive is a source for US Government Printing Office (GPO) cataloging, as well as a provider of other customized products and services for library clients1. In 1989, CSUL loaded all GPO retrospective cataloging into its local online catalog after it was customized for CSUL by Marcive. Due to staff shortages, backlogs developed in the database maintenance of online records, and there was no quality control on data loads. It became clear that staff had to upgrade services so that library users could access the new document materials in a timely manner. CSU Libraries reorganized its departments according to function in 1996, and the Mainstreaming Task Force split the technical and public service functions of the Government Documents Department. In the process, one full-time staff position from the Government Documents Department was transferred to the Database Maintenance Unit (DBM) of the newly reorganized Bibliographic Control and Electronic Resource Services, previously known as Cataloging Services, to be responsible for government document online record maintenance. CSUL considered SLS records a way to provide immediate online public access to the shipping list materials with verified, linked circulation records instead of having to wait to load the monthly GPO cataloging records from Marcive. It was an opportunity to check the accuracy of the profile (the list of items the library requested from GPO) against the SLS records and the physical pieces received from GPO. Since there was an accurate circulation record created by the SLS records, the Libraries sought to minimize further database maintenance work by overlaying the GPO bibliographic records on the SLS records as they were received. In addition, CSUL saw this as an opportunity to stop creating manual shelf list cards for new monographic titles received through the SLS and have the online catalog serve as the shelf list. CSUL is currently an Innovative Interfaces Inc. (III) library using the INNOPAC system for its online catalog and OCLC as its cataloging utility. In March 1997, CSUL began subscribing to Marcive SLS records. The SLS records supply brief online MARC formatted records from information on the Daily Depository Shipping Lists from GPO, the lists of verified item numbers and Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) stem call numbers with appropriate agency headings added. From this file, SuDoc call number labels and smart barcodes can be produced based on the subscription choices of the library. SLS records can be sent via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) weekly, and attached item records (linked circulation records) can be created depending on the system loader capabilities of the subscribing library. 2. Rationale for subscribing to SLS Prior to 1995, the Government Documents Department at CSUL conducted its own public and technical services functions. The government documents were processed manually. Each document was checked against the shipping list from GPO, added to a manual shelf list, labeled by hand, and shelved. The manual processing of documents continued even though retrospective and on-going GPO cataloging records from Marcive were received and loaded into the online system beginning in 1989. Online records were not matched with the physical
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piece to verify the call number, location, or format or to verify that an online record had been received for the title or for the item. In addition, other online government document products began appearing with increasing rapidity. In November 1996, CSUL began discussions with Marcive to supply SLS records for monographs, including maps, in paper, microfiche, and electronic formats. SLS records for serials were not requested, since CSUL only created item records for bound serials and not for individual issues. 3. Quality control Quality control for vendor cataloging products is usually more challenging than for work done at an individual library due to a lack of complete control over the entire process. Fortunately, CSUL was able to design the SLS records and the III Marcive loader (used for loading both SLS and GPO records) to facilitate the process of finding discrepancies and resolving differences in SLS, GPO, and in-house cataloging. The following sections discuss the quality control measures in CSUL's SLS records and loaders and how they enabled staff at CSUL to find and correct errors. 4. Marcive specifications Marcive offers several options in the creation of the SLS records, such as the creation of local fields that can be used for quality control or for item record information and the provision for codes in the bibliographic record2. 4.1. Creation of circulation records CSUL asked Marcive to create a local MARC field 949 to contain item-specific information that would result in the creation of a linked item or circulation record once the SLS record was loaded into INNOPAC. Based on the specifications, the circulation record would contain item-specific location, loan period, and barcode. 4.2. Overlay match criteria To ensure the overlay of the SLS records by the Marcive GPO cataloging records and to provide local MARC fields for quality control, the Libraries had to consider several issues. CSUL decided not to overlay Marcive GPO records on existing full bibliographic records, because the database already had more than one full bibliographic record for many serials and for some monographs3. As mentioned before, since database maintenance was not performed on a regular basis before mainstreaming technical services functions into DBM, the database had both monographic and serial records for some titles as well as multiple bibliographic records for different formats of the same title4. There was also no way to identify the correct record to overlay or to identify any duplicate records and eliminate them before overlaying at the time when the SLS records were received. The CSUL system allows only one MARC
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tagged field to be used as criterion in the overlay program. CSUL overlays records if there is only one matching record that meets the criterion. For the reasons mentioned above, CSUL did not choose the overlay on the OCLC control number. It was decided to use the CSUL system's capability to generate a list of duplicate OCLC control numbers during a GPO load, so that DBM could resolve duplicate records on an individual basis and could add relevant information as new cataloging records were received from GPO through Marcive. 4.3. Creation of specific MARC fields CSUL requested that Marcive create a local MARC field for overlaying SLS records with GPO records. Marcive can create a local MARC field, for CSUL a 935 field, with a ``tmp'' prefix and assign it to both the SLS and GPO cataloging record as a matching device to be used for overlaying the SLS record with the incoming record. The ``tmp'' number is a unique number assigned to each SLS record by Marcive at the time the SLS record is keyed. When Marcive receives the GPO cataloging records, they are matched against the SLS records by SuDoc call number. As a match is made, Marcive adds the ``tmp'' number to the GPO bibliographic record. The ``tmp'' number is then used in the overlay process by the individual library. Other local MARC fields can also be used for the overlaying process. Marcive can also insert a code in the MARC leader for the SLS records in the Encoding level, byte 17. The code indicates if a bibliographic record is a fully cataloged record or is less than full and is non-standard cataloging based on MARC standards5. CSUL decided to code these SLS records ``partial'' or ``preliminary,'' code of 5, because they were preliminary records created by clerical staff and not by trained catalogers applying national standards. This prevented an SLS record from overlaying an already existing full bibliographic record. If an incoming record had a code of 5 in byte 17 of the leader, the INNOPAC loader would create a new record, and DBM would examine the record and decide on its disposition. 4.4. Fields for quality control To facilitate the quality control process, CSUL asked Marcive to create local MARC fields to store the GPO shipping list number and the GPO shipping list date, respectively. For CSUL, the fields were 926 and 927. When the system created an item record, these fields were also mapped to the item record and were used to verify that the items were attached to the correct SLS bibliographic record by matching the data in the fields to the data in the GPO shipping list. More importantly, once the SLS records were overlaid by the full bibliographic record, these fields were checked against the same information in the GPO cataloging records as a quality control measure to ensure that the overlay process was working correctly, and that there were no mismatches. No errors were found during testing or during the first months of use. The item record data in the 949 field of the bibliographic record was mapped into a corresponding local field in the item record. This verified that the initial call number, at the time the item was received, was the same as the call number in the full bibliographic record when it was overlaid. GPO input the current call number in the MARC field 086 in subfield
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``a.'' If a call number was changed because the issuing agency for that piece was changed, GPO created the new call number and input it as the last MARC 086 field in the bibliographic record. If the call number was invalid or was created by mistake, GPO placed that call number in the ``z'' subfield of the same field. CSUL wanted to ensure that if there was a change in the call number between the creation of the SLS record and the loading of the GPO cataloging record, there would be a systematic way to find them and correct the piece. Again, by using the system's capability to generate a list of records with ``a'' and ``z'' subfields in the MARC 086 field after each full bibliographic load, staff could search for bibliographic records with changed call numbers in the 086 MARC tag. If the ``a'' subfield did not match the call number in the item record, the pieces could be retrieved for remarking. Conversely, the system could not create a list of records that had multiple 086 fields to check if GPO had created another 086 as the current number if: (1) the issuing agency had changed since the creation of the SLS record; or (2) if there had been subsequent updating of the same bibliographic record. For that purpose, CSUL asked Marcive to investigate creating a nonstandard MARC field, such as a 9XX field, and transfer the last of the multiple 086 fields to that field. A list would then be created, and staff could check the call numbers that had been changed in order to update the call number on the piece. In the meantime, CSUL is relying on being notified of call number changes made by GPO in the GPO's Administrative Notes6. It is imperative for libraries that store the call number in the bibliographic record to check their specifications and their Online Public Access Catalog call number displays to determine which call number is displayed to the public. If both the ``a'' and the ``z'' subfields or the incorrect ``a'' subfield displays, staff will need to modify the record accordingly. 5. III INNOPAC loader specifications At the same time CSUL was working with Marcive on the SLS specifications, staff were also working with III to create INNOPAC loader specifications to load the FTP-retrieved SLS records and GPO cataloging records into the database. The loader for SLS records had to create a bibliographic record and a linked circulation record, index fields per CSUL specifications, and suppress records from public display until quality control was applied by comparing the physical piece received from the depository to the record. Once necessary corrections were made to the format, location, call number, etc., the records were displayed to the public by changing a code in the record. The loader for the GPO records specified that no item records were to be created, since any overlaid SLS bibliographic records would already have them, and, as mentioned previously, no item records were required for unbound serials. In addition, the loader specifications needed to protect any suppression code in the SLS records but allow any new GPO serial record to be displayed to the public immediately. 6. Quality control procedures and workflow Two and a half full-time equivalent support staff in DBM are assigned to do database maintenance for government documents: a lead worker to load the SLS records, create the
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lists for quality control, and act as a resource person to answer questions; one support staff to do continuous database maintenance and work on special projects involving government documents; and one support staff to spend half time doing quality control on the SLS records and to process the pieces. As database maintenance is performed online, the corresponding shelf list card is removed from the shelf list file. Student assistants in the Documents Processing Unit of Acquisition Services process daily shipments of government depository material. The shipments are opened, labeled, property stamped, and barcoded. The entire shipment is then sent to DBM. In DBM, the weekly SLS records are loaded into INNOPAC. Using the system's capability of creating lists of records and sorting them in any order from any fields, staff create a list of the weekly SLS records loaded into the system and make a printout of the call number, title, shipping list number, item location, and barcode in shipping-list order. Checking from a printed list is faster and more efficient for quality control than doing it online. Using the SLS record printout as a quality control tool, staff check all item records created online against the physical pieces received to verify that the Libraries has not received SLS records for pieces that are not selected per the profile, or that an SLS record is received without a matching physical piece. The call number, barcode, title, format, and location are checked for accuracy and the SLS record is updated, if necessary, e.g. if the SLS record has created an item record for a paper format per the SLS record, but the physical piece received is in microfiche, staff correct the location and the loan period. Once the record is correct, staff change the code in the SLS bibliographic and item records to allow public display and send the physical piece to be shelved. If CSUL has a serial record and a monographic SLS record for the same title, staff transfer the item record to the serial record, if it is not a periodical, and delete the monographic SLS bibliographic record. If the title is a periodical, staff delete the entire SLS record, since a new item record will be created when the periodical is bound. CSUL informs Marcive monthly of all titles that CSUL treats as serials and requests cessation of SLS records for those titles. All serials are separated into titles that have online check-in records and those that do not before being returned to the Documents Processing Unit to be checked in either online or in the manual shelf list. Staff create online check-in records for new titles and convert older titles as time permits. SLS records for pieces not received remain suppressed from public display. The Document Processing Unit claims these pieces. When claimed pieces are received, they are routed to DBM, and the pieces are verified against the online records and displayed to the public. CSUL has ceased creating manual shelf list cards for new monographic titles received through the SLS; the online catalog serves as the shelf list for these titles. Serial issues are either checked in online, or, if there is no local online record, the Serials staff downloads an OCLC record, if there is one, and creates the serials check-in record, inputting a special code. This code is used to create a monthly list to determine if Marcive has sent a bibliographic record and to reconcile the two. If Serials does not find a bibliographic record in OCLC, DBM creates a temporary record online, and codes it for monthly review to determine if Marcive has sent a bibliographic record and to reconcile the two. DBM checks each monthly GPO load to see if GPO has cataloged these serials and transfers all check-in and item records to the GPO cataloging record when it becomes available. If no cataloging records from GPO
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are available after 6 months, the titles are given to the Serials cataloger to create bibliographic records on OCLC. 7. Analysis of SLS From March 1997 through January 1998, CSUL received 14,214 SLS records from Marcive. The following analysis details CSUL's experiences during this time period. 7.1. Problem with monographic vs. serials records Fifty-nine (0.42%) SLS monographic records were received for items CSUL defined as serials. After discussions with Marcive, it was discovered that clerical assistants enter the SLS records from the shipping lists supplied by GPO or available on the WWW. With only the agency, title, and call number available, it was often impossible for staff to determine a serial from a monographic title. 7.1.1. CSUL decision To resolve this problem, CSUL catalogers decided that if a serial record is available in the database, the SLS record will be deleted, as well as any monographic bibliographic records for the same title, in favor of the serial record. Once CSUL decides to treat a certain title as a serial, Marcive is notified to stop sending SLS records for that title. If the piece is a monographic series with no online serial record, CSUL leaves the SLS record until GPO cataloging is received to determine if GPO treats the title as a serial or as an analyzed monographic series. 7.2. Problem of not receiving SLS records No SLS records were received for 154 (1.08%) physical pieces known to be monographs and which were in the CSUL profile. 7.2.1. CSUL decision As mentioned earlier, CSUL created a temporary record online to give immediate access to the users. DBM staff regularly search the database for full bibliographic records to check if GPO has cataloged the title. If the title is cataloged, then staff reconcile the two. If GPO does not catalog the title within 6 months, the title will be cataloged locally and given to the appropriate unit for processing. 7.3. Problem of call number discrepancies Eighty-one (0.57%) physical pieces with call number discrepancies between the SLS records, the shipping list, and the call number labels were received from Marcive. Some call number discrepancies were typographical errors made either by GPO or by Marcive. Others were due to changes in the call number after the shipping lists were published and needed to
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be resolved using Administrative Notes7. The call numbers for certain types of materials such as data at the end of the SuDoc call number, e.g. PRELIM., SUPP., FINAL, etc., were not added or were input incorrectly according to the GPO classification manual guidelines8. Another problem entailed the number of characters in the call number on the piece not matching the number of characters in the call number on the SLS records. There was also a problem in assigning a ``tmp'' number to a GPO cataloging record, if the call number in the GPO record ended in a ``v.'' (volume) or in a ``pt.'' (part). The GPO full bibliographic record would overlay one of the SLS records, while others would have to be linked manually. One hundred thirty-three (0.94%) of CSUL's records fit this category and are not counted in the numbers above. 7.3.1. CSUL decision By doing quality control work on SLS records, CSUL was able to find many of these discrepancies immediately. Most call number discrepancies were found when DBM staff processed pieces. When CSUL informed Marcive, they were able to update their records. This was important, since SLS records are overlaid only if the ``tmp'' numbers assigned by Marcive to both SLS and GPO cataloging records match. Marcive assigns a ``tmp'' number to each SLS record. For the same ``tmp'' number to be assigned to the full bibliographic record from GPO, the call number of the SLS and GPO records must match exactly. Per MARC standards9, SuDoc call numbers are input in MARC field 086 in subfield ``a.'' As mentioned above, if GPO changes a call number, the correct call number is input as the last MARC 086 field, and the incorrect call number in the ``z'' subfield of the 086 field. Marcive uses only the ``a'' subfield in the 086 field in its matching program. 7.4. Problem of discrepancies in format The SLS bibliographic record format did not match the format of the piece received, e.g. receiving a microfiche copy of a title that they have requested in paper format. 7.4.1. CSUL decision By checking each piece received against the SLS record, staff were able to modify the loan period and location in the linked item records to match the format received in order to ensure the correct location of the title in the library. 7.5. Problem of multiple SLS records for the same title One hundred nineteen (0.84%) multiple SLS records were received for the same item either in the same load or during the following 2 weeks. Each SLS record had its own unique ``tmp'' number. This error occurred because a shipping list or part of one was produced more than once at Marcive. Multiple SLS records having the same ``tmp'' numbers create problems for correct overlaying. It was not known which of the SLS record with the same ``tmp'' number would be used to match the GPO cataloging record. If both SLS records were left in the database, there would be a GPO cataloging record and an SLS record for the same title.
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7.5.1. CSUL decision After discussions with Marcive and III, CSUL determined to put both ``tmp'' numbers into one of the SLS records and delete the second SLS record. When the GPO cataloging record was loaded, it would then overlay the SLS record regardless of which of the two ``tmp'' numbers had been assigned by Marcive. 7.6. Problems with titles received according to the profile at GPO Every year CSUL reviews their GPO profile of selected items. If any changes are made, a copy of the profile is also sent to Marcive and is available on the WWW. Based on the profile, Marcive electronically sends the corresponding SLS and GPO cataloging records to each library subscribing to their service. Twenty-eight (0.20%) SLS records were received for items that were not included in CSUL's depository profile, and which were not received through the depository program. 7.6.1. CSUL decision CSUL decided to report the problem to Marcive with every load, so that the deselected items can be removed from the SLS item list. Then, the corresponding SLS records are deleted locally. 7.7. Problem with profile changes and updates to Marcive files It was noticed that SLS records were received for only some monographic titles in a series that CSUL had recently added to its GPO profile. Profiles are updated at Marcive just before each production, therefore, it is possible that the item numbers were not active when SLS records were created. 7.7.1. CSUL decision Since there was nothing that could be done by Marcive, CSUL added temporary records for the missing titles. On-going quality control procedures locate these lapses and links CUSL's records to the GPO records when received. 8. Quality control issues at Marcive 8.1. Receipt of labels and barcodes from Marcive Timely receipt of labels and barcodes from Marcive has been an intermittent problem since the SLS service began. Initially, CSUL staff were to expect receipt of labels and barcodes before the shipment of depository items were received from GPO; however, that did not occur. Often, the SLS records were not even received before the GPO shipment, because the SLS records were retrieved via FTP and loaded only once a week. On the other hand, the barcodes and the labels were received on the designated days. They have only been delayed twice. One delay was due to the UPS strike, and one was a production problem at Marcive.
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8.2. Duplication of barcodes between shipments One hundred twenty-one (0.85%) records were affected. Recently, Marcive reused the same barcode numbers on more than one shipment of SLS records and barcode labels. Because CSUL's quality control procedures require staff to check the first and last barcodes of each shipment, the problem was identified immediately. Marcive discovered that its barcode generating program did not reflect the final number in the CSUL file, but was set to begin in the same place as the previous file. CSUL fixed the SLS records that had already been loaded, and Marcive re-ran the other SLS files, so they would reflect the correct barcodes. 8.3. Label quality Label quality was a problem when ink smeared on some labels and wore off easily on others. Marcive subcontracts the production of labels. Some shipments of labels are adequate, and some are not. Examples of substandard labels were sent to Marcive, but shipments still vary in quality. Marcive has brought the problem to the attention of the subcontractor. Marcive has been testing different label stock and are expected to provide new and improved label stocks to address the quality problem. Quality is improving. 9. Statistics of overlaid records Forty-eight percent of the 14,214 weekly SLS records that CSUL received from March 1997 through January 1998 have been overlaid with full GPO bibliographic records as of February 28, 1998. Percentages overlaid per month are presented in Table 1. Two hundred and fourteen (1.51%) SLS records have not been overlaid because of differences between the call number in the SLS records and in the GPO cataloging records. Fifty percent have not been overlaid because GPO cataloging records have not yet been received. It will be a local library decision whether to, and how long to, wait for GPO Table 1 SLS records overlaid with full GPO bibliographic records Month
No. of SLS records
No. of overlaid
Percentage of overlaid
March 1997 April 1997 May 1997 June 1997 July 1997 August 1997 September 1997 October 1997 November 1997 December 1997 January 1998
1021 1355 1333 765 2221 1760 809 1058 1026 1525 1341
681 754 797 534 923 1213 460 523 563 331 30
67% 56% 60% 70% 42% 69% 57% 49% 55% 22% 2%a
a
As of February 28, 1998, CSUL had loaded Marcive GPO cataloging records only through January 1998.
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cataloging records before titles are cataloged by other means. At least, there is basic access to the material by call number and title when there is a SLS record online. 10. Update In January 2000, CSUL completed a search of 5757 SLS records that were received from March 1997 to June 1999 and not overlaid as of January 2000. It was found that 1736 (30.2%) of these were either GAO Comptroller General Decisions or GAO Reports to Congress, which are now available online and are not being cataloged by GPO. Of the remaining 69.8%, 622 (10.8%) were transferred to a full monographic record, 414 (7.2%) to a full serial bibliographic records, and 81 (1.41%) to a bibliographic record with a different format. One hundred eighty nine (3.3%) were deleted and were mostly monographic SLS records for which there were serial bibliographic records. Twenty-three (0.4%) duplicates were withdrawn. Sixty-nine (1.2%) SLS records were resolved by other staff during the course of the project. For the remaining 2621 (45.5%), no full bibliographic record was available. The 2621 SLS records that are not yet overlaid are 6.9% of the 39,346 SLS records received from March 1997 through June 1999 at CSUL. 11. Benefits of SLS and online processing procedures
New titles are immediately available online with the correct location and format, and
since the INNOPAC loader creates online linked item records, items can be checked out without further delay for patrons. SLS records can be accessed by title, call number, issuing body names, personal names and/or other index points depending on the indexing profiles and the online system of the library. This is an increase in access over a normal manual shelf list where access is only by call number. Libraries can eliminate the creation of manual shelf lists for titles having SLS records. Approximately 80% of student assistants' time in the old Government Documents Unit was spent typing and filing shelf list cards, as well as the considerable time spent by the supervisor reviewing their work. Now, student assistants are employed for special projects. Problems are identified quickly and can be resolved near the point of discovery in a timely manner and so prevent problems for patrons and result in better service. In-house decisions on the treatment of individual titles, serial vs. monograph, are resolved at the point of receipt.
12. Conclusion Based on CSUL's experience, the Marcive SLS is recommended to other libraries. CSUL has found Marcive's experience to be extremely valuable in understanding the SLS process, which helped CSUL to identify problems and explore solutions both internally and with
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Marcive staff. Marcive staff are willing to adjust CSUL's SLS files and correct problems, if possible, as well as supply information on their procedures. The authors recommend that quality control be given a high priority to ensure that problems resulting from the integration of GPO, Marcive, and any in-house cataloging records are identified and resolved at the point of receipt. The procedures CSUL has created for quality control have enabled the institution to control the receipt of most monographic titles and ensure their accuracy in the online catalog. CSUL continues to automate government document processing and develop quality control procedures so that patrons will have full, accurate, online information for all the Libraries' holdings. Notes 1. The Marcive Shipping List Service (SLS) is available from Marcive, 5616 Randolf Boulevard, San Antonio, TX 78233-7508, USA; Tel.: + 1-210-646-6161; e-mail: www.marcive.com. 2. The Marcive SLS. 3. Rawlison L. Summary: Marcive and local procedures. Available e-mail: [email protected] Accessed December 23, 1997. 4. Rawlinson L. 5. US Library of Congress, Catalog Distribution Service. USMARC format for bibliographic data. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, 1994. 6. US Superintendent of Documents, Library Programs Service. Administrative notes. Washington, DC: GPO, 1985. 7. Administrative notes. 8. US Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents. GPO classification manual: a practical guide to the superintendent of documents classification system. Washington, DC: GPO, 1993. 9. Library of Congress. USMARC format for bibliographic data.
Nora S. Copeland was formerly senior Project Cataloger to catalog US government documents under a Title II-C grant at CSUL. She was a member of the III International Users Group Steering Committee. Her recent articles include: ``Mainstreaming government documents technical processing,'' ``Data migration,'' and ``Quality control of the online catalog.'' Maryann Snyder is the supervisor of the Database Unit at CSUL. She has been involved in several projects with Nora Copeland, including the implementation and automation of government documents processing, automation of authorities processing, and quality control of the online catalog.