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Home > Minerva > Cataloging > How To's > Enter Input Library and Initials In Bib Records

How To Enter Input Library and Initials In Bib Records

Background

The fixed bibliographic record fields "Input Library" and "Initials" can contain no more than 32 values. Allowing for several "special" values like "k" representing Maine State Library "n" indicating suppression from view in the OPAC, and "z" which causes the record to not be contributed to Maine InfoNet, the actual max is lower still. With more than 3 dozen libraries committed to use of Minerva, the capacity of these fields has been reached.  Yet, the information they contain can be useful in tracking who has created a record and/or who has made substantial edits to the record subsequently. What is needed is a place to put such values that is not constrained by a low maximum number of values.

New Convention

Libraries that have Input Library and Initials values already assigned should continue to use them as before.  If a general switch over is ever called for, it can be done by making global changes based on the fixed field values.

New libraries without assigned Input Library and Initials values should, however, follow this new convention:

  1. Signify Input Library with 3-character library code, the same as is used in bib locations, placed in 929.  While this value is technically subfield "a" of 929, by convention, "|a" is not actually entered.  Using Auburn PL as an example, the 929 would read "929  apl", not "929  |aapl".  Lower case is preferred.
  2. Optionally, use 929|b for the initials of the person who did the work. Whether to use this field is up to the local library.
  3. Signify the library that has made significant changes subsequent to record creation, as with Initials, currently, with 929|z followed by 3-character library symbol. Multiple 929|z subfields are allowed, with most recent placed at the end of the 929 field.

Updates

This document is updated as required, and in response to user suggestions and questions.  If you have comments in this regard, send feedback.