Polaris Cataloging Overview
Polaris Cataloging records provide the core data upon which all other functions in Polaris depend. Bibliographic and item records are used throughout the Polaris staff client, and they determine the PAC display. Authority records provide standardized access points to indexes and headings in the public catalog. Community records provide information about community organizations. Promotion records enable the library to promote titles, Web sites, community organizations, and events in Polaris PowerPAC.
To streamline your cataloging tasks, Polaris provides tools such as: import profiles for efficiently importing records; bulk creation of item records; bulk change for bibliographic and item records; remote database searching for easy copy cataloging; automatic remote authority control; bibliographic record replacement; and templates to ensure record consistency. Quick navigation between linked records also enhances efficiency.
When you need to create original MARC records, you select from dialog boxes that present the appropriate values based on previous selections. And, you can immediately preview how the title will appear in the PAC.
Your Polaris Administrator can use a variety of options to manage cataloging records and specify how titles are displayed in the PAC. See Cataloging Administration.
For more information on the features and functions available in Polaris Cataloging, see these topics:
Overview of Polaris cataloging records; methods for creating new records; how to search for and display bibliographic, authority, and item records.
Creating, Copying, and Editing MARC Records
Creating original MARC records; copying MARC records from remote sources; editing MARC records.
Using templates to streamline your cataloging processes.
Setting Up Import Profiles and Importing Records
Setting up import profiles; importing records into your Polaris catalog.
Checking records for headings, MARC format, and duplicates.
Creating item records and preparing items for circulation; printing labels.
Working with Multiple Cataloging Records
Grouping related cataloging records in record sets for bulk processing.
Maintaining your catalog; exporting records; identifying unlinked records; deleting records; and using reports to identify problems.
Creating and editing promotion records to feature resources in PAC.
Cataloging Bound-With Materials
When cataloging pamphlets or other materials that have individual titles and individual bibliographic records, but are bound together in physical volumes, libraries can group bibliographic records together.
Setting up labels; customizing labels; defining label content; specifying label printers.
Generating and Copying Content Carousel Code
Using the Carousel Toolkit (available by separate license) to copy code snippets for content carousels from the Polaris ILS to external web sites.
Lists the Type of Material Codes (TOMs); the MARC codes required to produce specific TOMs; order of precedence to determine primary TOM.
List of Cataloging shortcut keys.