Searching for Records in a Remote Database
If your library has acquired the Z39.50 client program, you can search remote databases. When you download records found in these remote searches, you can use them to overlay existing records in your database. For more information, see Overlaying an Existing Record with a New Record from a Remote Search.
To search for records in a remote database:
- Choose Tools | Search | Browse.
This option is available only in some functions, such as Catalog, Serials Checkin, or Catalog ERM.
The Browse search screen displays. - From the drop down list, choose Remote.
This opens the Select Databases dialog, which lists the servers to which your library has access.NOTE
The databases that appear in the dialog are controlled by the z39.50 servers file.
- Select the check boxes for the databases that you want to search.
The system remembers the databases you select for the current session. To clear your selections, choose the Clear button. - Choose OK to confirm your selections or Cancel. The Remote search screen appears as indicated in the title bar.
- Choose an index from the drop-down menu.
Indexes are configurable. See Adding Search Options for a Database for more information. - Enter the search criteria in the text box.
There is no need to enter an index tag (for example, t, w, or x) in the text box before entering the search criteria. An index has already been selected. - Choose Search.
The Searching Remote Databases dialog displays the status of the search against each selected remote database. - Let the search complete or choose Stop when a sufficient number of records have been found.
When the search completes, the dialog displays the number of records found for each database. The records are then transmitted to Sierra as indicated in the Received column. These records do not exist in your database until you create mirror records. - Choose Close.
The records that were received are listed in a browse display.
The browse displays the authority record as well as the Database that contains the record. When you open a record from this browse display, the originating database name displays in the title bar.
Displaying the Remote Database's Status
To display the status of the remote database, double-click on a database in the Searching Remote Databases dialog. The Database Status dialog displays.
Returning to the Local Database
To return to your local database, choose the Local button from the Remote search screen or browse display.
Limiting a Remote Search
To limit a remote search, the Z39.50 remote database server must support the pre-search limit.
To impose limits on the types of items that can satisfy your search, choose the Set Limits For Remote Searching button or the Tools | Limit menu option. The system gives you a prompt including these limiting options:
- Published in or after year
- The earliest publication year for the item (e.g., if you only wanted items that were published after 1973, you would enter 1974).
- Published in or before year
- The latest publication year for the item (e.g., if you only wanted items that were published before 1973, you would enter 1972).
- Record Type
- The record type(s) of the items that can satisfy your search.
- Language Code
- The code(s) for the languages that can satisfy your search.
Note that the word Limited now displays in the status bar of the window, indicating that your search will be limited.
The system remembers your remote search limits during the current session.
Pre-search Limiting
The following databases support pre-search limiting:
- OCLC
- RLIN (date and language limits)
- CURL (Consortium of University Research Libraries)
For more information on adding pre-search limits to your database, see Adding Search Options for a Database.
Discarding Limit Criteria in Remote Searches
There are three methods by which you can discard limit criteria:
- Clear All Criteria
- Delete Individual Criteria
- Disregard Criteria
Clear All Criteria
From the Current Search Limits dialog, choose the Clear button. The system removes all criteria and returns you to the Limits dialog.
Delete Individual Criteria
From the Current Search Limits dialog, select specified limit criteria and press Delete or Backspace. The system removes the criteria and returns you to the Limits dialog.
Disregard Criteria
From the Current Search Limits dialog, choose the No Limit button. The system does not apply the specified limit criteria to your searches.
Creating Local Records from a Remote Search
To create local bibliographic records from a remote search:
- Select one of the remote records.
- Edit the record, as necessary.
- Choose Save.
Note that incoming records go through a specific Load Table (usually BIBLIOGRAPHIC record from OCLC or Z39.50 (m2btab.b)). If incoming records saved to the local database do not show specific MARC fields, contact Innovative to have the appropriate Load Table updated.
When you create local bibliographic records from a remote search, the system automatically attaches the record types indicated in Admin | Settings | New Records | Records to attach to new bibliographic records.