Importing URLs

You can import URLs and save the files to your Innovative server. Media Management supports the following file types by default. If your library uses media file types other than those in this list, contact Innovative to make those files types available to you.

Note that TIFF files are saved to the server in LZW (Lempel-Ziv-Welch) compressed format.

Importing or Linking to URLs

Media Management allows you to import a file from a specified URL or simply provide a link to that URL. When you import a URL, Sierra downloads the file from the specified location to your server. When you link to a URL, Sierra simply adds the address to your catalog record. When a user clicks the media link in the WebPAC, the system forwards the browser to the specified URL.

Importing and linking each have advantages. If you import a URL, your media link will work even if the URL becomes invalid, such as when a website is redesigned or closes. However, importing a file requires more storage space on your server. Importing video files, for example, can require substantial disc space. Linking to a video file's URL conserves disc space on your server, though the link could become obsolete and require updating or removal.

To import a URL into a media set:

  1. Retrieve a bibliographic record.
  2. Choose Go | Media.
  3. Add a new media set.
  4. At the bottom of the Display panel, choose the Import URL button.
  5. In the Import URL dialog box, enter the entire URL you want to import, including the http:// prefix. Choose OK.
  6. In the Choose a File Format dialog box, select the file type in which you want the URL to be saved. Choose OK.
  7. Choose the Save button in the toolbar to save your changes to the bibliographic record.