Formatting Text Files for Simultaneous Holdings Records and Coverage Data Updates

This page describes the formatting of a text file for simultaneously updating LIB HAS fields in holdings/checkin records and coverage data.

To format a text file for updating coverage data, see Coverage Data in Text Format. To format a text file for updating LIB HAS fields in holdings/checkin records, see Formatting Text Files for Holdings Records Updates.

The update text file can contain updates for multiple serials and resources.

The format of the file is:

ASCII text
a header that defines the fields in the file
fields separated by vertical bars (|) for each serial in the file
each resource or serial on a separate line

File Header

The header is composed of two lines:

The first line, which is optional, consists of the phrase "SUPPLIER=" followed by the identifier.

If this line is not in the file, you will be prompted to enter an identifier when you process the file.

NOTE

When LIB HAS fields are updated, an identifier in the SUPPLIER element is required. For coverage data updates, the SUPPLIER element is not required. When simultaneously updating LIB HAS fields and coverage data, verify that the SUPPLIER element contains an identifier or that an identifier is entered at the prompt.

The second line consists of the names of the file's fields separated by vertical bars (e.g., ISSN|TITLE|HOLDINGS).

Any field can be included in the file if it is named in the header. Although updates usually involve coverage data and LIB HAS fields, and thus the ISSN, START_DATE, END_DATE, and HOLDINGS fields, other fields are possible. For example, if a resource accesses a monograph, an ISBN field can be inserted in the file.

If the file contains Vendor IDs, the word "PROVIDER" appears in the second line of the header. For example, if the Vendor ID is the first element of every line, and is followed by the serial's ISSN, title, and holdings, the second line of the header should be: "PROVIDER|ISSN|TITLE|HOLDINGS". If there are no PROVIDER fields in the file, you will be prompted for a Vendor ID when you process the file.

File Fields

There are vertical-bar-delimited fields for each serial or WebBridge resource in the text file. The fields are named in the file's header.

If there is no data for a field, it is left blank (except PROVIDER fields—if PROVIDER is included in the file header, PROVIDER fields cannot be left blank). If the HOLDINGS field is blank, no update to the LIB HAS field occurs. Vertical bars must separate the blank field from other fields in the line. It is not necessary to put a space between the vertical bar delimiters of a blank field.

Possible fields include:

PROVIDER

The PROVIDER field contains the Vendor ID and, optionally, the Database ID. If the Database ID is included, it is separated from the Vendor ID by a colon.

If PROVIDER fields appear in the file, one or more tabs are displayed in the Electronic Holdings Load function. A tab is created for each unique PROVIDER field. The lines from the file are grouped and displayed on tabs according to the data in the PROVIDER fields.

If PROVIDER fields appear in the file header, the PROVIDER fields cannot be blank.

If PROVIDER fields do not appear in the file, you will be prompted for a Vendor ID and a Database ID. Only the Vendor ID is required. The Vendor ID will serve as the PROVIDER for the entire file. One tab will display in the Electronic Holdings Load function. The tab's name will be the Vendor ID that you enter at the prompt when you process the file.

NOTE

When LIB HAS fields are updated, the Vendor ID is used only to label the tab in the Electronic Holdings Load function. For WebBridge, the Vendor ID and optional Database ID are part of the coverage data update and are loaded into the WebBridge database. When simultaneously updating LIB HAS fields and WebBridge coverage data, verify that the PROVIDER element contains a meaningful WebBridge Vendor ID or that a meaningful WebBridge Vendor ID is entered at the prompt.

ISSN

When updating holdings statements (LIB HAS) with a text file, the serial(s) to be updated is identified by matching the ISSN in the holdings update text file to the ISSN in the bibliographic record.

If there are multiple serials in your Innovative database with an ISSN that matches the ISSN field of the holdings update file, the titles are compared. Serials that do not match on title are disregarded. If multiple serials match on both ISSN and title, and the serials are all within the range of record numbers you have specified, Sierra reports an error.

If you get a "Multiple matches..." error, check the range of record numbers you specified. Sometimes a serial is available in both print and e-journal versions, and will therefore have two records that match on ISSN and title. The record range to be searched for matching serials must be specified so that the record for either the print or e-journal is excluded.

When updating a WebBridge resource, you specify match points for the resource. The first match point is compared to data in the WebBridge database to locate the resource to update. If there is no match, the second match point is compared to data in the WebBridge database to locate the resource to update. ISSN can be used as a match point.

TITLE

If the ISSN field for a holdings statement update does not contain a valid ISSN, the serial is identified by matching the title. When matching titles, the title in the text file must exactly match the title in the bibliographic record.

When updating a WebBridge resource, you can specify two match points for the resource. The match points are compared to data in the WebBridge database to locate the resource to update. Title can be used as a match point.

START_DATE and END_DATE

These fields are used to update coverage data for WebBridge. They are not used to update LIB HAS fields in checkin records.

Enter START_DATE and END_DATE in any of the following formats:

YYYYMMDD
YYYYMM
YYYY

If you do not have an END_DATE, leave the END_DATE blank. A blank END_DATE means "to present" (if a START_DATE is provided).

If you do not have a START_DATE, enter a zero for the START VALUE.

HOLDINGS

The holdings field contains the holdings statement as it should appear in the WebPAC. Unlike START_DATE and END_DATE, the holdings statement can contain strings, such as "to present" or "in stacks."

This field is used to update LIB HAS fields in checkin records. It is not used to update coverage data for WebBridge.

If the holdings statement field is blank, no update to the checkin record's LIB HAS field occurs.

Other fields

Any field can be included in the file if it is named in the header. Although updates usually involve coverage data and LIB HAS fields, and thus the ISSN, START_DATE, END_DATE, and HOLDINGS fields, other fields are possible. For example, if a WebBridge resource accesses a monograph, an ISBN field can be inserted in the file.

Example Text File for Simultaneous Holdings Statement and WebBridge Coverage Data Updates

Below is an example of a valid text file that simultaneously updates holdings statements (LIB HAS fields in checkin records) and WebBridge coverage data. This example is intended to demonstrate the possibilities for a file; actual files may not contain all these fields. Note that:

fields can be left blank (except PROVIDER fields—if PROVIDER is included in the file header, PROVIDER fields cannot be left blank)
spaces are not necessary in blank fields
you can create your own fields by naming them in the header (ISBN and EXAMPLE_FIELD)
PROVIDER fields contain the Vendor ID and optional Database ID, separated by a colon
START_DATE and END_DATE fields are numeric only
HOLDINGS can contain alphabetic characters and strings

        PROVIDER|ISSN|ISBN|TITLE|START_DATE|END_DATE|URL|EXAMPLE_FIELD|HOLDINGS
        online|0021-843x||Journal of Abnormal Psychology|||||1965-1998 in stacks
        online|0737-3295||Journal of American Photography|||||1945-2000
        online|||Journal of Chemistry|||||1939-present
        online|0345-8543||Journal of Agribusiness and Hazardous Waste Disposal|||||1980-present
        EBSCO:ASE|01482076||19th Century Music|20000701||||
        Springer and Blackwell:Swetsnet|00252514||Manuelle medizin|2000||http://swets2.nesli.ac.uk/link/access_db?issn=0025-2514||