Load SCIS authority data

Learn how to load SCIS authority data in Amlib.

These instructions assume that the SCIS Authority data has already been saved onto your computer. The files that are generated vary depending on the contents of the data downloaded – for example: Authors, Subjects, etc. When following the prompts ensure you select the Marc format which is the format required by Amlib.

Importing into Amlib

 Note: The loading of the files can take some time and may slow the system, so load the files when the library is not busy.

  1. Go to Main > Authorities > MarcTakeUp (alternatively use Ctrl + M) – the Marc Import screen will display:
  2. Click the F1 Open button to display the Open dialogue box
  3. Locate the file to be processed by using the Look in: drop-down box – for example: if the file is on the C: drive, the Look in: box may say Local Disk (C:)
  4. If the Author data is to be imported this will show as a Common Marc File
  5. If the Subject Headings are to be imported, select All Files (*.*) from the Files of Type box to display the Marc.exp file
  6. Highlight the file to be imported and click the Open button – the

There are two processing options: Bibliographic Data or Authority Data – this guide covers the import of Authority Data.

Authority Data

This option is to load records which are Authority Data in machine readable format which can be imported into Authority application of Amlib.

  1. The Marc Import – Open screen will display:

    HEADING

    FIELD

    EXPLANATION/OPTIONS

    EXAMPLE

    Marc Options

    Bibliographic Data

    Bibliographic data to be created for the Catalogue.

    Data from external source (for example: SCIS, SLOWA, Kinetica etc. with USMARC Tags)

    Authority Data

    Authority data for creation or updating of Authority Headings and/or cross references.

    See and See Also Update from SCIS or other source

    Update the database without viewing the Marc records

    Open and Update

    If checked (ticked), the imported items will not display in the Holding file.

    The Catalogue will be

    Updated immediately

    If unchecked (unticked), the imported items will display in the Holding file.

    Review records

    The Catalogue will not be updated until the F3 Update button is selected

    Load Range

    All

    All records from the file are downloaded into a holding file.

    All

    Range

    Selected records from the file are downloaded into a holding file. If Range is selected, the next 2 fields have to be updated.

    For example: 1 to 50

  2. Complete the options using the above table:
    1. Marc Options = Authority Data

      If the data contains machine readable Authority Data to update See and See Also references, this will be selected automatically as the default.
    2. Open and Update = must be ticked, otherwise you will end up reviewing every individual MARC record (most Authority files are VERY large)
    3. Load Range = All (unless the file sizes are quite large)
  3. Click on the OK button

Authority Update

  1. The Authority Update screen will display:
  2. Most sites elect to create only See and See Also’s so that only headings you actually use will be loaded with cross references coming from SCIS however you may choose other options as outlined in the table below then select OK

    HEADING

    FIELD

    EXPLANATION/OPTIONS

    EXAMPLE

    Authority Create

    The Authority file contains subject headings and cross references that may not be in the database.

    Create All Authorities

    This will bring across ALL (subject) headings with associated See & See Also references

    All headings that exist in the imported file will be loaded into Authorities, whether they exist or not on the Amlib database, along with associated cross references

    The Authority heading Abacus does not exist on the Database but does exist on the file. It will be imported along with the Cross references – Seen by Counting devices, See Also Mathematical instruments

    Create See & See Also References Only

    This will bring across See & See Also’s for the subject headings already on the database

    The program will check data for existing headings and only bring these cross references into Authorities

    Aardvarks already exists so it will update the See also Animals, and Seen By Anteaters. Abacus does not exist on the Database and will not be imported

    Authority Match

    Existing Authorities may have cross references that do not comply with the cross references in the file.

    Replace all Cross References

    This will delete all existing See & See Also References and replace these with the Imported headings

    The cross references for existing headings will be cleared before the Import takes place, then load the imported cross references in their place

    Aardvarks already exists in the file. Before loading the See and See Also references from the file any existing headings will be wiped before loading

    Retain existing Cross References

    This will retain all existing cross references and add new to subject headings

    The cross references for existing headings will not be cleared before the Import takes place, updating the cross references with new imported See & See Also if the heading exist on the database

    Aardvarks already exists in the file. An existing See Also reference of Aardvarks see also Mammals. This will be retained even though it is not on the file

  3. The Saved Files – Open and Update screen will display:
  4. (Optional) Type the name of the file into which all the newly created Authorities will be saved
  5. Click the OK button

     Note: These files assist in finding the newly created Authorities after the import. The Filenames are created so that you can identify the file later. A suggested Filename could be the type of data – for example: SCIS or EXCHANGE, the date and the initials of the staff member processing the data.

  6. An Update prompt will display, indicating the progress of the import
  7. When the update is finished an Update prompt will display, showing the number of records Updated:
  8. Click the OK button