Learner guide: Connexion client 3 - Record editing and processing

Course overview

This online course provides instruction on working with MARC bibliographic records in Connexion client, including using MARC field help, editing WorldCat records, updating WorldCat holdings, and exporting WorldCat records, as well as the mechanics for replacing and creating WorldCat records. 

Additionally, OCLC strongly recommends viewing MARC Bibliographic Basics . This video provides a brief introduction to the MARC bibliographic format.

 Note:  This learner guide is designed to accompany the Connexion client 3 - Record editing and processing course.

Navigation

Options available on the menu bar: 

Edit WorldCat records

• Cells enclose each tag, indicator, and field data 
• Cursor moves automatically from tag to 1st indicator to 2nd indicator, etc. Otherwise, edit as continuous text 

Update and delete holdings 

• Maintain accurate holdings in WorldCat enables other OCLC services to: 
• Accurately reflects your holdings to users in WorldCat Discovery, FirstSearch, etc. 
• Ensures ILL staff will not get requests for items you no longer own 
• Accurately identify gaps in your collection as well as your unique holdings if you use Collection Evaluation 

Export records

Export moves the bibliographic record from Connexion client to a local destination. The local destination could be a file on your workstation or network drive, or the destination could be directly to your local system (ILS). 

To export a record, click Action menu, then Export 

Replace WorldCat records 

• Replace saves changes to the WorldCat record.  
• Changes are not just for local use, but appropriate for the WorldCat record, such as 
  • Corrections (e.g., fix typing errors, incorrect coding, etc.) 
  • Enrichments (e.g., add subject headings, add formatted content notes, etc.) 
  • Upgrade encoding level of the record 
  • Control headings in the record 
• Replace also adds your OCLC symbol to 040 $d. 
• Consult Bibliographic Formats and Standards, Chapter 5 Quality Assurance for the complete guidelines for replacing WorldCat records. https://www.oclc.org/bibformats/en/quality.html  
• Procedures to replace WorldCat records 
  • Lock the record (optional) 
    • Locking the record prevents another user from making simultaneous changes that override or prevent your changes 
    • To lock a record, click Action menu, then Lock WorldCat Record 
    • If you decide not to make changes to the WorldCat record, release the “lock” record by clicking Action menu, then Release Record Lock. 
  • Edit the record 
    • Make the appropriate edits 
  • Replace the record 
    • The replace command saves the changes to the WorldCat record 
    • To replace the record, click Action menu, then Replace Record 
• Report errors you cannot fix 
  • Connexion client (while online): Action menu, then Report Error 
  • Email: bibchange@oclc.org 
  • Web: Record Change Request at https://www.oclc.org/oclc-forms/en/worldcat-bibliographic-authority-record-change.html  
  • Proof may be required for some changes. See Bibliographic Formats and Standards, Chapter 5.5 Requesting Changes for Records.

Before creating a new WorldCat record 

• First, do a thorough search in WorldCat 
• If in doubt whether you’ve found a matching record, refer to Bibliographic Formats and Standards, Ch. 4 When to Input a New Record 
  • 4.1 General guidelines 
  • 4.2 Field by field guidelines 
• If no matching bibliographic record exists in WorldCat, and you’ve determined you need to create a new record: 
  • Follow current cataloging practices, e.g., Resource Description & Access (RDA) 
  • Refer to Bibliographic Formats and Standards, Ch. 2 Online Cataloging 

Create a new WorldCat record from a work form 

• Click Cataloging menu, then Create, then Single Record, then select [work form] 
• Enter information for the item to be cataloged and edit record as appropriate 
• To add the new record to WorldCat and add your library holdings, click Action menu, then Holdings, then Update Holdings 

Derive a new WorldCat record from an existing record 

• Use Derive to copy data from an existing WorldCat record to a new record (e.g., a different edition, a different physical format, etc.) 
• One-time setup for derive options (optional) 
  • Click Tools menu, then Options, then Derive Record (tab) 
  • This screen controls which fields get transferred from the existing record to the new record 
  • 1XX—8XX fields are selected by default 
• To derive a new bibliographic record: 
  • Retrieve an existing WorldCat record 
  • Click Edit menu, then Derive, then New WorldCat Record 
  • Decide whether to “Transfer fixed field values to new record?”  
  • If needed, click the Format drop-down to change the format type 
  • Edit the record as appropriate 
  • To add the new record to WorldCat and add your library holdings, click Action menu, then Holdings, then Update Holding 

Selected Default Keystroke Shortcuts in Connexion Client

Test your knowledge

1. List two reasons why it is important to search WorldCat thoroughly before adding a new record to WorldCat. 
    
2. How can you get MARC Field Help with determining the correct indicators for a 246 field you want to add to a record for a title that you have found on the top of each page of a book that is slightly different than the title on the title page and in the 245 field of the record? What is the correct value for the second indicator for this 246 field? 
    
3. Reformat a bibliographic record does the following (select all that apply): 
   1. Puts all variable fields in exact tag order 
   2. Puts just the 1xx through the 3xx fields in exact tag order. 
   3. Puts just the 1xx through the 4xx fields in exact tag order.  
   4. Preserves the order of input for subject headings (6xx) and notes (5xx) 
   5. Corrects spelling  
   6. Moves subject headings and notes entered at the bottom of the record to the end of their respective tag groups 
   7. Deletes any unused (no data) field or subfields   
   8. Saves the edits to the WorldCat record 
       
4. Validate a bibliographic record does the following (select all that apply): 
   1. Checks validity of tags 
   2. Checks spelling 
   3. Checks that the relationship between some fields are valid 
   4. Checks validity of indicators 
   5. Checks the validity of subject headings 
   6. Checks that non-repeatable fields appear only once 
   7. Checks validity of subfields codes 
   8. Checks the Authority File 
       
5. Which OCLC document is the source of information about rules for editing, replacing, and creating a WorldCat record? 
    
6. The procedures for replacing a WorldCat record are (1) ____________________, (2) ______________________, (3) ____________________ 
    
7. You have withdrawn an older edition of an encyclopedia from your library and will replace it with a newer edition. After withdrawing the older edition from your library, what should you do about the record for it in WorldCat?  
   1. Delete your holdings for the older edition and search for a record for the new edition to add your holdings 
   2. Change the WorldCat bibliographic record to reflect the new edition 
   3. Nothing 
       
8. List two ways to create a new bibliographic record in Connexion client? 
    
9. True or False: When you are creating original records in Connexion client, you must enter your OCLC symbol in field 040, subfields ‡a and ‡c. 

Answer key

1. ) Catalogers should search WorldCat before adding records to avoid introducing duplicate records, and if a record for a similar item exists, they may choose to derive a new record from it, rather than creating a new record from a blank workform. 

2.) To access MARC field help while viewing a bibliographic record in Connexion client, click in the MARC field, then right-click, and select MARC Field Help. If the record does not contain the MARC field (e.g., a 246-Varying form of title), you will need to first add it (press <Enter> to add a field below your current and type in the tag). Then click in the field, right-click, and select MARC Field Help. The 2nd indicator for this 246 field should be 7 (Running title). 
 

3.) Reformat does the following: 

 

b.  Puts just the 1xx through the 3xx fields in exact tag order. 

d.  Preserves the order of input for subject headings (6xx) and notes (5xx) 

f.   Moves subject headings and notes entered at the bottom of the record to the end of their respective tag groups 

g.  Deletes any unused (no data) field or subfields 
 

 

4.) Validate does the following: 

 

a.  Checks validity of tags 

c.  Checks that the relationships between some fields are valid 

d.  Checks validity of indicators 

 f.  Checks that non-repeatable fields appear only once 

g.  Checks the validity of subfield codes 
 

5.) Bibliographic Formats and Standards (also known as BibFormats or BFaS) 

6.) The process is: (1) Lock the record (optional), (2) Make appropriate edits, (3) Replace the record 

7._ After withdrawing the older edition from your library, what should you do about the record for it in WorldCat? 

 

a. Delete your holdings on the record for the edition you are withdrawing and search for a record for the new edition to add your holdings 
 

8.) The two ways to create a new bibliographic record in Connexion client are: (1) from a work form and (2) deriving a new record from an existing record. 

9.) False. Connexion client automatically supplies your OCLC symbol in the field 040, subfields ‡a and ‡c, based on your cataloging authorization (or offline cataloging setup).