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Local holdings agent activities

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Learn how a holdings agent maintains local holdings records for specific client institutions.

About holdings agents

  • A holdings agent maintains holdings for specific client institutions. Typically, client libraries do not have direct access to Connexion. Agent activity is usually done by staff at a processing center or other networking agency.
  • To request an Agent authorization, contact your OCLC regional service provider or distributor.
  • Profiling for an Agent authorization identifies the institution symbols of clients. When logged on using an Agent authorization, you can create, add, edit, replace, and delete holdings for client institutions linked to that authorization.
  • Agents use the same procedures as users maintaining holdings for their own institution. When taking actions, agents specify the client institution whose holdings they are maintaining.
    • When logged in as an agent, you cannot automatically maintain local holdings for your own institution, unless your institution is profiled as a client.
    • If your institution is not among your clients, you must log in with an individual authorization to create your own LHRs.

Local holdings statistics and reports for agents

  • Agents receive monthly statistical reports that detail the local holdings work done for each of their clients during that month. The reports are available online.
  • Access: Go to online OCLC Usage Statistics at <http://www.stats.oclc.org>. To log on, enter your OCLC Agent authorization number and password you use for local holdings maintenance activity.
  • To view Local Holdings Maintenance statistics, select the Online Cataloging tab.
  • Reports: Two types of reports are available:
    • The Local Holdings Maintenance Agent Summary Report summarizes the work an agent has done for all clients.
    • The Local Holdings Maintenance Agent Detail Report provides details on each transaction, including the transaction date, OCLC control number, type of action taken (add LHR, delete LHR, replace modified LHR), and the client for which the work was done.

Edit and replace existing local holdings records

  1. Retrieve a bibliographic record with attached local holdings records that you need to revise and replace.
  2. On the Action list, click Edit Local Holdings or press <Alt><K> and then <_> (underscore) (or press <Alt><J> and then <_>). Connexion prompts you to specify the institution for which you are acting.
  3. Type the institution symbol for the client whose LHR you need to replace. Then click Edit Local Holdings. Connexion displays the LHR in edit mode. Or, if the institution has multiple LHRs linked to this record, Connexion displays an institution summary. Click a hyperlinked record number or type a record number in the View Record box and press <Enter>.
  4. Edit the local holdings record to add, change, or remove holdings information. If appropriate, apply local holdings constant data to the record.
  5. Review information in the Summary field of the LHR. If your revisions affect the institution's overall holdings for the item, edit the Summary to reflect the changes.
  6. On the Action list, click Replace Record or press <Alt><K> and then <A> (or <Alt><J> and then <A>). The system asks you to confirm that you want to replace the local holdings record.
  7. Click OK to replace the record.
    Or
    Click Cancel to resume editing the record.

    Results
    • Connexion validates the record. If the system reports validation errors, correct them and try again to replace the record.
    • When the record is valid, Connexion replaces the record in WorldCat.
    • The replaced record reappears in display mode.

Constant data for local holdings maintenance

  • For agents, who frequently make the same change to large numbers of local holdings records, creating and using constant data can be especially useful.
  • Using constant data, you can:
    • Avoid rekeying frequently used information when you create or maintain local holdings records.
    • Reduce typing errors and improve consistency among related local holdings records.
    • Add specific fields, subfields, or other elements to multiple local holdings records.
    • Develop and maintain standards for use in all local holdings records, for certain collections, or for specific types of resources.
  • Once you create constant data records, you can apply them to local holdings records in the following ways:
    • Apply a local holdings CD record set as default LH CD. On the Edit list, click Apply Default CD (or press <Alt><K> and then <C>).
    • Select a specific LH CD record. On the Edit list, click Apply CD By Name (or press <Alt><K> and then < 5>) or Apply CD From List (or press <Alt><K> and then <6>).

Derive a local holdings record from an existing LHR

  • If your client has existing local holdings records for an item, derive a new LHR from one of the client's own records attached to the bibliographic record.
  • If you are adding the first LHR for the client, derive the new record from another institution's LHR for the same item. You can derive a record from any LHR, whether it belongs to one of your clients or not.
  • In either case, deriving lets you reuse applicable content, save keystrokes, and reduce errors.
  1. Retrieve the local holdings record from which you want to create a new LH record. You can derive a record from an LHR that belongs to a client library (in edit mode) or from a record created by any other institution (viewed in display mode).
  2. On the Edit list, click Derive New Record or press <Alt><K> and then <D> (or press <Alt><J> and then <D>). Connexion prompts you to specify the institution for which you are acting.
  3. Type the institution symbol for the client whose LHR you need to replace. Then click Derive Local Holdings. Connexion displays the new LHR in edit mode.
  4. Edit the record to enter or modify the holdings information. If appropriate, apply local holdings constant data to the new record.
  5. Edit the Summary field of the new LHR.
    • If the institution has other LHRs linked to the bibliographic record, the most recent version of the Summary field appears when you derive a new LHR or use a workform. If the new record includes information that affects the institution's overall holdings for the item, edit the Summary to reflect the changes.
    • If you are creating the institution's first LHR for the item, enter the appropriate information on overall holdings.
  6. On the Action list, click Add Record or press <Alt><K> and then <N> (or press <Alt><J> and then <N>).

    Results
    • Connexion validates the record. If the system reports validation errors, correct them and try again to add the record.
    • When the record is valid, Connexion links it to the bibliographic record in WorldCat.
    • The added record reappears in display mode.

Content transferred to derived local holdings record

  • Content from the base record transfers to the new LHR, with the following exceptions:
  • Summary. If your client has other LHRs linked to the bibliographic record, the derived record contains the latest version of the Summary from the existing LHRs. If you are creating your client's first LHR for the item, the Summary field in the derived record contains the statement "Local holdings available."
  • Record Status (Leader/05), Date Entered (008/00-05), and Date of Report (008/26-31). Record Status is set to n (New); Date Entered and Date of Report are set to the current date.
  • Field 852. Connexion inserts an 852 that contains your client's institution symbol in $a and their default holding library code in $b.

Create a local holdings record using a workform

You can take the Create Local Holdings action from a local holdings record, from a bibliographic record, or from an institution summary or a group summary.

  1. From a bibliographic record or an existing local holdings record, on the Action list, click Create Local Holdings or press <Alt><K> and then <+> (plus sign) (or press <Alt><J> and then <+>).
    Or
    From a group summary or institution summary, on the Action/Sort list click Create Local Holdings. Connexion prompts you to specify the institution for which you are acting.
  2. Type the institution symbol for which you are creating an LHR. Then click Create Local Holdings.

    Results
    Connexion displays a local holdings workform with the following default fields and values:
    • Summary. If your client has other LHRs linked to the bibliographic record, the derived record contains the latest version of the Summary from the existing LHRs. If you are creating your client's first LHR for the item, the Summary field in the derived record contains the statement "Local holdings available."
    • Encoding Level. (Leader/17) Encoding Level is set to a fill character | (the vertical bar or pipe symbol), an invalid value. To validate the record, you must select a valid code for this element. Note that the Encoding Level value may require you to include other fields in the LHR.
    • Record Status (Leader/05), Date Entered (008/00-05), and Date of Report (008/26-31). Record Status is set to n (New); Date Entered and Date of Report are set to the current date.
    • Field 852. Connexion inserts an 852 that contains your client's institution symbol in $a and their default holding library code in $b.
    • Other LHR fields. The workform contains tags and default subfield codes for the 853, 863, and 866 fields.
  3. Enter content to describe the institution's holdings for the item. If appropriate, apply local holdings constant data to the new record.
  4. Edit the Summary field of the new LHR.
    • If the institution has other LHRs linked to the bibliographic record, the most recent version of the Summary field appears when you derive a new LHR or use a workform. If the new record includes information that affects the institution's overall holdings for the item, edit the Summary to reflect the changes.
    • If you are creating the institution's first LHR for the item, enter the appropriate information on overall holdings.
  5. On the Action list, click Add Record or press <Alt><K> and then <N> (or press <Alt><J> and then <N>).

    Results
    • Connexion validates the record. If the system reports validation errors, correct them and try again to add the record.
    • When the record is valid, Connexion links it to the bibliographic record.
    • The added record reappears in display mode.

Delete a local holdings record for a client institution

  1. Retrieve an existing local holdings record that you want to delete.
  2. On the Action list, click Delete Local Holdings or press <Alt><K> and then <X> (or press <Alt><J> and then <X>). Connexion prompts you to specify the institution for which you are acting.
  3. Type the institution symbol for which you are creating an LHR. Then click Delete Local Holdings.
  4. When asked to confirm the action, click OK to delete the record. Or click Cancel if you decide to retain the LHR.

    Results
    • Not the last LHR. If the institution has other local holdings records linked to the bibliographic record, Connexion deletes the record. The record reappears in display mode, with a message confirming that it has been deleted.
    • Last LHR. If you delete the institution's last LHR linked to the bibliographic record, Connexion deletes the record and then asks whether you want to remove the institution's holdings symbol from the bibliographic record. Click Yes to remove the institution's symbol. Click No to keep the institution's symbol linked to the bibliographic record.
      If you select Yes, Connexion removes the institution's symbol. The bibliographic record appears with a confirmation message at the top. In the record, the holdings statement indicates that this institution has no holdings.

Delete all local holdings for a client institution

  • If you know that you need to delete all of an institution's local holdings records for an item, and also remove the institution's symbol, you can complete both tasks by taking the Delete All Local Holdings action.
  • You can take this action from the bibliographic record or from an associated Group Summary or Institution Summary.
  1. Open the bibliographic record from which you want to delete all local holdings records and remove your institution's symbol.
    Or
    Display a Group Summary or Institution Summary of local holdings for the item.
  2. From the bibliographic record. On the Action list click Delete All Local Holdings or press and then <-> (hyphen) (or and then <->).
    Or
    From a Group Summary or an Institution Summary. On the Action/Sort list click Delete All Local Holdings.

    Results
    Above the record or summary, Connexion asks you to specify the institution whose LHRs you are deleting and to confirm that you want to delete all LHRs and also remove the institution's holdings symbol.
  3. Type the institution symbol for which you are deleting LHRs.
  4. Confirm or cancel the action:
    • Delete all LHRs and holdings symbol. Select the Remove this institution's symbol from bibliographic record check box and then click Delete Local Holdings.
    • Delete LHRs; retain the institution's symbol. Clear (uncheck) the Remove this institution's symbol from bibliographic record check box and then click Delete Local Holdings.
    • Cancel deleting all LHRs. Click Cancel To retain existing LHRs and retain the holdings symbol attached to the bibliographic record.

    Results
    • Delete all LHRs and symbol. Connexion deletes the LHRs and the institution's symbol from the record. A confirmation message states that holdings were deleted and gives the number of LHRs deleted.
    • Delete LHRs, retain symbol. Connexion deletes the LHRs and displays a confirmation message that gives the number of LHRs deleted.