Data sync processing
Note: During the validation process:
- Hyphens are interpreted as spaces
- Accents and other diacritical marks are replaced by letters without diacritical marks
Holdings translation tables
You will need to create a holdings translation table after you create any of the following collections:
- Local holdings records
- Delete local holdings records
The table is used during processing to map your local location codes to an OCLC institution symbol in 852 subfield $a; a 4-character OCLC-profiled holding library code in 852 $b; and, in some cases, an 852 $c of the WorldCat LHRs. It can also be used to set the lending (008/20) and reproduction (008/21) policy bytes of the 008 field.
After you create one of the above collections and submit your data, a database specialist will contact you to begin the holdings translation table creation process. They will provide you with a pre-populated workbook with the incoming values on the left-hand side and the 852 $a on the right-hand side. You will need to complete the remaining right-hand columns.
Record validation and validation error levels
Bibliographic and local holdings records received for processing through data sync are subject to record validation to assess the validity of the coding and data in the record. This is the same validation process used in Connexion and Record Manager for checking fixed field elements, variable tags, indicators, and subfields.
In data sync processing, many validation errors are corrected globally before validation processing. Those remaining errors that are detected by validation are used to set a validation error level (VEL) for the entire record based on an assessment of the severity of errors.
Validation error levels
The validation error level assigned to a record is determined by a combination of element type and error type. For bibliographic records, the validation error levels are None, Minor, Severe, and Critical. For local holdings records, the validation error levels are 0 (None), 1 (Minor), 2 (Severe), and 3 (Critical) in order of least to most severe.
- Error Level 0 — No coding errors detected
- Error Level 1 — Minor coding error. Errors that have no significant impact to effective use of the record. Correction is optional.
- Error Level 2 — Severe coding error. Errors that significantly impact effective use of the record; further investigation and probable correction required.
- Error Level 3 — Critical coding error. The most severe errors; records cannot be loaded.
Error levels Severe and Critical will cause an unresolved bibliographic record to be added to the database as an unresolved record requiring further review and action. Local holdings records (LHRs) with Critical errors are not added to the database. They should be corrected and resubmitted for processing.
Sparse records
Sparse records are bibliographic records that lack sufficient data to identify a manifestation of an item. When sparse records match to a single existing WorldCat record, they are used to set or cancel holdings. Unmatched sparse records are added to WorldCat Staging (unindexed) and are not used to replace existing WorldCat records.
Example
A record for the book Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens only has the title and author's name. It does not identify the precise manifestation of the book by publisher, date of publication, language, format (for example, Braille or large print), editor, standard number, and other data that would distinguish the particular manifestation of Dombey and Son. Instead of matching to one of the over 1800 records in WorldCat for Dombey and Son, sparse records are set aside as unresolved records.
Sparse record criteria
In all cases, the Leader, 008 field, and a title (245 $a or 245 $k) must be present. In addition to those mandatory elements, other elements as noted below must be present. The following table is used to determine if a record is a sparse record. Records are checked based on the value in Type, BLvl, and Form elements to see if certain fields or subfields are present. If the criteria is met, the record is considered to be Not Sparse. Otherwise the record is considered Sparse.
Transfer of bibliographic data
The transfer of selected bibliographic data may occur after bibliographic record matching has identified appropriate candidate records and record resolution has selected the best record for retention in the WorldCat database. Selected fields that are candidates for being transferred from the Replace records are copied into the Retain record. Software performs field-by-field transfers according to strict and complex rules based upon factors including but not limited to presence or absence in the Retain record, certain indicator and/or subfield $2 values, relationships with other fields, tests of uniqueness, and repeatability. Following the transfer of any bibliographic data, the Retain record becomes a WorldCat record.
Unresolved records
Unresolved records are records that do not match a record in WorldCat. They are added to WorldCat Staging, a partially indexed area of WorldCat. Unresolved records can only be found using the OCLC number provided in the Unresolved Cross Reference file.
Unresolved bibliographic records
A record may be considered unresolved due to the following reasons:
- The record did not match a WorldCat record because of:
- Legitimate differences in cataloging practice.
- Data errors that prevented bibliographic matching algorithms from identifying the record as matching a WorldCat record.
- A matching record does not already exist in WorldCat.
- The record was added to WorldCat Staging because of:
- MARC validation errors (e.g., non-repeatable fields are repeated, indicator values are missing or erroneous, or other validation errors occurred).
- Sparse or incomplete records: Records that do not have enough data to be considered even a brief bibliographic record. Often, these are order records that were not deselected during the evaluation process.
- No matching record was identified and the collection was set to limit added records to WorldCat Staging.
LHR processing exceptions
Error Level 1 - An error level 1 record contains minor errors that do not have an impact on the user of the record. The record will be loaded to WorldCat and will not be corrected by OCLC. Any data correction should be done by the providing institution.
Error Level 2 - An error level 2 record contains errors that prevent the record from indexing properly. The record will be loaded to WorldCat and OCLC will attempt to correct the record. At the end of this processing, some level 2 errors may remain. Any remaining data correction should be done by the providing institution.
Error Level 3 - An error level 3 record contains severe errors that prevent the record from being loaded to WorldCat. OCLC will not attempt to correct the record and any data correction needs to be resolved by the providing institution.