Cataloging >> Workflow
Workflow
The following workflow suggests a basic plan of action for catalogers and is based upon several years experience cataloging in the Variations system.
Search for the Container
If You Know the System or Cataloging ID
- Select the Admin Search tab
- In the Edit by ID field, enter the System (ex: IU/Container/1234) or Cataloging (ex: abc1234) ID number
- If the Cataloging ID number is unknown, but your institution incorporates the number in OPAC record links, open the online catalog, perform a browse title search on the beginning of the 245 entry, open the bibliographic record and the Cataloging ID number should be part of the link (at IU, this number is at the end of the URL entry)
If You Know the Recording Title
- Select the Advanced Search tab
- In the Recording Title field, enter distinctive title words as found in the 245 field.
- Once the correct container is identified, click the EDIT button to open the record
If You Know the Date the Container Record Was Created or Last Updated
- Select the Admin Search tab
- Enter information in the middle search option, which may be limited to record type, status, and dates.
- Once the correct container is identified, click the EDIT button to open the record
Open the MARC Record Window
From this window, catalogers may drag and drop existing contributor and work records to the relevant container and instantiation fields. Records may be created for names and work titles listed in the "Unrecognized" column. Only names and work titles provided with access points in the original bibliographic record will be listed here.
- Click the Admin menu botton (top of Variations search window, between "Bookmarks" and "Window")
- Select "View MARC Record - Container" from the drop down menu
- Select "From Z39.50" to query your OPAC. (Note: If using a bibliographic record exported from OCLC that is not presently in the OPAC, and if that record was saved to a local file, select "From File." At IU, this option has never been used)
- Enter the Cataloging ID number in the Variations ID field, click SEARCH
- Once the correct entry is identified and highlighted, Click VIEW to open the MARC Record window
If Names or Work Titles Appear in the Unrecognized Boxes
- Highlight entry in the MARC Record window and press CREATE
- Copy the Uniform Name or Title entry from the newly opened contributor or work record
- Search the name or title in the OCLC authority file and export the corresponding record to a local file (create a new folder for imported records under "My Documents")
- Go back to the newly opened contributor or work record, click the FILE button, open the file into which the authority record was exported, highlight the desired entry, and click OPEN
- Complete the record at either Minimal or Complete level
- To shift newly created records to the Recognized boxes, click the REFRESH button at the bottom of the MARC Record window
- Once all records have been created, catalog the container record and instantiations
- PLEASE NOTE: a bug exists in the Unrecognized Works box. Uniform Title entries incorporating parts of a larger work (ex: Song cycle title. Individual song title) are often listed as unrecognized even though the record does exist in Variations. For all such instances, search the titles in the Admin search tab
For Contributor Names and Work Titles Only Listed in Note Fields
These steps only apply when not provided access points in the original bibliographic record.
- Search all names and titles in the Admin search tab to see if records already exist in Variations. If records exist, you may want to consider jotting down the ID numbers to manually enter in the related fields at a later time.
- If records do not exist, search the OCLC authority file. For information on Exporting records from OCLC
- To open a new blank contributor or work record, do the following:
- Click the Admin menu botton (top of Variations search window, between "Bookmarks" and "Window")
- Select either "New Contributor Record" or "New Work Record"
- If importing an OCLC authority record, click FILE to access the local file to which the authority record was saved and import the authority record
- If no authority record exists, follow cataloging procedures for each record type in order to create an "original" contributor or work record
- If no access point exists for the newly created records, the names or work titles will not appear in the Recognized Contributors/Works boxes on the corresponding MARC Record window, so either keep track of the IDs or search for the records through the admin tab.
Complete the Container Record
- Complete fields on the Description tab
- Under the Contributor tab, add any contributors responsible for aspects of the physical item (liner notes, etc.)
- Fix any incorrect entries under the Container Structure tab. Otherwise, leave content in this tab alone
- Ignore the Media Objects tab
Complete the Instantiations
- "Drag and drop" or manually add works (if adding manually, enter the Variations ID in the ID field, then press the Add button)
- Complete the required information for each instantiation. Use the Copy button to copy similar information between instantiations
- After entering information in any white space fields, press Update (otherwise the information will not be saved)
- Be sure to click on the Edit Structural Bindings button for each instantiation and bind container structure elements to the corresponding work structure parts
- Mark the status of all instantiations as either Minimal or Complete
- Once instantiations have been completed, return to the container record and change the status to either Partially Bound, Minimal, or Complete.