Vermont Centralized Card/MARC Service

 

Welcome to the Card/MARC Service! By taking advantage of the service your library should reduce the amount of time spent cataloging and processing materials.

What It Is

The Vermont Centralized Card/MARC Service provides standardized catalog cards or MARC records to eligible public libraries using several vendors. A unique four-character symbol is assigned to each library by OCLC.

Which Libraries Are Eligible

All public libraries meeting Minimum Standards for Vermont Public Libraries may order, free of charge, cataloging for up to 1,000 titles each year for current acquisitions. The period of eligibility is January 1 through December 31. Libraries may specify whether they want card sets or MARC records. The MARC records are available via ftp (file transfer protocol).

Public libraries requiring more than their 1,000 allotment have the option of being billed for any additional cataloging provided above the allotment.

Automated libraries can also sign up for OCLC's CatExpress, a user friendly copy cataloging service available on the Internet. With the service libraries can search OCLC's database, do copy cataloging and download records into their own local automated systems. The Department of Libraries is providing partial payment for the service as part of the Card/MARC Service and the CatExpress libraries pay the rest of the costs.

Cataloging Available

Card sets or MARC records may be ordered for books and AV (audio-visual materials) for current acquisitions only. No limitation is placed on publication dates of the materials that are newly acquired at your library.

Since catalogs, reviews and other sources may have misprints and other errors, please order cataloging only after you have received the materials so that you provide complete and accurate information resulting in the most cost-effective service. Placing an order with the Card/MARC Service means that your holdings will appear in PUBCAT, the online database of public library holdings included in the Vermont Automated Libraries System (VALS). You will not need to submit VUC cards for items you receive from the Card/MARC Service.

Libraries that are automating may use the PUBCAT records to build their own automated databases. Contact Sybil McShane or Lorraine Lanius for information.

Ordering Procedure

Each time you mail your order please be sure to:
 

    1. Complete an order slip for each title requested. We provide order slips or you may use a copy of commercially printed order forms. Cataloging may be ordered at any time but a minimum of 10 order slips is required because Brodart will accept no order for fewer than 10 items per account.
    2. Include:
      author, title, publisher, date.
      LC control number and ISBN, if available.
      Your library's name and four letter OCLC symbol.
    3. For AV and other types of materials also include:
      The format--disk, compact disc, cassette, videocassette, cassette and book, etc. Also include the number of disks, cassettes, CD-ROMs, videos, etc.
      Publishers' numbers, or music publishers' numbers. For example: ILPs 9281, CBS: CK 37575
      Producer, composer, artist, performer, conductor, etc., in place of "author"
      Distributor or releasing company when given in place of publisher
      Any other information you think is necessary to search for or identify a record that matches your item
    4. Alphabetize the slips in title order.
    5. Send completed orders to:
       
       Vermont Centralized Card/MARC Service
       Technical Services Unit 
       Vermont Dept. of Libraries 
       109 State St.
       Montpelier, VT 05609-0601
    6. Orders are placed once a month on an assigned day for each library. Libraries can send request slips as often as they would like, but the order is placed only once a month. Requests will be saved and the library's order will be placed on the assigned day. Requests need to reach the Technical Services Unit before the day assigned to each library.

      Card/MARC Record Shipment

      Catalog cards or MARC records are mailed to your library directly from Brodart or OCLC and should be received within one to three weeks after Card/MARC Service has input the orders. Unless there are production problems, cataloging from Brodart and OCLC is shipped in one shipment and orders are not held. We will keep your order slips for statistical purposes.

      The Brodart status reports you receive only confirm that we placed the order, not that the cataloging is actually available. When you receive your cataloging, check cataloging received against your own records to determine what is missing. We need to know when you do not receive cataloging for titles you have requested. Orders should be resubmitted for cataloging not received. Please note that you may find a MARC record with your library holdings attached in PUBCAT even though you haven't received cataloging for the item. This situation can occur because the record goes into PUBCAT when we receive your order and since we do not know what you receive, we do not go back and reconcile the records.

      Resubmission Procedure

      The majority of our cataloging is ordered from Brodart. OCLC is used as a secondary source for cataloging that Brodart is unable to supply. If your library has not received cataloging within three to four weeks after the order has been placed, resubmit order slips for items not received in a separate pack. Order slips for resubmitted orders should each be marked with a prominent diagonal colored (pen or highlighter) slash for routing directly to OCLC. Resubmissions are not counted against your 1,000 allotment.

      **Procedure for Automated Libraries Only**

      Automated libraries will not receive MARC records on disks from OCLC. OCLC records for titles not supplied by Brodart will be downloaded into PUBCAT for libraries to use. A library holdings symbol will be attached to each record. Libraries using DRA/SIRSI systems will be able to overlay or download records from PUBCAT and DOLCAT directly into their own databases. Libraries can also opt to have records prepared by DOL to be sent via ftp, or they can sign up for the CatExpress Service. Contact Lorraine Lanius or Sybil McShane for information about these options. Libraries that don't use DRA or the ftp option are asked to use the following procedure when sending resubmits:
       
      1. Search PUBCAT and DOLCAT. If a MARC record is found, download or if not possible, key the MARC record into your local database.
      2. If a MARC record is not found, send a Card/MARC Service request form.
      3. DOL will download OCLC or Library of Congress records into PUBCAT and attach your holdings symbol to the record.
      4. Search PUBCAT again.
      5. Download, or if not possible, key the MARC record into your local database.

      Card Format and Arrangement

      Brodart supplies card sets with a book pocket, spine label and charge card. OCLC cards are received in file ready order and are not separated into card sets. Classification numbers and headings are printed on the cards, but libraries using Cutter numbers will need to add those.

      Dewey numbers are based on the latest edition of Abridged Dewey Decimal Classification. Subject headings are taken from the Library of Congress Subject Headings. If your library receives more cards than you wish to use, just cross out the extra tracings on your main entry card and discard the corresponding added entry cards.

      Inquiries

      We are continually evaluating our service and we appreciate hearing from the public libraries so that we will know how the service is working for you. For questions, problems or concerns:

      contact us
       
      Technical Services Unit
      Vermont Dept. of Libraries
      109 State St.
      Montpelier, VT 05609-0601
      Phone: 802-828-3261
      FAX: 802-828-2199


      Revised December 5, 2007 by Lorraine Lanius, Head, Technical Services Unit

 

This program supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency,
through the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Vermont Department of Libraries.

 

             Technical Services Home Page for Vermont Public Libraries