MilSer, MFHD holdings, OCLC holdings

[John Dillon <JDillon@xxxxxxxxxx>]

III users,

We'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has used IIII Export to update
their Serials holdings in OCLC Local Data Records (LDR's) .  OCLC will do a
batch load of a MARC file which includes holdings data, preferably in
detailed MFHD format.  Anyone done this or planning such project?  Any
trouble exporting MARC checkin holdings?  Did your holdings come from a
combination of Bib and Checkin records fields ?

	(more info:  http://www.oclc.org/oclc/union/ldrus.pdf )

We'd also be interested in hearing from anyone who has decided to use MilSER
to upgrade their local Checkin Record holdings from non-marc fields, or
free-text 866 statements to... the detailed MFHD format using 853 / 863 etc.
fields.  We wonder what some of the motivation for doing this has been, or
what benefit was hoped for.    Possible motivations seem to be:

	exporting to OCLC, as mentioned above
	better integration w/ online reference indexes ?
	preparation for improved creation of summary holdings statements
created from Ckin boxes or item recs ?
	
Or, anyone decidingly not moving to the detailed MFHD format?

Though we are using MilSer more and more, our holdings statements are still
largely in non-marc Checkin fields, tag h only.  With MilSer we now have the
ability to covert these to simple (866) or content designated (853/863) MARC
fields.  Conversely, most of our inactive serials holdings are already in
866 fields, but on the Bib. record.  (This was begun I believe to conserve
limited checkin records.)  Though we only have about 2000 active serials, we
still want to do what makes the most sense long term if we can.

Any thoughts/insights would be appreciated.


John

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John Dillon		      jdillon@xxxxxxxxxx
Geisel Library
Saint Anselm College	 http://www.anselm.edu
100 Saint Anselm Drive	     Fax: (603) 641-7345
Manchester, NH 03102	      Ph: (603) 641-7349
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