serials - summary holdings statements / 'placeholder' item records

[scastell]

note - very broad definition of a serial, ie includes periodicals, newspapers, etc.

Traditionally we (UA) have not created individual item records for e- and micro(film/fiche... ) holdings, but have created a single item record as a placeholder and relied on the summary holdings statement to indicate holdings. Other libraries appear to have done this as well, exception Grant MacEwan(?).

Example - Edmonton Journal - http://www.library.ualberta.ca/permalink/opac/1759039/WUAARCHIVE

UAHSS Location: MICROFILM-- AN 5 A3 E2 E3 Library has: 1911- Recently arrived: 2015:Jul.

It appears that only the item records and the occasional summary holdings statement appear in blacklight making it very difficult to determine holdings https://search.library.ualberta.ca/catalog/1759039

• statement re Note: No University of Alberta Access. On-campus access allowed at the following locations is confusing.

[ghost]

Thanks @scastell

The definition of "serial" is something we might have to talk about. Our vocabulary on this subject ("periodical" "journal" "serial") is pretty ambiguous compared to what cataloguers, for example, use.

We have recently changed the policy at U of A, to create separate print and electronic records. We're in a transition period right now, where we continue to have both kinds of content in the same record, but this will change. Having said that, summary holdings statements are always confusing and very difficult to work with. After talking with @theLinkResolver, I'm reconsidering their usefulness (compared with the call number/status to be found in the status table).

The Access note refers to online access - I'll change the wording to reflect this. The problem here is that for some reason the Macewan link isn't appear, which it should, judging by what I can see in the Symphony record.

[theLinkResolver]

I can add some remarks and background on this, as it touches on a few different issues in the cataloguing realm. The observation by @scastell is quite correct that we use placeholder items in many instances:

• Microform serials. Individual reels and fiche are not barcoded and, as a general rule, the items do not contain any information about the volumes/years held. That information can only be found in the summary holdings.
• Limited retention. Titles with items that are only kept until replaced by microfilm, or by another title, do not receive barcodes, such as newspapers and some popular magazines. The summary holdings is the only place that contains the call number (and indication of currency) for these.
• Unbound/unadded serials. In the last several years, there has been a move to add issues at the point of check-in, but there are still some titles which accumulate unbound until they are sent for binding (or are replaced by a supplied bound volume). The summary holdings is the only place that indicates that we have current issues in these cases.
• Internet item records. For every case of internet access, we have a UAINTERNET item record, but the call number is just "Internet Access". Only the "University of Alberta Access" link (which Blacklight displays) and the summary holdings contain the coverage information for these.

The first three scenarios are definitely an issue within Blacklight, and from talking with @redlibrarian, one that is not easily resolved. In particular, the microform serials represent a large amount of material for which holdings are not identified. In the short term, a solution might be to include a statement of "Please Ask Us for assistance with microform materials" so we at least acknowledge the lack of information. A medium-term solution might be to only filter the microform summary holdings data through, and present it as such.

(@sjshores I have some ideas of how to deal with these issues in the long-term on the cataloguing side...)

[theLinkResolver]

Oh and regarding print and electronic access together, as of today, the internet access for UA, MacEwan, GPRC and AGL will start to disappear from print serial records, with other libraries to follow. So in the example above from @scastell, we don't want to see that MacEwan link, or any others. Their summary holdings is still there but it will disappear tomorrow.

[ghost]

I think summary holdings is a larger question that we should discuss as a group in the new year.

[theLinkResolver]

See also Sandra's notes in #822 (logging here as I am closing that issue)

[seanluyk]

This one just came up again today via a question from an HSS colleague. Here are the contrasting examples he provided for Variety: iLink record (micro) Blacklight record

I wonder if there were a way to show the summary holdings info when the journal is not itemized, but ignore it when it is, does that make sense?

[theLinkResolver]

Or to think of it another way, when the summary holdings is for a particular type of material (i.e. microform, as represented by the 007 coding), ingest and display it somehow.

[theLinkResolver]

logging some staff feedback here, from a ticket