Cataloging is the process of identifying the items in your library and defining their content so that borrowers can find the information they need on your shelves easily and efficiently. Machine‑Readable Cataloging records, or MARC records, make it possible for library staff members to use computers to store and access cataloging information. After MARC records are entered into your library’s database, borrowers use computer workstations to search the database. They use the search results to find items on your shelves.
When you catalog a new title, you use four kinds of records: bib records, authority records, item records, and copy records. Each record contains different kinds of information:
If you use MARC records, you can automatically add MARC bib and authority records to your database by importing them. You can also set up your system so that item records are created automatically when you import the bib records. After you import records, you can manually create more item records as you receive more copies of a title. You can also export records from your database to other databases and servers.
You can manually create bib, authority, copy, and item records in Cataloging. These records can be in MARC or non‑MARC format. Cataloging provides templates, called workforms, that you use when you enter data to create a record in Horizon’s database. By setting up a workform ahead of time, you can more easily remember which data you most likely need to enter when you create a certain type of record.
Although most cataloging functions inside Horizon work without further setup, your system administrator must set up some options in Cataloging before you can use them. (For more information, see the Cataloging Setup Guide.)
This section explains these topics:
• | Cataloging Processes |
• | Cataloging Security |
• | Overview of Cataloging Tasks |
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