**Apologies for cross posting**
Good Afternoon
The SUNCAT downloading service has been expanded to provide a range of options
available to SUNCAT Contributing Libraries. These include the choice of:
1) Downloading MARC records from a database containing CONSER records only
2) Downloading MARC records from a database containing CONSER and ISSN records
3) Downloading MARC records from a deduplicated database, containing only the
best or "preferred" records for each serial title, from CONSER, ISSN, the
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and 17 Contributing Libraries.
4) Downloading MARC records from a non-deduplicated database containing all
records from CONSER, ISSN, DOAJ and 17 Contributing Libraries.
The first two services are particularly useful for those wanting quick and
efficient access to the high quality CONSER records or to find information about
changes in title/ISSN details from the ISSN register.
CONSER, http://www.loc.gov/acq/conser/, is the cooperative online serials
cataloguing programme from the US National Library of Congress. There are over
one million CONSER records available and these are of high quality and are
particularly strong in their coverage of current STM titles. Each ISSN assigned
to a serial publication is registered in the ISSN Register,
http://www.issn.org/, and with over one million ISSN numbers assigned, this
database is one of the most comprehensive and authoritative sources for the
identification of serial publications world-wide.
The latter two services contain a greater range of records useful for
downloading records for new subscriptions, upgrading existing records or for
retroconversion projects. The records include those supplied by UK legal deposit
libraries: the British Library, the National Library of Scotland, the University
of Cambridge and the University of Oxford. In addition, these databases include
records held by a selection of UK Higher Education and specialist libraries
ensuring a comprehensive coverage of serial titles.
The deduplicated database contains only the best record supplied by either the
Contributing Libraries or the above sources for each serial title (although due
to the difficulty of matching records some duplicate records do exist), so this
option can help to reduce time spent on the selection of records. However, the
non-deduplicated version is also available for those who prefer to view all the
records available for each serial title.
More information about each of the above options and details on how to connect
are available on the SUNCAT website at
http://www.suncat.ac.uk/support/z-target-auth.shtml
There is also a printable guide of search tips, for cataloguers using the Z39.50
connection, available at
http://www.suncat.ac.uk/docs/SUNCAT_Z39_updated.pdf
Please note that the above databases, supplying MARC records, are only available
to SUNCAT Contributing Libraries, however MARC records are freely available to
view via the SUNCAT web interface at
http://www.suncat.ac.uk
There is also a free Z39.50 connection to SUNCAT which provides access to
records in Dublin Core XML or SUTRS formats. This connection is open to everyone
and includes all the records in SUNCAT, except those supplied by the ISSN, but
including CONSER, DOAJ records and the records from all 79 Contributing
Libraries. For details please see
http://www.suncat.ac.uk/support/z-target.shtml
If you have any queries about the service please contact the EDINA helpdesk at
[log in to unmask]
Best wishes
Zena Mulligan
SUNCAT Project Officer
EDINA
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EDINA URL: http://edina.ac.uk
Causewayside House Tel: 0131 650 3302
158-162 Causewayside Fax: 0131 650 3308
EDINBURGH EH9 1PR Email: [log in to unmask]
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
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