eContent Cataloging

Owned by Lloyd Chittenden
Last updated: Jun 12, 2024 by Ashley Sneesby
5 min read

These guidelines are used for electronic content records kept in Sierra.

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Should I store my eContent record in Sierra or Sideload into Pika?

Most eContent collections that have MARC record sets are most easily handled as a Pika side load. See Pika - Side loading Pros & Cons for a list of things to consider. We recommend storing eContent collections represented by a single MARC record, such as Mango Languages, in the ILS. You might also want to keep records in Sierra because you need to export them to another service, like EDS. However that other service may also have a function like side loading for your resource. When you choose to store eContent in the ILS, the following guidelines need to be followed for the eContent to display correctly in Pika.

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Importing MARC Records into Sierra

  • MARC Records should follow the Provider-Neutral (P-N) model outlined in the RDA Provider-Neutral E-Resource MARC Record Guide.

  • Options:

    • A P-N record may already exist in Sierra which item records can be attached to.

    • A P-N record can be brought in from OCLC or SkyRiver and be attached to.

    • A record for another format can be copied and upgraded to a P-N record by following the P-N guide.

    • Original cataloging can be done following the P-N Guide.

    • Metadata in MARC record format received from Publishers can be uploaded to Sierra.

    • Metadata in ONIX or other formats received from Publishers can be converted to MARC using MARC Edit and uploaded to Sierra.

ILS eContent item records should be attached to separate bibs representative of the eContent. ILS eContent items should not be attached to bibs for physical content.

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MARC 856

  • The access URL should be added to an 856 subfield |u

  • If the item can only be used by patrons of a specific library the URL should be placed in an item level 856 field

    • Find the item record

    • Click on the Insert button

    • Use the Insert a MARC field y URL

Pika only uses subfield 856|u. |3 and |z are ignored, but these may be used if your records go to other systems such as EDS.

  • If the resource can be used by any Marmot library, the URL should be added to the bib-level 856 field. If the resource is only available to your users, then the URL should be in the item record.

    • If the bib-level 856 has indicator values, the first indicator value must be either 4, 7, 0. The bib-level 856 can use any 2nd indicator, except 2 (which is “related resource”).

Pika’s logic uses the indicators in the 856 fields for handling, so they must be present in the MARC record for appropriate display in Pika.

Detailed information about the indicators are available here: MARC 856

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Item Record requirements

For the eContent to display in your library’s search results, you will need to attach an item record to the bib with the following:

  • A location code: This is used to determine if a record belongs in your library’s/location’s search results

  • Non-MARC Field g (eContent): This is used to set the name of collection for display in search results

  • Item Type: This is used to set the format to be displayed in search results

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Location Code

If the collection is for your patrons only, use a location code for your library. You can set one location code for your library’s eContent and use that for all eContent records. If the eContent is for a specific branch or location, you will need to use a location code specific to that branch or location. If the collection can be shared with other libraries, please read the Shared eContent Collection guidelines below.

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Non-MARC Field g

This is a variable-length field in the item records for eContent. This is required so Pika will be able to reliably determine the eContent Source for the item. This will be used for display and will also populate as a value in the ‘eContent Source’ facet in Pika. This field will show up in the exported MARC record in the 989 item tag as subfield w. Here is a list of eContent Cataloging Standardized Sources.

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Item Type

Item Type must be one of the following values to set the eContent’s format, otherwise the format will be “Web Content”

  • 188 - eBook

  • 110 - eAudiobook

  • 111 - eVideo

  • 112 - Database

  • 125 - eMagazine

  • 215 - Web Content

  • 216 - Web Content

  • 249 - Web Content

  • 254 - eMusic

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Shared eContent Collections

For eContent that can be shared will all Marmot libraries, use an item location code starting with mdl:

  • mdl - Marmot Digital Library

  • mdla - Academic Library Shared Collection

  • mdlgd - Government Document

  • mdlm - Marmot Shared Collection

  • mdlo - OverDrive Collection

  • mdlp - Public Library Shared Collection

  • mdls - School Library Shared Collection

Note: Using an online location is suggested, but not required.

Note: location code mdlh (Holdable Dummy Item) is used for order records and isn’t for shared eContent

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Shared eContent Collections from specific libraries

This is eContent that is tied to a specific library (by location code) but can be shared with any Marmot library that would their patrons to find this content in their library’s search results

cuege - Colorado Mesa University’s government documents collection

If your library has eContent that can be shared with other libraries that does not have one of the listed location codes, please notify Marmot so that we update the list and ask other libraries if they would like the collection in their search results.

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Related Documentation

Last updated on 08/23/2019