MULS Blog

Welcome to the MULS Blog. We hope to use this space for regular (and irregular) updates about issues pertinent to MULS, which means the primary focus will be on helping libraries keep their Local Holdings Records up-to-date in OCLC.

Along the way, we’ll no doubt find ourselves touching on other topics, like OCLC Deflection, MARC21 Format for Holdings Data, holdings format standards and other related issues. We’ll also use this space to announce training sessions, point out changes to the website and, occasionally, post answers to some of our common questions.

As always, feel free to contact us with your questions, comments or suggestions about MULS issues or about how we can use this blog to serve our participating libraries.

Posted by linto001 at 3:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With the recent stretch of cold temperatures across the region, it would be easy to think that Spring is far away. But as March begins, we know that the sun is fighting its way back, and soon it will be time for the Spring round of MULS training sessions.

Now is the time, as we begin planning, for staff at all our MULS participating libraries to consider their training needs and let us know how we can best help them keep their Local Holdings Records up-to-date.

That includes letting us know if your staff would prefer live, day-long sessions or the series of shorter webinar sessions, and if there are specific topics you would particularly like to have us address.

For example, one of the open questions we have is whether libraries would find it useful to use Constant Data in their LHR workflow. We have worked with Constant Data some, and have found that it is not ideal for our agent work; but if libraries feel it would be helpful, we’ll be sure to include it in our training. So, let us know!

We would also appreciate any notes you might have about conflicts that we should avoid when scheduling training sessions, such as regional group meetings or school breaks that might effect your staff’s ability to participate. We expect to present multiple sessions on Local Holdings Record (LHR) Maintenance in the weeks between March 19th and May 18th, and hope we can meet as many people’s need for training in that time frame as possible. We’re actively looking for the best times to schedule our training, but we aren’t always aware of potential overlap, so we welcome any information you can share.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact Dave Linton in the MINITEX MULS office.

Posted by linto001 at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Q: Can I get a file or list of all of my library’s Local Holdings Records in OCLC? A: In February 2008,

OCLC announced the availability of a new Local Holdings Offline Product (LHOP), available to any library with Local Holdings Records in OCLC. 

This new product is the first successor to the old Serials Union List Offline Products (SULOPs) - what some libraries referred to as their "MULS printouts" -  that many of our libraries used to monitor their holdings in OCLC or to provide printed lists of periodical holdings info to their staff and patrons.  For information about these new products, see the blog entires from Feb. 15, 2008 with OCLC Local Holdings Offline Products in the title.

Posted by linto001 at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Q: Is there a way to automatically update our MULS records using data from our local system?

A: In the past, many libraries in our region updated holdings in OCLC using the Batch Updating service. Now that we have migrated Local Holdings Records out of Passport, the OCLC Local Holdings Batch Updating service is available again.

Libraries wanting to use this service do still need to deal with a couple of difficulties.

One issue can be getting output from their local system that OCLC can use as a source to update the LHRs. Many libraries have moved to the Ex Libris Aleph system, and it is our understanding that the functionality needed to produce a file that OCLC can use will come with Aleph version 18. Check with your IT staff to see if your local system can meet the requirements of OCLC Batch Updating.

Another issue with OCLC Batch Updating service has been the long delays that many libraries faced, while waiting for OCLC to process the update information. OCLC has promised to do the initial assessment of batch data within 90 days but says that processing may take longer depending on the queue of pending batch projects.

Posted by linto001 at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Q: Can we delete holdings using the Connexion Client?

A: You can delete a Local Holdings Record at the same time you process a Cancel transaction on the bibliographic record, and that works in either the Connexion Browser or the Connexion Client. Similarly, the Connexion Browser prompts you to delete or save the catalog holdings when you delete the last LHR for your institution.

At this time, however, you can only create new LHRs or edit existing Local Holdings data via the Connexion Browser.

Posted by linto001 at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Q: We used to send our updates to MINITEX to be entered into OCLC. Has that changed?

A: For libraries that are MULS participants, but are not OCLC Governing Members, it has been possible to send updates to the MINITEX MULS office for our staff to input. If you used to send updates to MINITEX, you may continue to do so.

Libraries that are OCLC governing members are expected to make their own updates via the OCLC Connexion Browser. However, those libraries may also arrange to send updates to the MINITEX MULS office for input by the MULS staff. This service is provided on a fee-for-service basis, and should be arranged in advance.

There are a number of options regarding the manner in which updates are sent. Libraries can use the Holdings Update form on the MULS website, or can send an electronic or printed file with their holdings information. When the number of updates is small, an e-mail message could suffice.

Remember that in all cases we need, at the minimum,
1. Name of the publication
2. Name or OCLC code of the library
3. The actual holdings data – the holdings information you want to appear in OCLC

It is often helpful to add ISSN or OCLC record numbers if you know them. Additional publication data, such as place of publication or issuing body, form (i.e. print, microfilm, etc.) or other information can help us make sure we attach your holdings to the correct record and accurately represent the serial items in your collection.

Posted by linto001 at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Q: Does MULS still exist? / Where is MULS now that PALS is gone?

A: MULS does still exist, but it is not accessible in as many ways as it used to be.

In 1987/1988 MULS gave up its status as an independent database to become a part of the OCLC Union List system, which allowed our holdings information to be shared not only regionally, but globally through the OCLC network. The Local Holdings data that we have stored and updated in OCLC all these years is still there, and continues to be available through OCLC First Search, Connexion and WorldCat Resource Sharing.

The version of MULS that used to be available through PALS and the MnLINK Gateway was an external, annually-updated file that was created from MULS data stored in OCLC and mounted on the PALS and MnLINK servers. With the decommissioning of the MnSCU/PALS system, that version of MULS (which was already one year out-of-date at the time of its ‘demise’) is no longer available.

Currently we are unable to get a similar file from OCLC, but they are developing new offline products and we will look into whether non-OCLC access to MULS is something that would be valuable to our participants when OCLC makes such products available again.

Posted by linto001 at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)