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Image Modified Tools > Import > Special (Category)

Mitinet is a third-party MARC record enhancement service. They take your MARC records, clean them up, and send them back to you. Here are a few of the enhancements they can make to your records:

Use Mitinet to clean up your library catalog.

Here are a few of the enhancements they can make to your records:

  • Check spelling
  • Find and replace text
  • Change material type (for example, change books to videos)
  • Delete fields and
  • Update information

Visit the Mitinet Library Services website to learn more about what they can do for you.

BENEFITS

MARC update import procedure that allows for the proper updating of Title records and the ability to remove duplicate titles without losing necessary relational links.

Better user experience.  Customers will not need to know or understand as much about what they are doing when working with Mitinet or other providers to clean or maintain their data.  Run a specific named export followed by a specific named import. Merge Titles capability.

Titles are identified by Title RSN, stored in MARC 998a.

We eliminate duplicates identified by Mitinet by reading the 998b field of the master record.


  • This field is temporary; we don't keep it.
  • For a process that doesn’t include duplication elimination, no 998b subfields are created.

We completely replace the MARC record in Alexandria with the updated record from the import file. Merge Title data behavior is identified below.

How It Works

Use Mitinet to clean up your library catalog.

  1. Export your current item records.
  2. Run the report in Alexandria.
  3. Export the report.
  4. Send the file to Mitinet and let them clean it upfor cleanup and enhancement.
  5. Wait for them to send your records back.
  6. Import the new updated record file from Mitinet to your library.

Changes to title records made after export but before import will be lost.

Export Records for from Alexandria Mitinet

The import process will eliminate duplicate titles and merge record data from titles being removed into titles being retained, including:

  • Copy Records
  • Monthly Title Statistics
  • Title LTD Statistics
  • Pending Holds
  • Accession Date
  • Modification Date
  • Last Used Date


Export MARC Records

Important
  • Exporting records will create a copy of your database and will not interrupt your circulation.
  • Changes to the records will be seen once you import the records back into Alexandria.
  • Changes to title records made after export but before import will be lost.
Step-by-Step Instructions
  1. In Alexandria, go to Tools > Export.
  2. Select Items from the Categories list on the left.
  3. Choose Export Items, Title Based from the Exports pane on the right.
  4. In the Selections tab, set the following options:
    1. Titles with a Policy of: Any Policy
    2. Titles with a Medium of: Any Medium
  5. In the Options tab, set the following options:
    1. Sort Titles by: Title Call Number
    2. Format: MARC
  6. Click Run to begin the export.
  7. Go to Operations Management.
  8. Locate the export, and then click to download the records
  9. Send the export to Mitinet for enhancement.


note
Warning
titleChanges to title records made after export but before import will be lost.

Once you've exported your records, do not add, change or delete any records from your database until after your records have been updated and you've imported them back into your database.

After you've finished making modifications to your records, make sure you follow the Update Existing instructions to get your records back into your library system (not the Import New instructions).

Import New Records from Alexandria for Mitinet

Important

Alexandria has different procedures for adding new records and updating existing records. If these are existing records that are already in your Alexandria library and you want to update them, follow the Update Existing instructions.

Step-by-Step Instructions
  • In Alexandria, go to Tools > Import.
  • Select Items from the Categories list on the left.
  • Import Updated MARC Records

    Once you have the updated record file from Mitinet, you can import the file to update your library records. We've set up a special category just for this type of update, so there are no settings to configure.

    Tip

    We recommend that you back up your library before importing a Mitinet record update in case you need to start over. Read Back Up Your Data for more information

  • Choose Export Items, Title Based from the Exports pane on the right.
  • In the Settings tab, select the following options: 
    1. Import Settings: Import Titles and Included Copies
    2. Before Importing: Archive Before Import
    3. Select Allow Import to Modify Existing Records
    4. Check Enable Call Number Matching
    5. Select Reassign Only Duplicate Barcodes
  • In the Imports pane, click Choose File.
  • Browse your computer for the file of the new records you'd like to import.
  • Click Run to begin the import.

    Update Existing Records with Mitinet

    Once you have the updated record file from Mitinet,

    Tip

    If your system is backed up regularly, you should not need to do an extra backup, but you do need to make sure you have access to the backup file in case you need to start over. Contact your IT department about how your system is backed up. If your system is not backed up regularly, see Alexandria's documentation or contact COMPanion about the backup procedure.

    Step-by-Step Instructions
    1. Go to Tools > Import.
    2. In the Categories list on the left, select Special > Mitinet MARC Update.
    3. In the Imports pane, click Choose File.
    4. Browse your computer for the file of the new records you'd like to import.
    5. Click Run to begin the import.

    During the import process, Alexandria will eliminate duplicate titles

    Alexandria will move or merge parts of the record from titles being removed into titles being retained, including:

  • Copy Records. Copy records from titles being removed will be merged into the titles being retained. 
  • Monthly Title Statistics. 
  • Title LTD Statistics.
  • Pending Holds. Any pending holds for titles being removed will be moved to the titles being retained.
  • Accession Date. The date of the title being retained will be preserved. If the title being removed has an older accession date than the title being retained, we'll keep the older date.
  • Modification Date. Since the title you're keeping is currently being modified, this will be set to Right Now.
  • Last Used Date. The most recent date from the titles being merged will be preserved

    And that's it! You can view details about what data was merged and what couldn't be updated in the import summary file located in Operation Management.