MRC, 14 June SUNCAT: an introduction for the MRC libraries SUNCAT: the Serials Union Catalogue for the UK

MRC, 14 June Background UKNUC Feasibility Study –Serials Report: Tony Kidd, Rob Bull SUNCAT Scoping Study –Information Power Ltd. JISC & RSLP funded Purpose - to develop a UK Serials Union Catalogue Phase 1 – February 2003-December 2004 Phase 2 – January 2005-December 2006 Partnership between the University of Edinburgh, through EDINA, & Ex Libris Associate Partners - Cambridge, Glasgow, National Library of Scotland, Oxford

MRC, 14 June Project Management EDINA Co-directors of SUNCAT Project Peter Burnhill Christine Rees Ex Libris Julie Booth Dominic Nast Steering Group (Chair Derek Law) Advisory Group (Chair Peter Burnett) Bibliographic Quality Advisory Group (BQAG)

MRC, 14 June Work Packages –Systems librarian: Morag Macgregor (EDINA) –Bibliographic Work Package: Natasha Aburrow-Jones (EDINA) Moira Whitson (EDINA) –User Requirements Work Package Zena Mulligan (EDINA) Liz Stevenson (Edinburgh University Library) Advisor: Tony Kidd (Glasgow University Library)

MRC, 14 June SUNCAT aims SUNCAT: primary aims –Location of serials, including information about access –Source of high quality bibliographic records for downloading to local catalogues Additionally - to raise consciousness of the importance of quality serials information among UK researchers and librarians

MRC, 14 June Contributing Libraries: Phase 1 British Library National Library of Scotland National Library of Wales Imperial College, London London School of Economics Manchester Metropolitan University Queens University, Belfast University of Birmingham University of Bristol University of Cambridge University College, London University of Durham University of Edinburgh University of Glasgow University of Leeds University of Manchester University of Newcastle University of Nottingham University of Oxford University of Southampton University of Wales, Cardiff University of Warwick

MRC, 14 June User requirements - interface User requirements – display and functionality Accessibility and Usability Aleph 500 already deployed for other union catalogues Dialogue with California Digital Library, and review of other Union Catalogue OPACs User testing –Focus group - Librarians –Individual sessions - Researchers & Academic staff –Extended testing – Phase 1 Libraries

MRC, 14 June Electronic journals Increasing proportion of holdings are electronic Growing archives of back files Preliminary survey of current practice Single or separate records Access and holdings: subscription information Research undertaken

MRC, 14 June SUNCAT Phase 2 –Pilot service launched January 2005 –Coverage extended to include a further 60 libraries –Range of library types extended to include special libraries, research collections –Research and development work: ejournals –Testing and development of interface

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MRC, 14 June SUNCAT: How does it work? Centralised union catalogue Records stored in one large database Records deduplicated to view using Aleph functionality Records merged “on the fly”

MRC, 14 June How does SUNCAT obtain records? Dialogue between library and SUNCAT project team Contributing library ftps a file to SUNCAT Data specification is drawn up by the team, and approved by the contributing library Data is converted according to data specification Data is loaded into SUNCAT

MRC, 14 June SUNCAT: Phase 1 contributing libraries’ LMS Aleph Endeavor Voyager GEAC Advance Innopac Innovative Talis Unicorn

MRC, 14 June SUNCAT: what is the matching process? Deduplicated union catalogue Complex matching algorithm Preferred record display 3 stage selection process for matching List of Common Titles (LOCT) Matching above format

MRC, 14 June How does SUNCAT work? Matching 1. Matching algorithm –identification of candidate pool –algorithm applied, with points threshold for a match 2. Selection of preferred record for display –different points system determines which record is preferred 3. Composition of display record –the preferred record has holdings elements from non-preferred records added for display

MRC, 14 June SUNCAT: The Librarian’s Interface Download Assisted matching

MRC, 14 June SUNCAT: Other developments Updates Notifications

MRC, 14 June SUNCAT standards Entry standard Upgrading standard

MRC, 14 June SUNCAT: Entry Standard From all data specifications: Reject records which do not contain the following: Leader cp 7 =s $a 852 Reject records which do contain the following: Leader cp 5=d (initial load only)

MRC, 14 June SUNCAT: Conclusions “One-stop shop” for researchers and librarians Researchers – single tool for location of serials Librarians – central source of high-quality bibliographic records available for download; locate function for ILL

MRC, 14 June SUNCAT SUNCAT pilot service SUNCAT Project Natasha Aburrow-Jones Zena Mulligan