Related Links
Libraries Australia Record Import Service
Batch Reporting of Holdings and Cataloguing
Overview
File
specifications
Bibliographic upload - Full
MARC
Holdings update
Bibliographic upload - Inmagic DB/Textworks
Libraries Australia Record Import Service Libraries and Library Systems
Libraries Australia Record Import Service processes
1. Overview
Libraries Australia Record Import Service
The Libraries Australia Record Import Service (RIS) enables Libraries Australia customers to send files of bibliographic and/or holdings records to the Australian National Bibliographic Database (ANBD). Files are sent to Libraries Australia by uploading from the RIS web site or by using the internet file transfer protocol (FTP). Files uploaded from the web site must be no larger than 10Mb. RIS supports five different data formats.
Bibliographic upload - Full MARC
Holdings update - Abbreviated MARC
Holdings update - Full MARC
Holdings update - Non MARC
Bibliographic upload - Inmagic DB/Textworks
Formats
Bibliographic upload - Full MARC
Bibliographic upload - Inmagic DB/Textworks
The bibliographic upload options enable libraries to add holdings, add new bibliographic records and to add fields to existing bibliographic records on the ANBD. For example, data from the incoming record may be added to the database record if it is not already present and if using the full MARC option it is also possible (under some conditions) to substantially update database records. For more information on how records can be modified please refer to Record Import Service processes.
Manual file loads
Files can be processed manually if they are in comma delimited ASCII format or Inmagic dump file.
Authorization
Customers should contact the Libraries Australia Database Services Section, via the Libraries Australia Help Desk to register interest in using RIS.
To ensure that their data conforms to RIS specifications, customers are requested to supply a sample file of records for test loading prior to being authorized to use the service. If necessary, Libraries Australia may ask the customer to amend and resubmit the sample file. A list of those library systems capable of supporting RIS data and file specifications is provided on the Libraries Australia Record Import Service Libraries and Library Systems page.
File formats
The current system requires a data file containing bibliographic and holdings data. Detailed data specifications are included in the information about each format. File naming requirements are set out under File specifications.
Delivery
Data can be transferred by uploading from the Libraries Australia Administration system web site. The customer logs on using a Libraries Australia username and password, which they have nominated. There is a size limit of 10Mb for files loaded this way.
Internet File Transfer Protocol (FTP) may also be used. Each RIS contributor is given their own directory on the Libraries Australia FTP server with a password to control access. The contributor logs on to the Libraries Australia FTP server and enters an account name and password to access their directory. After changing to binary mode they FTP their files and then disconnect from the Libraries Australia FTP server.
MARC files can also be transferred via Open Archive Initiative (OAI) Please Contact Us if you wish to find out about this.
Loading
Following delivery to the Record Import Service, the data is loaded into the ANBD at regular intervals. Libraries Australia reserves the right to determine priorities for file loading based on the significance of the data for national resource sharing.
Reports
A processing report will be sent to the email account established for your RIS profile upon completion of each file load. The report will describe the file that was processed and when loading was completed.
Records rejected during loading will be placed on the Libraries Australia FTP
server for retrieval, correction and resubmission. They can also be downloaded from the Libraries Australia Administration system web site, and are available in two formats: as MARC records without error messages (errors.mrc) or as a text file containing a full (labeled) view of the record with the error messages (errors.txt). If records contain both errors and warnings they will only be reported in the files that contain errors (e.g. ‘errors.mrc’ or ‘errors.txt’).
Contributors receive
notification of these reject files via an email message. Rejected record files
will be automatically deleted from the Libraries Australia FTP server after 90 days.
Additional reports are also provided and include:
- Review.txt: A text file listing incoming records that have tentatively matched database records and require further review.
- Unprocessed.txt: A text file listing incoming records that could not be processed correctly through all matching and merging steps and were not added to the database or used for updating existing records.
- Warnings.txt: A text file containing a labeled or full view of incoming records which generated warnings in RIS along with the associated warning messages. The warnings do not prevent records from processing through RIS or being matched and merged.
- Warnings.mrc: A MARC file containing incoming records which generated warnings in RIS. No warning messages are included.
Detailed statistical reports are available via the web by logging on to the Libraries Australia Administration system.

