Loading Authority Files into Sierra

Owned by Liz Woolcott
Last updated: Jan 30, 2024
4 min read

Workflow originally developed by Mavis Molto in 2014. Revised and update by Melanie Shaw and Liz Woolcott, most recently in 2021.

This workflows outlines the process for downloading authority records from Marcive and uploading the files into Sierra. This is done on a monthly basis and requires coordination with the General and Authority Record Cataloger - and on occasion - the Integrated Systems Librarian. Please note that there is a difference in workflows for the add/updated files and delete files. Delete file workflow forks are noted in red information boxes.

Tools

  • Email

  • Marcive FTP link

  • Authority Record Airtable base

  • Sierra


Procedures

Pre-Processing

  1. Download files from Marcive

    1. Open email, click on the FTP link

    2. For each file, create a new line in the Authority Records Airtable base

    3. Record the following (listed in the email)

      1. File Name

      2. Number of Records

      3. File Size

    4. Add the following information

      1. Name or Subject file

      2. Add/Update or Delete file

      3. File Number

    5. Download each file from Marcive and attach to the correct record line in Airtable

      1. Note that files will disappear after a set amount of time (currently set at 45 days). If they are not downloaded within this time frame, Marcive will need to be contacted to recreate and upload the files. There is an additional cost for this.

    6. Record the date of download and the name of the person who downloaded the file

 

Note: For each step in the following procedures, the files must be done in their file number order (not sorted by title).


Step 1. SIERRA – HEADINGS REPORTS (FUNCTION)

  1. Clear some so <10000

    1. Check on total # of headings currently in report by:

      1. Click on “All”

      2. Click on Create

      3. Record total # in the spreadsheet AUTHORITY_FILES_loaded-into-Sierra

      4. Click on “close.”

    2. Delete the “Headings Used For First Time” headings by:

      1. Click on “Headings used for first time”

      2. Click on Create

      3. Record the # of headings in the spreadsheet listed above

      4. Click on “Close”

      5. Ensure that only the “Headings Used For First TIme” is checked

      6. Select “Clear”

      7. Try to open Headings report again, it should indicate that no records are left

      8. Check box in Airtable that indicates this report has been deleted.

    3. Delete the Updated Bib Headings

      1. Click on “Updated Bib Headings”

      2. Check on the dates that the headings were generated – they should be the day or two after your last load

      3. Record the number in the spreadsheet listed above

      4. Click on “Close”

      5. Ensure that only the “Updated Bib Headings” is checked

      6. Select “Clear”

      7. Try to open this report again, it should indicate that no records are left

      8. Check box in Airtable that indicates this report has been deleted.

    4. Click on “All” and “Create”

      1. Check the total number of files and verify that it matches the “Remaining Headings Shoudl Be” Calculation in Airtable.

Step 2. SIERRA – DATA EXCHANGE (FUNCTION)

  1. Select process = Load records via locally created load profile

  2. Select Icon = Get PC [Upload files from PC]

  3. Find MARC record location

  4. Select the suffix = .lfts, click OK

  5. Highlight LFTS file

  6. Select the Icon = Prep [Preprocess records loaded via FTS]

    1. Start

    2. See if number of files (shown at the bottom of the report) correspond to the number recorded in the spreadsheet

  7. Close

  8. Highlight MARC file

  9. Select Icon = Load

  10. Highlight: Batch: Load/Overlay NAME[SUBJ] auth recds

  11. OK

  12. Click on TEST

    1. Verify numbers at the bottom match the number of records included in the file

FOR DELETE FILES

  1. All records should be Overlaid

    1. STOP – If not all files show as overlaid and consult the ILS Librarian

  2. If loading a delete file – check the “Use Review Files” before moving onto the next step

13. Click on Load (Ensure Use Review File is selected if loading a Delete File). Verify that the count matches the number of records expected and that if delete file, all should say Overlaid

STOP – IF DELETE FILE – not all overlaid, see the ILS Librarian

14. Close

FOR DELETE FILES

Delete files will require two extra steps before proceeding to the final Step 3 listed below.

Step 2a. CREATE LISTS (FUNCTION)

  1. Tab = Review files

  2. Choose a line appropriate to the number of records

  3. Select Copy

  4. Find title – Load/Overlaid [file name] – Highlight - OK
    a. Do you want to remove file – Yes
    b. Show records – correct no./records?
    c. [Check first record – overlaid record has leader=d] [Close]
    d. Close

Step 2b. DELETE RECORDS (FUNCTION)

  1. Drop down = Review

  2. Review file = Load/Overlaid [file name - CAREFUL] – Highlight

  3. Start

  4. See delete list – Click delete records - Click yes

  5. See Successful deletions – is number correct?

  6. Close

  7. Empty file – [if a delete file - will be gone already]

Step 3. SIERRA – DATA EXCHANGE (FUNCTION) and/or CREATE LISTS

  1. Delete files remaining in Data Exchange and Create Lists

 

Step 4. Finishing up

  1. Move loaded file to shared Box folder: Authority Control → AUTHORITY ONGOING MARCIVE UPDATES → FIles

  2. Record the number of files deleted and loaded in the Statistics Airtable Base

 

AFTER LOADING - NEXT DAY

SIERRA – HEADINGS REPORTS (FUNCTION)

  1. Check reports – invalid headings, near matches, non-unique 4xxs, cross-thes matches

  2. Blind refs - print blind refs report, then clear

  3. Near matches – delete meaningless entries, then print & clear as do

  4. Clear - a) headings used for first time, b) updated bib headings x

    1. Max seems to be 25,000 (per C.Adams,7/27/15)

    2. But says we’ve only used 2%

IF FILES NEED TO BE DELETED ONE BY ONE:

Search Authority Record Number (Sierra: ARN index, MARC field 001 ) OR Use the Step 2a. Create List process and copy the “Load: Inserted records for [name of file]” instead of the “Load: Overlaid records [name of file]”. Be sure to verify that the number listed at the end of the filename matches the number of records that were “inserted” instead of overlaid. Then procedure with Steps 2b and 3.

 

Contact

After each monthly batch is loaded, notify the General and Authority Record Cataloger. Additional work on individual headings is required.