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E-books

E-books

Summary: This procedure applies only to firm-ordered e-book titles to which MSUL has permanent access. As of January 2025, these will be cataloged by CMS rather than tracked and made discoverable via EBSCO's HLM.

 

General workflow

  • Acquisitions team members create orders for these resources with a workflow-specific tag 

  • For new titles, Acq staff will use the Acq10 job profile to bring in a MARC record from OCLC

    • Acq10 strips out existing 856s in copy, suppresses the new instance, and adds the UncatER stat code 

  • For RUSH titles, Acq staff will use Acq11

    • This excludes any titles from the arrmo fund, which are part of a different e-reserves workflow

    • In addition to the above, this job profile also adds the RushER stat code

  • For "adds" (i.e., access from a different provider), Acq staff can assign the UncatER stat code to the existing instance

    • Information for the cataloger will be in the newly attached order record

  • Catalogers assigned to this workflow will search for the stat code in Inventory to find titles awaiting cataloging

  • As part of the cataloging process, the title will be marked as hidden in FOLIO eHoldings and a note will be added to the eHoldings record.

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Cataloging workflow

  • Copy cataloger uses Inventory search filter for stat codes to find instances marked with UncatER

    • RUSH titles will have the additional stat code RushER applied

  • If copy is available, proceed to catalog using Cat7 job profile

    • When judging when to hand off to original cataloger, capacity will be a determining factor

  • If no copy:

    • Remove UncatER stat code

    • Add UncatERorig stat code

  • If awaiting problem resolution:

    • Remove UncatER stat code

    • Add UncatERprob stat code

  • After cataloging is complete, add a note to the title in eHoldings and mark to exclude it from the metadata EBSCO sends to VuFind

    • Otherwise, we will have duplicate records for the title

 

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E-resource cataloging guidelines (monographs)

Note – A HLM-generated record may be present in VuFind by the time the cataloger begins this process. These can be ignored; the eHoldings step of “hiding” the title in HLM will result in the HLM record being deleted from VuFind.

  1. Remove the stat code from the order bib as soon as you decide to catalog it. This will prevent multiple folks unknowingly working on one record.

  2. Search our catalog for a print record – it will be helpful to know if we hold the title in print, and some harmonization between the records may be helpful to patrons

    1. Examples: more specific subject headings, call numbers, ISBNs, etc.

  3. To view the title being cataloged, you will need to obtain the access URL in eHoldings (see below) and add the EZproxy string

  4. Evaluating copy

    • Aim for provider-neutral records

      • Indicated by $e pn in 040, although many records appear to be provider-neutral when this is not present; ok to use these too as long as 856s are deleted out

    • Note: Duplicate records in OCLC are generally more numerous for e-resources

    • When evaluating copy

      • Higher number of holdings is a good indicator of a better quality record

      • Institution codes n$t (NetLibrary), Ebrary, Yankee, even DLC at times

    • If there are discrepancies (pub year, title, etc.) between the selected eHoldings title/package and the OCLC record associated with the title's ISBN:

      • Assume the OCLC record is the more accurate/thorough and ignore slight differences in eHoldings

      • Working on whatever package we have selected in eHoldings is more important than an exact match between eHoldings info and the catalog record; the nature of eHoldings means some inaccuracies might be present in the brief info it presents for certain titles.

    • If there are additional dates or date discrepancies on the provider’s book landing page, prefer information from the print version.

      • Publisher/provider information for e-versions of print works is generally less reliable and hard to verify!

    • If major discrepancies exist, loop in Ranti to have the eHoldings/HLM record corrected or verified

  5. MARC fields to verify:

    • 008 Form of Item = o 

    • 006/007 appropriate to electronic monographs

      1. ex: forthcoming

    • 245

      • If title page is missing from ebook platform:

        • Check corresponding print copy if available

        • Align with that title

        • Add: 588 0_ Print version record.

      • Otherwise, use cover image or caption on the ebook’s home page

        • Adjust 588 wording accordingly (see below)

    • 300 = 1 online resource (page content)

      • If page content is not available in ebook copy, check corresponding print copy if available and use that pagination if it seems to match up to the resource

      • Pagination can also be omitted if information isn’t readily available; “1 online resource” is sufficient

    • 336 = text ǂb txt ǂ2 rdacontent

    • 337 = computer ǂb c ǂ2 rdamedia

    • 338 = online resource ǂb cr ǂ2 rdacarrier

    • 588

      • If already present (and correct), leave as is.

      • Should reference either print version (588 0_ Print version record) or digital platform.

  6. MARC fields to delete:

    • 506

    • 776 linking field for print version – UNLESS we also hold the print version

      1. Only delete this from the local record as it is useful in other library systems

    • All 856 fields that are not specific to MSU

  7. MARC fields to add:

    • 020, if not present

      • add ǂq (electronic book) qualifier

    • 050/090 qualifier

      • add "Online" to the end of the call number

    • 588 description note, if not present

      • Example: 588 __ Description based on online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on March 02, 2023)

      • Example: 588 0_ Print record version.

    • 856 with access URL preceded by MSUL EZproxy string

      1. URL can be copy/pasted from eHoldings (see below) 

      2. EZproxy = https://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=

      3. 856 40 $z Connect to online resource - MSU authorized users $u [EZproxy + URL]

    • 949 values:

      HRID $f wb $m Electronic Resource $n 1 $q Non-Circulating $u Available $w copcopyemo$[initials]

As of March 2025, FOLIO cannot correctly render dollar signs. Catalogers may see {dollar} in the item record after import instead of $. These get corrected when work stats are run, so catalogers do not need to worry about making corrections.

Titles with multiple volumes

  • If not present in copy, add a 500 or 505 field noting that the title includes multiple volumes

    • Examples:

      • 500__ Title consists of 3 volumes.

      • 505_0 Volume 1. Principles of solar geometry and optics -- Volume 2. Solar radiation quantitative analysis

  • If each volume uses a different URL for access, create an 856 for each volume with volume info in the $z

Adds

To LoM/Law instance

  • Create a new holdings record for wb 

  • Add MSU 856 field to MARC SRS as well as holdings electronic access section

  • Create a new item record with the values indicated above

  • Add "addiemo$" work stat in item record

  • Remove the UncatER stat code from the instance

To existing MSU instance

  • Create a new 856 field, including the EZproxy string if required and $z note with the provider's name.

    1. ex. 856 40 $z Connect to online resource via Wiley - MSU authorized users $u [EZproxy + URL]

  • Add 856 to the MARC SRS and the FOLIO holdings record electronic access section

  • In the existing 856 for the different package, add the provider name to the $z note if one is not already there.

  • Do NOT add another item record.

 

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eHoldings procedure

  1. Search for your title in eHoldings

  2. After clicking on title, use search box under "Packages" section to filter to "selected"

  3. Click on the resulting package name

    1. All changes must be made here on the package level, rather than the initial landing page of a title!

    2. If more than one package is listed, follow the steps below for both

  4. Resource settings accordion:

    1. Copy URL listed under "Managed"

    2. Use this after the EZproxy string to formulate your 856 (and to open the resource for your own viewing)

  5. Notes accordion:

    • Click "Assign/Unassign"

    • Type hlm in the search box to bring up the Cataloged in FOLIO; HLM record hidden note.

    • Click the check box and save.

  6. Actions → Edit

  7. Resource settings accordion:

    • Mark "Show to patrons" as No



  8. Save and close

Titles selected for multiple packages

Interim procedure as of 4/21/25 to account for titles that are leased AND purchased. May change pending VuFind automated record merge possibilities.

  • Include one 856 field for each provider/package listed.

    • If you notice multiple identical URLs, we will hold off on cataloging these titles for the present, awaiting VuFind automation.

  • Do not hide the title (i.e., the “yes/no” option under “Show to patrons”)

  • Add the alternative note Cataloged in FOLIO; multiple packages; not hidden.

  • Add instance number to this spreadsheet.

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Policies

In general, records for e-books should be provider-neutral. 

 

 

Contact

Autumn Faulkner or Joshua Barton

Team

CMS

Updated

June 2025

Created

January 2025