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Home > Minerva > Cataloging > How To's > Templates For Use

Templates For Use With the GUI Cataloging Client

The Windows Cataloging and Scanning Workstation software ("GUI Cat" for short) enables one to edit existing bibliographic and item records, or to create new records. There must be an item record for each copy of a work that a library is tracking in the database.  Item records may only be created using a template resident on the local computer being used for cataloging.

Most of the time, new items will be attached to an existing bibliographic record created by another system library that has already input a good quality bibliographic record.If the database does not contain a bib record for the edition in hand, one may use Z39.50 search capability to seek a good quality record from other sources. Libraries that are members of OCLC may acquire a record there and export it to the system. Only as a last resort should one create a new bibliographic record from scratch.On these occasions, a bibliographic record template must be present on the local computer workstation.

Templates may be created at any time from within GUI Cat. Just select the menu option: File... Template... New Template... Bibliographic (or other type).If you wish, however, you may click on the links to download the generic templates listed below. They should be saved to the \guicat\template directory on each local workstation from which you will be using the GUI Cat software. If you have installed GUI Cat into other than the default directory, you will need to change the save location accordingly. Please consult the Usage Notes for adjustments you will need to make to the templates before they will serve your local need.

Item Template

Generic Item Record Template - http://msl1.ursus.maine.edu/genitem1.cdi

Usage Notes:

  1. Use File... Template... Edit... to change location from "zzzzz" to the most frequent 5-character shelving location in your library. When you use the template you will change this value again if the default template value does not apply to a given item.

  2. The 092 field should be used in your template only if your library uses the Dewey classification scheme.  Change the value in your template to 090 for LC classification, or 096 for NLM.

  3. Remember that call numbers always go in the item record, not the bib record.

  4. As you create each new item record from this template, you may also wish to enter a price, a copy number (other than the default "1", a volume number, an item note, or a message that pops up in circulation every time the item is checked in or out.

Bibliographic Templates

Usage Notes:

  1. Use File... Template... Edit... to change bib location from "zzzzz" to your 3-character site location. Every new bib record you create will have this same location.
  2. Edit the template to replace Input Library and Initials with the single character value assigned to your library, if your library has been assigned values in the area. Otherwise, add a 929 field to your template with your 3-character symbol as the contents of that field. How To Enter Input Library and Initials In Bib Records
  3. As you create each new bib record from one of these templates, you may wish to:
    • adjust item type to whatever medium is appropriate
    • fill in the appropriate country value for each title you catalog, e.g. "nyu" for  New York, "meu" for Maine, etc
    • insert as many new MARC fields as needed from Edit... Insert Field
    • delete any fields that you do not need before saving the finished bib record;
  4. Several aids to good cataloging practice are available and should be used:
    • Tools... MARC Tag Info will help in determining which indicators and subfields to use in each field.
    • Tools... Verify Headings will review author, title and subject headings and indicate whether each is new or already used in the system.  This can sometimes pickup misspellings and incorrect heading usage.
    • Tools... Validate MARC Codes will determine if allowable values for indicators and subfields have been used in a record.  Incorrect values are shown in red.
  5. Delete or overtype the text within the template that indicates what information should go where, e.g. "lccn", "Pub Year".  This text is included for the benefit of novice users.  Feel free to edit the template to remove this explanatory information and/or to use Save As... to make multiple variations of a template, each under a different name.