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Home > SOLAR > Operating > Cataloging Errors

How To Deal With Cataloging Errors

Item records belong exclusively to the library that creates them.  Changes within an item record should only be made by the library that created it.  Bibliographic records, on the other hand, are a shared resource.  If not now, then some time in the future, items from multiple libraries will be attached to a given bib record. Certain general principles flow from this:

In general, staff of SOLAR libraries must take responsibility for correcting errors within the bib records they have created or copied into the SOLAR,  whenever errors come to their attention.

When staff of member libraries encounter false unique records -- multiple bib records for clearly identical editions of a work -- they should follow the procedures described in the Cataloging Standards, in order to consolidate multiple item records on the best bib record, irrespective of who created each bib record.

Please Do:

  1. Make obvious spelling corrections, as long as there is certainty that the variant spelling is not intentional,and is incorrect within the context of the work.
  2. Make obvious MARC designator corrections, if there is 100% certainty of the appropriateness of the correction, e.g. changing "Industry -- Maine -- Directories" to "Industry|zMaine|vDirectories."
  3. Add new subject headings as long as they conform to LCSH or MESH practice, including use of the proper indicator value ("0" and "2" respectively).
  4. Add local subject headings, as long as they conform to MARC field / subfield conventions and carry an indicator value of "4" for Source Not Specified.

Please Do Not:

  1. Delete any existing fields within the bib record unless explicitly asked to do so by the Cataloging Standards or other documentation from the Maine State Library.