• Collections & Technical Services
• July-August 2006
• Issue: 204

Full Implementation of OCLC-Marc Format Update 2006

With the official release of Connexion client 1.60 announced on 2006 June 15, users should begin to use all of the new capabilities, new fields and subfields, new codes, and new characters that were documented in OCLC Technical Bulletin 252 http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/ worldcat/tb/252/ as part of the OCLC–MARC Format Update 2006.

New searching and indexing capabilities: With the exceptions noted in Technical Bulletin 252, all new searching and indexing capabilities should now be used in all Connexion interfaces. Note that, as OCLC continues to convert data, searches that include the qualifiers for Continuing Resources, Integrating Resources, and Serials may not retrieve complete results sets.

New practices for Integrating Resources, including the use of BLvl i: These should be implemented in all Connexion interfaces immediately. Please use the “Guidelines for Integrating Resources” section of Technical Bulletin 252 to update the document Cataloging Electronic Resources: OCLC-MARC Coding Guidelines http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/worldcat/cataloging/electronicresources/ default.htm. The document will be revised online soon.

New fields, subfields, and indicators: These should be used in all Connexion interfaces immediately.

New codes: These should be used in all Connexion interfaces immediately. In Connexion client 1.50, new codes will not appear in dropdown lists, but can be input manually.

New characters: These should be used in all Connexion interfaces immediately, subject to the revision of Library of Congress Rule Interpretations 1.0E, 1.4F5, and 1.4F6, where appropriate.

Data Conversion and Indexing: Note that some data conversions and other changes are currently still in progress and will be completed over the course of the next few weeks and months. To the extent possible, these are noted in Technical Bulletin 252. OCLC will keep users informed about the progress of the major conversions.

Upgrade to Connexion client 1.60: To take full advantage of the new capabilities that are now available in Connexion client 1.60 and to avoid the limitations of client 1.50, users are strongly encouraged to switch from 1.50 to 1.60 at their earliest convenience. Remember that OCLC will discontinue the Connexion client 1.50 on October 1, 2006.

For additional information on the OCLC-MARC Format Update 2006 and Connexion Client 1.60, contact Nylink at 518-443-5444/ 800-342-3353. See also Status Line, June 2006, number 203.

[OCLC - edited]