[DCRM-L] Bad merges of Brown University records in OCLC

Fri Jan 31 14:00:00 MST 2014

Yes, OCLC has an incredibly crude matching algorithm. If the title and the first date field match, the two records can end up being merged (or rather, one of them overlays the other). Heavy sigh …

Margaret Nichols

________________________________

Margaret F. Nichols
Rare Materials Cataloging Coordinator
Cataloging & Metadata Services in RMC
2B Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-5302
Tel. (607) 255-3530 / 255-5752

From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On Behalf Of Will Evans
Sent: Friday, January 31, 2014 3:24 PM
To: DCRM Users' Group
Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] Bad merges of Brown University records in OCLC

I encountered a similar problem about six months ago. I was creating individual records for various states of bookplates (oddly enough). The 245 fields contained the same text, but each of the 300 fields had different information as to ink color and size. Within a week or so I discovered several of the records had been merged. When I called-out OCLC, I was told to include a fabricated edition statement to prevent future merging! I instead opted to do what you folks have done, namely add other title information in brackets.

At the time, I thought the erroneous merging might have something to do with visual materials, but I guess not.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Will Evans
Chief Rare Materials Catalog Librarian
Library of the Boston Athenaeum
10 1/2 Beacon Street
Boston, MA   02108

Tel:  617-227-0270 ext. 224
Fax: 617-227-5266
www.bostonathenaeum.org<http://www.bostonathenaeum.org/>

From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu<mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu> [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu<mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu>] On Behalf Of Noble, Richard
Sent: Friday, January 31, 2014 12:28 PM
To: DCRM Revision Group List
Subject: [DCRM-L] Bad merges of Brown University records in OCLC

FYI -- It appears that the 300 field was entirely ignored.

Would this be the result of an ill-informed and equally ill-vetted request, or is there some automatic merge going on that would do this? In many cases our catalogers have added "[prospectus]" as other title information, which was probably a good idea, whether orthodox or not.

RICHARD NOBLE :: RARE MATERIALS CATALOGUER :: JOHN HAY LIBRARY
BROWN UNIVERSITY  ::  PROVIDENCE, R.I. 02912  ::  401-863-1187
<Richard_Noble at Br<mailto:RICHARD_NOBLE at BROWN.EDU>own.edu<http://own.edu>>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mizer, Samuel Arnold <samuel_mizer at brown.edu<mailto:samuel_mizer at brown.edu>>
Date: Fri, Jan 31, 2014 at 10:14 AM
Subject: Fwd: OER - Books - 910841 - 29014399
To: Richard Noble <richard_noble at brown.edu<mailto:richard_noble at brown.edu>>
Cc: "Banush, David" <david_banush at brown.edu<mailto:david_banush at brown.edu>>
I've reported three equally bad merges in the past week or two.  ... and I haven't been looking for them.  This was Nancy Holloway's original (b20062710).

Sam

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <Samuel_Mizer at brown.edu<mailto:Samuel_Mizer at brown.edu>>
Date: Fri, Jan 31, 2014 at 10:07 AM
Subject: OER - Books - 910841 - 29014399
To: bibchange at oclc.org<mailto:bibchange at oclc.org>
Cc: Samuel_Mizer at brown.edu<mailto:Samuel_Mizer at brown.edu>

RBN
Samuel Mizer
Samuel_Mizer at Brown.edu<mailto:Samuel_Mizer at Brown.edu>

The merger of 1321242 is inaccurate.  OCLC 1321242 describes a four-
page prospectus for the larger work.  To verify see our institution record
OCLC 134077363.  Please retore.

OCLC:  910841           Rec stat:     c
Entered:        740607   Replaced:                  Used:
Type:  a     ELvl:  I     Srce:        Audn:        Ctrl:        Lang:  eng
BLvl:  m     Form:        Conf:  0     Biog:        MRec:        Ctry:  nyu
             Cont:        GPub:        Fict:  0     Indx:  0
Desc:        Ills:  a     Fest:  0     DtSt:  s     Dates: 1929,
 1 001    910841¶
 2 008    740607s1929    nyua          000 0 eng  ¶
 3 010       29014399 ¶
 4 040    DLC ╪c TOL ╪d OCL ╪d SER ╪d OCLCQ ╪d OCLCG ╪d GZM ╪d CLU ╪d LGG ╪d NUI ╪d OCLCF ╪d RBN ╪d ARCBM ¶
 5 019    1321242 ╪a 25263192 ¶
 6 050 00 Z996 ╪b .K37 ¶
 7 082  4 769.9 ¶
 8 049    RBNN ¶
 9 100 1  Kent, Rockwell, (CorcAuthDB:409043) ╪d 1882-1971. (CorcAuthDB:409043) ¶
10 245 14 The bookplates & marks of Rockwell Kent, ╪c with a preface by the artist. ¶
11 246 3  Bookplates and marks of Rockwell Kent ¶
12 260    New York, ╪b Made by Pynson Printers for Random House, ╪c 1929. ¶
13 300    ix numb. l., 1 l., 11-79 numb. l. ╪b illus. ╪c 19 cm. ¶
14 500    Printed on one side of leaf on opposite pages. ¶
15 500    "Twelve hundred and fifty copies each one signed by the artist." ¶
16 650  0 Bookplates. (CorcAuthDB:2095648) ¶
17 650  7 Bookplates. ╪2 fast ╪0 (OCoLC)fst00836346 ¶
18 655  7 Broadsides ╪z New York ╪y 1929. ╪2 rbgenr ¶
19 655  7 Advertisements ╪x Books ╪z New York ╪y 1929. ╪2 rbgenr ¶
20 710 2  Pynson Printers. (CorcAuthDB:4552829) ¶
21 029 1  AU@ ╪b 000028210680 ¶

--

________________________________________

Samuel A. Mizer
Head, Cataloging and Metadata Services
Brown University Library
Providence, RI 02912
E-Mail: Samuel_Mizer at Brown.edu<mailto:Samuel_Mizer at Brown.edu>
Phone: 401-863-3640<tel:401-863-3640>  Fax: 401-863-1272<tel:401-863-1272>

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