[306] in ad-lib
Re: Rotch testers issues/problems
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (ninadm@MIT.EDU)
Mon Apr 10 10:04:04 1995
From: ninadm@MIT.EDU
To: opac-lib@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: Sam's message of "Fri, 07 Apr 1995 16:52:54 EDT."
<9504072052.AA12939@macfadden.MIT.EDU>
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 1995 10:03:38 EDT
>
> > 3-how will call number SUFFIXES be searchable? RVC's video-
> > cassettes have videocassette as a suffix, where Music has it
> > as a prefix. Will either work as an opac parameter qualifier?
>
> I don't think we'll be able to strip the call number suffixes in the
> 2nd GMA. But, to really answer the main question here, basically call
> number suffixes should NOT be depended on as a qualifier. Any search
> including the call number suffix term will result in an incomplete
> search, since they have been inconsistently applied in our database.
> (They are only generated for the call numbers of records whose
> holdings were created using input stamps. Not all records have been
> created this way.)
>
> When the call number prefix issue is resolved, this whole thing will
> be a lot clearer. I think the group working on this is in the process
> of finishing up. Anyway, the idea is that the kind of information
> that appears in some call number suffixes, like format information
> such as video or cd-rom, or type of material information not from the
> call number suffix like theses, will be searchable and qualifiable through us
*e
> of a call number prefix, which will come from a table currently being
> designed by the Holdings Table Task force, the group that's designing
> it.
What Sam says is true. The task force to which he alludes (we like to
call ourselves table-talk) has concluded its deliberations. We'll be
reviewing our work this week and I plan to distribute the revised
tables to PSAC this coming Friday. I have asked the divisional
librarians to designate whomever they think most appropriate to go
over their units' tables. As Sam says, the call number prefix field
will be used to define physical formats. This is what will allow us
to qualify a search by thesis, or by CD, to name two outstanding
examples. This field will be determined by the material type from the
current Geac system, NOT from any part of the item's current call
number. In some cases (as when format information is built into the
call number) this may make the display somewhat redundant. Eventually
we may decide to strip some of those redundant call number values, but
this is essentially a cosmetic issue and won't effect searching.
I hope this helps!
Nina
