Use this import option when you have or can create a CSV or TSV file containing both the bibliographic or catalogue records for digital media stored on remote web servers. This includes eBook, eAudiobooks, videos, podcasts, PDF documents, and similar resources. The import file may have come from your supplier for new titles recently purchased, or the import file may have been created locally using your own resources. 


There are a number of different configuration options you must choose when importing your CSV files. The options you choose determine the file requirements that must be met, including mandatory and optional data required for each record. Once you have chosen your settings you should clickto check file specifications required for your settings.


Import Records - Bibliographic/Descriptive And Links Data


Go to: Cataloguing > Imports > CSV

  1. Choose Import Format:
    1. Comma Separated (CSV) - choose this for files in CSV format. Note: CSV is recommended.
    2. Tab Separated (TSV) - choose this for files in Tab Separated format.
      Note: The minimum CSV/TSV columns for importing links using an ISBN are: isbn, url, site, section. The minimum CSV/TSV columns for importing links using a Catalogue ID: catalogue id, url, site, section, title, media type.
  2. Clickto locate the import file.
  3. Set CSV Content:
    1. Catalogue and Holdings - your file contains both bibliographic/descriptive data and holdings/copies data.
  4. Choose Holdings Grouped By:
    1. Catalogue ID - digital resources do not have an ISBN but you want the import process to use a unique number you have created for each record in the CSV file to align each link record with its correct bibliographic record. Note: Catalogue ID numbers are unique for each unique link and are discarded after the records are imported. 
  5. Choose Existing ISBN/ISSN Treatment:
    1. Create New Catalogue Record - if an ISBN match is detected, ignore the match and create a new record. This may result in duplicate bibliographic records. Note: Use this option if you are trying to import separate records which have identical ISBNs in a Series, e.g., 9781784936457 - Science in action series - all these titles have the same ISBN.
    2. Overwrite Existing Catalogue Record - if an ISBN match is detected, overwrite the existing record with data in the import file.
    3. Skip Existing Catalogue Record - if an ISBN match is detected, leave the existing record unchanged and skip over the file record.
  6. Choose processing for Existing Barcode Treatment:
    Note: Digital record links do not need nor have barcodes but you must inform the import process how to process the file.
    1. Create New Resource Without Barcode - choose this option because link data in the import file should not include a barcode.
  7.  Choose processing for Unrecognised Site or Section to one of the following:
    1. Skip Record - if either the site or the section for a holdings record in the import file is not defined for your catalogue, then the record will not be imported. Note: The site and section must be declared in the CSV import file and must match defined Sites and Sections at Configure > Library > Site/Section prior to importing the file.
  8. Set Auto-Populate by ISBN:
    Note: This setting only applies to eBook and eAudiobook imports.
    1. If the message There are no z39.50 servers configured for cataloguing which support the ISBN use attribute is displayed and you want to auto-populate imported bibliographic records you must ensure the Z39.50 serve you intend to use is configured to check ISBN and ISSN in Configure > Integration > Z39.50 > edit Z39.50 server.
    2. - do not auto-populate the records. Note: The data in the import file will be used to populate the bibliographic record.
    3. - do auto-populate the records with MARC21 data from the selected Z39.50 server. Note: The ISBN in the import file will be used to populate the bibliographic record.
  9. Read Current Import Behaviour panel carefully to ensure the imported records will be allocated as you expect. Note: This is a generic message applying to all CSV imports that uses library language for all media type and dynamically draws its content from the current values on this page and the configuration settings in Configure > Settings > General.
  10. Batch and Rating Limit - these values should be left as default unless timing issues cause the Z39.50 import to fail.
  11. Choose:
    1. - proceed with the import. Note: This process imports the file and saves the new records immediately and cannot be easily reversed.
    2. - test the file to check for major errors. Note: This process simulates all aspects of the import without saving any data and potentially polluting your catalogue, allowing you to test the outcome of a normal import and offers the opportunity to correct reported data failures.


A summary report will display the results of the processing.