Use this option to import a CSV or TSV file containing both bibliographic data and individual copy or holdings data for the books you wish to import. The import file may have come from your supplier for new titles recently purchased, or the import file may have been created locally by exporting data from your legacy library management system. 


There are a number of different configuration options you must choose when importing CSV files. The configuration 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 import settings you should clickto check file specifications required for your chosen settings.


Import Records From A Publisher - Bibliographic and Holdings 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.
  2. Clickto locate the import file.
  3. Set CSV Content:
    1. Catalogue and Holdings - your file only contains both bibliographic data for each title and specific data for each copy.
  4. Holdings Grouped By - :
    1. ISBN/ISSN - align duplicate copies by ISBN.
    2. Author/Title/Media Type - align duplicate copies by Author+Title+Media Type.
    3. Catalogue ID - align duplicate copies by a random, locally assigned Catalogue ID. Note: Catalogue ID numbers are unique for each unique copy of resource and are discarded after the records are imported.
  5. Existing ISBN/ISSN Treatment:
    1. Skip Existing Catalogue Record (default option) - if an ISBN/ISSN match is detected, leave the existing record unchanged and skip over the file record.
    2. Create New Catalogue Record - if an ISBN/ISSN 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.
    3. Overwrite Existing Catalogue Record - if an ISBN/ISSN match is detected, overwrite the existing record with either data from the data source, i.e., the import file or the MARC21 data source (refer to Auto-Populate by ISBN below). Note: Any locally added metadata will be destroyed and replaced with data from the data source.
  6. Existing Barcode Treatment:
    1. Skip Existing Resource (default option) - if a barcode match is detected, ignore the record data and move to the next record.
    2. Overwrite Existing Resource - if a barcode match is detected, overwrite the existing record data with either data from the record data in the CSV file. Note: Any locally added record metadata will be destroyed and replaced with data from the data source.
    3. Create New Resource Without Barcode - if no barcode is present in the CSV file create a holding record without a barcode. Note: A barcode will have to be added before this copy can be circulated.
  7. Unrecognised Site or Section:
    1. Skip (default option) - do not create a holdings record if either the Site or Section in the CSV file is not already defined in your configuration. Note: Both the Site and Section must be currently defined in Configure > Library > Site/Section.
    2. Use Cataloguing Defaults - place the record in the default Site and default Section in Configure > CataloguingNote: Only use this option if you are confident the defaults will be appropriate for access and circulation for holdings records being imported.
  8. Auto-Populate by ISBN:
    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 server 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 with data from a MARC21 data source. Note: The data in the CSV import file will be used to populate the bibliographic record.
    3. - 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. Z39.50 - use this data source for MARC21 updates. Note: This option is only available if Auto-Populate by ISBN is switched.
  10. 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.
  11. Batch and Rating Limit - these values should be left as default unless timing issues cause the Z39.50 import to fail.
  12. Choose:
    1. - proceed with the import. Note: This process imports the file and saves the new records immediately and may be difficult to reverse.
    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.