Pioneer Consortium

Formatting Item Holding Fields in OCLC for Import into Koha

Here’s what needs to be done with records that you download from OCLC or other sources for import into Koha.

Note that you have to use the actual codes, not the descriptions for the library, location, item type, etc. Koha is case-sensitive, so make sure your codes are entered exactly as they were created on your system (usually in upper case).

Koha stores item information in the MARC 952 field, but also requires a 942 subfield c for item type. NOTE: LLEK installations do not require the 942$c, but it won’t hurt to add it.

So for each title, you need:

One 942 $c with the itemtype code (use the item type of the first or most common item if more than one are attached)

952 (add as many as you have items for that title)

$8 collection code

$a owning library code

$b current library code

$c shelving location code

$o full call number, including cutter

$p barcode

$v replacement price (if available) –this is what’s used to determine billing cost to patrons for lost items. (No dollar sign in front of the price)

$y itemtype code

The above are the absolutely necessary fields (unless your library doesn’t use a field such as shelving location or collection code). There are some other 952 subfields that you might want to use, depending on your data, but these are not critical for a data load:

$7 set to 1 if the item is not for loan

$d date acquired

$e source of acquisition (name or abbreviation of publisher or vendor)

$g original purchase price

$h volume/issue information for serial items

$x internal note (visible in staff mode, for specific notes about the item)

$z public note (visible to patrons in the OPAC, for specific notes about the item)

To set the PTFS feature Other Item Status, use subfield k — $kCAT for example.

A sample 942/952 entry might look like this (format is the MarcEdit flat display):

=942 \\$cBK

=952 \\$w2009-07-12$p39344008005024$v7.00$40$00$oSCI FIC ANTHONY$bMAIN$10

$d2007-03-20$8SCIFI$h(PB)$70$cSTACKS$g7.00$yBK$aMAIN

See also the community Koha manual site definition for the complete 952 at:

http://manual.koha-community.org/3.6/en/catguides.html#itemcatguide
That covers all the possible fields, including some not mentioned above. Note that it does not include some subfields unique to LibLime Koha, such as item suppression and other item status.
There are also some title subfields (942) unique to our code, which are not included in these notes.