Removing Expired Titles From Catalog

Scope: How to retrieve system numbers of vendor-provided bibliographic records and delete them from the catalog.

Contact: Leeda Adkins

Unit: Metadata & Discovery Strategy

Date last reviewed: 11/21/2022

Date of next review: 11/21/2023

REMOVING EXPIRED TITLES FROM CATALOG 

Deleting MARC records in Aleph requires a list of bibliographic system numbers to run through the record deletion service (p_manage_33). The most effective way to retrieve the system numbers of records for expired titles in Aleph is through a direct index (p_ret_06) search of the 035 field (OCLC) or the 901 field (vendor reference number). 

Create a text file of OCLC (035) or vendor reference (901) numbers. Copy file to L: Departments: Aleph: FilesToMove. 

Use p_custom_03 to copy the file to the AlephE-scratch report directory. 

Field contents for p_custom_03: 

DirectoryPerkins System 

Input File Namefilename.txt 

Destination DirectoryALEPHE scratch (report selection) 

Output File Namefilename.txt 

Use p_ret_06 to retrieve records by direct index based on the MARC field of the .txt list. 

Field contents for p_ret_06: 

Input Filefilename.txt 

Output Filefilename.rpt 

Search Index035 (or 901 for lists of vender ref. numbers) 

Use p_custom_25 to take the records retrieved by direct index and create a customizable MARC columnar report viewable in Excel.  

Field contents for p_custom_25: 

Location of File of Bib SysnosAlready on Server in $alephe/scratch 

Directory for Output FilePerkins System 

Input File Namefilename.rpt 

Report File Namedel_filename.rpt 

Tag-Indicators Parameter 1245## 

Tag-Indicators Parameter 2035## 

Tag-Indicators Parameter 3901## 

Tag-Indicators Parameter 4856## 

In Excel, navigate to L: Departments: Aleph: Marc Reports to open the output file [del_filename.rpt] and verify the correct number of titles to delete.  

Copy the Bib System Numbers column into a new Excel sheet. In the cell next to A2 use the formula =A2&"DUK01" to append the DUK01 text onto the system numbers. Use “fill down” to copy the formulas into the rest of the column.  

Create a new text file of Bib System Numbers with DUK01 appended, save to L: Departments: Aleph: FilesToMove, and copy the file to the AlephE-scratch report directory using p_custom_03 (see field contents above). 

Use p_manage_33 to delete the bibliographic records.  

Field contents for p_manage_33: 

Input Filefilename.txt 

Output Filefilename.rpt 

Update DatabaseNo (this creates a report to review) 

By selecting not to update the database, a report is produced to preview the results that would occur if the database had been updated. This allows the user to catch any titles with order records attached. If titles with orders are found, adjust and rename the .txt file (remove the appropriate system numbers and save changes) and run p_custom_03 again.  

View the report produced by going to the Task Manager File List of the Cataloging Module, selecting the report file and moving it into the local print directory in the upper pane. Set the print configuration to “View Raw XML,” then click “Print” to view the file in Aleph. Once the report is in the upper pane, you may also view it by going to C: AL500: Catalog: files: DUK01: print. 

If there are no error messages (no bib records with orders attached), run p_manage_33 again and choose “Yes” for Update Database.