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The control number is either an ISBN, an ISSN, or a LCCN. The Z39.50 software will send this value to the Z39.50 server, and the server will return the associated MARC bibliographic record. If no records are found it will return a message "Unable to retrieve data from the selected Z39.50 server. Please try a different Z39.50 server." If some bibs are found and others are not, the message reads "List Z39.50 retrieval failures. The following Control Number was not retrieved from the Z39.50 server." Choose [Workstation] to see a list of the Control Numbers not found. These can be searched on again using another cataloging source.
Once three Control Numbers have been entered, tab to the last box visible (edition/issue), then tab once more. The first Control Number will scroll out of view, and blanks will appear for the fourth set of values. Use (Shift) Tab or Page Up or Page Down keys or the scroll bar to navigate between the completed data.
As soon as the Interactive Z39.50 Import begins to search, "Working..." appears at the bottom of the screen.
This may mean that none of your Control Numbers were found on the selected server. Sometimes for a variety of reasons the ISBN or ISSN (Control Number)
does not match any of those available at the Z39.50 server you chose. To test that Interactive Z39.50 is working properly, you can try a Control Number
that you are sure will be a match. Also, check the Z39.50 server's OPAC. If the server is LC, go to its online catalog directly via http://www.loc.gov and search one of the Control Numbers.
If the online catalog retrieves the same Control Number that caused the message "Unable to retrieve data...", the Interactive Z39.50 is not working properly and you should notify Support@CyberToolsforLibraries.com immediately.
However, when you get this message it is likely that the Control Number does not exist at the Z39.50 server you tried.
Try another server using the same Control numbers. This will often result in a match.
Your online catalog was provided with default Z39.50 servers that display on the drop down menu at the bottom of the Interactive Z39.50 MARC Bib Import window.
Examples include the Library of Congress (LC), the US National Library of Medicine (NLM), and OhioLink. Choose another, then select [Import Bibs]. If this
still results in the message: "Unable to retrieve data from the selected Z39.50 server" repeat this step until all servers are tried.
For Control Numbers that are not found in any of the available servers, try other Internet sites using the
function [Import a MARC bib] or if the Control Number is unlikely to be found, go to [Original Cataloging].
Both the Library of Congress and the US National Library of Medicine sometimes issue false negatives in the middle of a regular workday.
It is our assumption that the servers get too busy. Try using Interactive Z39.50 during a less active time of day.
From the Main Menu, select Properties -> Cataloging Properties -> Z39.50 Servers -> Define Z39.50 Server.
Complete the information required by consulting the web site, http://targettest.indexdata.com/ - The Z39.50 Target Directory,
which lists Z39.50 server resources worldwide. Use the search tools at this site to select among the names of library catalogs that can be added to
your CyberTools drop down menu. Click on the desired library catalog Title at The Z39.50 Target Directory for the full target record data.
When the message appears indicating that the record imported through the function Interactive Z39.50 is a duplicate MARC bibliographic record, this means that the bib is already in your catalog. Choose Cancel. This will stop the import process and the bib will not be downloaded a second time into your catalog.
Yes, serials can be imported using the ISSN as the Control Number. If you are importing a printed copy of the serial, check the box before the word Serial on the Interactive Z39.50 input screen. If you are importing electronic journals, do not check this box.
Yes, an ISSN for an e-journal follows the same process. Do not check the box in front of the word Serials when importing these serials because there is no need to have holdings added to these bibs.
Occasionally, and more often than one would expect, an ISBN or ISSN is wrong or has changed. The library source catalog puts this wrong number into the 02X $y, the wrong ISBN or ISSN value, being indexed and thus retrieved. Our software verifies that the Control Number submitted does not match the ISBN or ISSN value in 02X $a and CANCELs the attempt to retrieve this record. Check the MARC record of the source catalog to see if there is an 02X $y. If so, import this record individually, using Cataloging function [Import a MARC Bib].