Princeton OCLC Data Sync Process

Summary

OCLC Data Sync is a process to synchronize institutional holdings with WorldCat to make local library collections visible and available through OCLC services by:

• Adding original cataloging records to WorldCat
• Matching records from your local catalog with records in WorldCat
• Managing local holdings data
• Setting or deleting holdings for single institutions or groups to accurately reflect what is in your collection
• Updating your holdings in WorldCat with additional Local Bibliographic data

As of Nov 17, 2022, PUL began sending records to OCLC via DataSync (automated Aug 22, 2023). 
As of Jan 8, 2024, automatic Alma updates from OCLC were activated and on Mar 4, 2024, they were suspended indefinitely. 
As of Jan 8, 2024, when OCLC Master Records are merged into other OCLC records, Alma’s OCLC numbers are updated.

Initial Reclamation Project

In August of 2022, the Data Sync group sent a large batch of records to OCLC to synchronize holdings. Criteria for inclusion were:

• Bib record is unsuppressed.
• Bib record has at least one unsuppressed holding.
• Bib record passed extensive validation checks (see here).

Staff remediated many of the records that did not pass validation to make them ready for the automated DataSync process that was to be turned on after this initial reclamation.

If a record received an OCLC number from OCLC that differed from the OCLC number present in the bib record, the original OCLC number was moved to a 919 field (see documentation on the 919 field here).

Criteria For Sending Records

Every week, PUL extracts records (mostly newly cataloged titles) and submits them to OCLC via an Alma publishing job to sync PUL holdings with the WorldCat database. The criteria used to identify records eligible for Data Sync are:

• Bib record has no 914 fields.
• Bib record has no 915 fields.
• Bib is unsuppressed.
• Bib record is brief level 4 or above. See Brief Level documentation. 
• Bib record has at least one physical item attached to an unsuppressed holding that is not in the Acquisition Process or the Acquisitions and Cataloging Work Order.

OCLC Process and Reports

When OCLC receives the files, the records will go through OCLC’s own validation process. OCLC then generates a report that shows the action taken with each record (BibProcessingReport). If a record passes validation, OCLC takes one of the following actions:

1. Create: A new OCLC record is created, and PUL’s holdings are updated on that record.
2. Match: PUL’s holdings were updated on an existing OCLC record, but no metadata was transferred.
3. Field Transfer: PUL’s holdings were updated on an existing OCLC record, and one or more fields eligible for metadata transfer were updated in the OCLC record (see the fields eligible for transfer below).
4. Replace: PUL’s holdings were updated on an existing OCLC record that PUL originated, and the entire record was replaced with the new version of the record.

If a record failed validation or could not be disambiguated from similar records, the record is marked as Unresolved. The errors found with unresolved records are documented in another report (BibExceptionReport).

Errors are grouped by level of severity: MINOR, SEVERE, and CRITICAL.

MINOR errors include invalid repeated fields, fields with incorrect length, invalid subfield codes, and other MARC format issues. These errors do not prevent OCLC from processing the record and setting holdings; they are informational.

SEVERE and CRITICAL errors prevent OCLC from processing the incoming record and setting holdings. SEVERE errors include invalid indicators in key fields and repeated 245 or 010 fields. CRITICAL errors include invalid data in the leader and 008 field.

Fields Eligible for Transfer

Processing OCLC Reports

Records in the BibProcessingReport that passed validation with no errors above MINOR severity are updated in Alma through an external job to add a 914 field to each record. The 914 field contains the definitive OCLC number and the action taken.

Records in the BibException report are updated in Alma through an external job to add a 915 field for each error to each record. The 915 field contains the level of severity and the specific error found.

A data quality group will review and resolve the validation errors listed in the 915 field (mainly SEVERE or CRITICAL errors). Once resolved, staff will delete the 915 field. The resolved records will be picked up by the Data Sync publishing job when all 915 fields are deleted.

OCLC WorldCat Updates

In Jan 2024, Princeton University Library automated a process to receive updated records when records with PUL holdings in WorldCat were enhanced. Note that automated record updates were suspended indefinitely as of Mar 4, 2024. The following documents the settings and processes that were configured in WorldShare Collection Manager and Alma.

Process Run Times

See Also

• Princeton-Defined MARC Fields (9XX) > Local Fields: 914 and 915
• Cataloging & Inventory Management Training Module 15: OCLC Data Sync - Common Validation Errors
• Cataloging and Metadata Services (CaMS) > Policies and Procedures > Local Procedures > Correct Mismatched OCLC Control Numbers