Voyager Test Load Review

Voyager Test Load: Background

• Assign someone at the library(s) to monitor the load schedule.
• For servers with multiple installations, is there a single project manager at Endeavor assigned to coordinate the load schedules of all installations to the same server in the same time frame?
  
• For servers with multiple installations, will the need for a reload of one institution's load (including order or circ transaction loads) disrupt the load schedule for another institution on the server?
  
• Since schedules are set up far in advance, if training and/or test or production loads are scheduled in April, does anything overlap with VUGM that may need to be shifted or extended?

• Do you have the most current copies of your call number and location/item type mapping tables?
• Have cataloging and circulation staff reviewed the call number and location/item type mapping tables for inconsistencies or errors?
• Did you include a default location for records lacking a location?
• Did you include a default location for records with odd, old, unexpected, etc. location and item type combinations?
  (Possibility of this happening depends on old system and method of location extraction)
• When constructing the mapping tables, do you want to merge any existing item types or locations?
• Item types control circulation; non-circulating items should not have the same item type as circulating ones.
• Very specific item types may be used in order to generate statistics while mapped to the same location.
  

• Some systems do not support the MARC holdings format, so there may not be holdings data (86X fields) available to migrate.
• Holdings data and local notes may be stored in 590 and 599 fields - if applicable, is some or all of this information being extracted to the MFHD? To what field and subfield? Will the 590 and/or 599 fields be retained or deleted from the bib record?
• There may be note fields in your old system that are being migrated - if applicable, do you have a list of what is being migrated, from where to where?
• Are periodical holdings being loaded from other sources (acquisitions data from previous system, OCLC LDR files)?
• Are you loading authority records?
• Are item records being migrated from existing item records or from 949 fields? (Affects enum/chron/year mapping)
• Are there any locations for which all records are to be loaded as suppressed from the OPAC (must be arranged with Endeavor prior to load)?
• Are there any groups of records that are not to be migrated?
• If possible, do a count of bib records, holdings (if supported), and item records in your old system to compare against Voyager load figures.
• Are you migrating orders, vendors, patrons, circulation transactions?
• Does your library have any deviations from the standard load - i.e., any arrangements with Endeavor to do any special programming, any customization? You can't check what you don't know about!

Bibliographic Test Load

• Bibliographic records
• Bibliographic holdings records (MFHDs)
  1. 852 field contains the storage location, call number, and, if available, local holdings information
     1. Multiple copies: standard Voyager conversion creates one MFHD for every unique combination of storage location (852b), call number (852 k,h,i), and copy number (from item record). See "Error! Bookmark not defined." for more information
  2. Certain types of serials data (system dependent) may also be loaded.
  3. General holdings notes such as "See paper list for holdings." (if holdings data is unavailable) may be loaded - must be arranged with Endeavor prior to load.
  4. Volume information from OCLC 949 fields or MFHDs (system dependent)
• Bibliographic item records
  1. Location per Data Migration Questionnaire mapping table
  2. Item type per Data Migration Questionnaire mapping table
  3. Barcode
  4. Copy number, if available
  5. Volume, etc. information (in enum or enum/chron fields) (system dependent)
  6. Piece count information (system dependent)
• Authority records (library dependent)

• Multi-volume sets
• Classified serials
• Periodicals
• Current standing orders for monographic sets or serials - check that all current barcodes migrated
• Books with accompanying material
• Various media
• Titles with large numbers of item records (1,000+)
• Multiple copies
• Titles with call number prefixes (folio/oversize, etc. - library dependent)
• Local notes in 590s
• Locations with multiple call number types
• Records with diacritics
• Records which are not to be migrated (brief, a particular location or item type, withdrawn)
• Records or call numbers with script l
• Known or possible problems from old system (some of these may become clean-up projects, but it is useful to know what they are, that they are not load problems, and how they migrated, or, in the case of brief records, if they migrated). Make a list of any found, but do not clean-up in the old system prior to record extraction.
  1. Brief records (acquisitions, reserves, recon) (system dependent)
  2. Call number problems (garbled, incorrect formatting, lacking local modifications)
  3. Holdings problems
  4. Location lacking
  5. Titles charged to "processing patrons" (ILL, Binding, etc.) - Are the same "processing patrons" being established in Voyager, or being done as temporary locations?

• If there is a larger number than expected
  1. Have holdings deletion procedures been followed properly?
  2. If dedupping, are there records with the same OCLC number, but different prefixes and/or suffixes?
• If there is a smaller number than expected:
  1. If dedupping, were a larger number of records dedupped than expected?
  2. Were all records extracted? Do a call number browse on any "accession-type" call numbers; also check that records were extracted for all locations. Check that all location and item type combinations in the old system were included in the mapping to Voyager.

• Searching
  1. OPAC title: If Voyager drops into an alphabetical list of titles with forward and backward paging, the system is set for Title Browse.
  2. OPAC title: If Voyager returns a set number of records with no forward and backward paging, the system is set for Left-Anchored
  3. Cataloging module, title search: If you input part of a title and receive no hits, automatic truncation under Options/Preferences/Workflow is most likely not turned on.
• Location mapping (MFHD 852 |b)
  1. Check mapping of all locations in several records for each location.
  2. Are location codes spelled correctly?
• Item record mapping
  1. Check mapping of all item types in several records for each item type.
  2. Item type controls circulation; non-circulating items should not have the same item type as circulating ones.
  3. Item types should correlate to locations per Data Migration Questionnaire mapping table - check several item records for all possible combinations.
  4. Are item type codes spelled correctly?
• Were the correct number of MFHDs and item records generated?
  1. One bibliographic record for one copy of an 8 volume set where all 8 volumes are owned should generate one MFHD and 8 item records. The MFHD may have eight 866 fields if loaded from 949s, one for each volume. The item records should have the volume numbers in the enum field.
  2. Three copies of a single volume monograph at the same location (if copy numbers are used in the 949 or previous item record) should generate 3 MFHDs, each with a single item record.
• If there are any records with 1,000+ item records per holdings statement, all the item records may not migrate (example: New York Times microfilm.) The data is migrated in packets with a character limit that is reached at approximately 1,300-1,500 item records.
  
• Do some random checking via call number or title searching - check every 10^th/25^th/100^th record (whatever seems appropriate for the size of the collection, number of people checking, etc.) - usually easier to do in the OPAC and then switch to Cataloging if something needs a more complete review
  
• If incorrect or garbled data is found, always check it against the source database. If it is garbled in the source, it is not a load problem.

• Check the various types of records listed under Identify specific examples and types of records for review, above
• During random checks, look for garbage characters that may have crept in during record extraction, or possibly, FTP transmission (these also may be located by a vendor doing authority work.)

• Does 852 indicator 1 (type of call number) match the call number? (Important for limiting call number searches and reports!)
• If not, check the call number hierarchy table from the data migration questionnaire.
• Are LC and Dewey call numbers parsed correctly (|a to |h and |b to |i)?
• Are SuDoc numbers parsed correctly (everything in |h)?
• Shelf list type call numbers may be parsed with everything in |h (|h CD 220) or split between |h and |i (|h CD |i 220) - but be consistent!
• Are call numbers displaying correctly in the OPAC - in shelf list order? (Note: Due to the way Voyager files numbers, leading zeros may need to be added as a clean-up project to "other" call numbers to make them display in correct order.)
• If notes from any source (590, 599, other) are being mapped to the 852 |z or |x, did they migrate correctly? (Per any special agreements with Endeavor)
• Check that script ls in call numbers or 300 fields migrated correctly.

• If you have no MFHDs, call your project manager immediately! Something glitched big time as all bib records should generate a MFHD with at least a location. If the location is lacking in the source, Endeavor should map it to a default location.
• If the old system supported MARC holdings, check that everything mapped correctly per your data migration questionnaire.
• Unless mapping from previous MARC holdings, it is extremely unlikely that the holdings utilized any tags except 852 (location and call number) and 866.
• If there are agreements for special programming with Endeavor, check that everything mapped per the agreements.
• Check mapping and data if loaded from OCLC LDRs, acquisitions data, or other sources.
• If data is truncated, was it truncated in the source? If so, it is not a load problem (… it is a clean-up problem!)
• If volume information for either monographic sets or serials is being generated from OCLC 949 fields, the piece information will load to separate 866 fields (i.e., 5 volumes=5 866 fields).

• If you have no item records, call your project manager immediately! Unless you are migrating from a paper system and plan to barcode after your load, you should have item records.
• Scan several barcodes (Record/Retrieve by barcode); do they retrieve the expected records?
• Current standing orders for monographic sets or serials - check that all item records migrated (checking for barcodes added directly to old system and not updated in OCLC 949 fields if 949 fields are currently used to add item records for new material to the old system.)
• Did volume and chronology data for monographic sets and serials map correctly? (Note, mapping may vary depending on source.)
• If available in old system, did piece counts migrate correctly?

• Check several authority records
  1. Data migrated OK.
  2. Diacritics migrated OK.
• In the OPAC
  1. Check that bib records are linked to the correct authority records.
  2. Check that cross-references are linked correctly.
  3. Check that scope notes display correctly.
• If the database was sent out for authority work, in the bib record
  1. Check that incorrect headings flipped to the correct form (identify problems in old database.)
  2. Check that old headings flipped correctly to the new form (Cataloging Service Bulletin may be used to identify headings.)

Non-Bibliographic Test Load

Endeavor has excellent information, that is not repeated here, posted on SupportWeb about the following loads. Enter SupportWeb and look under New Customer Setup/Milestones/Reviewing Your Data/[various links].

• Look at the information on SupportWeb as soon as possible.
• Make sure you know the load schedule.
• Make sure you know what information is supposed to be migrated.
• You may want to post a message to Voyager-L stating from what system you are migrating, and which loads you are doing, and asking for contacts from libraries which migrated from the same system.
• Does your library have any deviations from the standard load - i.e., any arrangements with Endeavor to do any special programming, any customization? Check all customization!

• Vendor
• Order
  1. Possible customization: migrate multiple-line POs from old system to single-line POs in Voyager
  2. Possible problem: incorrect encumbered fund totals
     1. May be caused by a very small number of records
     
     
     2. Check price fields.
     
     
     3. Check number of copies ordered.
  3. The intended location should be the shelving location, not the billing location
  4. Compare orders from Voyager with the same order in the old system.
  5. Compare samples from all types of orders being migrated (periodical subscriptions, other standing orders, monographic, etc.)
  6. Compare samples for different vendors.
• Patron records
  1. Review patron groups from old system before load - decide if there are changes you want to make.
  2. Make sure patron group codes in the patron file match those loaded into Voyager SysAdmin.
• Circulation transactions

Possible Clean-Up Projects

• Previous cataloging practices
• Previous classification practices
• Previous procedures (or lack thereof)
• Inconsistency in applying procedures over time
• Differences between the old system and the new
• Data which was not migrated
  1. Add periodical and serial holdings data.
  2. Add vendor records.
  3. Create periodical check-in records.
  4. Add circulation transactions.
  5. Add overdues, bills, etc. from old system.
• Review any records which were mapped to a review location and/or item type due to inconsistent or corrupted data from the old system (partial locations; odd combinations; old, forgotten locations which have resurfaced; etc.)
• Some locations and item types (exhibits, new books, etc.), which should be temporary, may migrate as permanent locations and item types requiring clean-up.
• Reserve material may present special, old-system-dependent problems.
  1. Merging and cleaning up records generated from brief reserve records (for example, unlinked item records in NOTIS mapped to brief bib records in Voyager; if there were 10 unlinked items for the same title in NOTIS, they converted to 10 brief bib records in Voyager - usable, but very messy.)
  2. Reserve locations and item types may migrate as permanent locations and item types, thus requiring correction to temporary locations and item type unless material is on reserve permanently.
  3. If all material migrates with one reserve item type, but circulates under multiple load periods, additional item types based on the load periods will need to be established and assigned manually.
• Bibliographic records
  1. Incorrect filing indicators (Note: may be corrected by an authority vendor.)
  2. Add missing 007s, especially for accompanying material.
  3. Correct miscoded 007s.
  4. Remove duplicate records.
  5. Suppress records for any locations that are to be automatically suppressed from the OPAC (not part of standard migration!)
  6. Headings (authority) clean-up
  7. 7. Move data from bib 590 fields to MFHD fields if appropriate.
• MFHDs
  1. Call number spacing (Call number browse highlights these problems beautifully!)
  2. Add leading zeros to "other" call numbers to insure correct filing sequence.
  3. Correct call number problems (Do call number browse "a" and then page backwards to find call numbers beginning with strange characters.)
  4. Add call numbers to records lacking them. (Locate via specialized report for "null" call number.)
  5. Compress volume holdings loaded from 949s.
• Item records
  1. Add piece counts (items with accompanying material, 2+ items in a container with one barcode.) (Can target specific areas of collection such as geology & EIS with maps, DVDs; otherwise, clean-up as found.)
  2. Correct item types and locations (incorrect in old system.) (Circulation usage reports by item type tend to show up strange combinations which can then be used as criteria in an Access query.)
• Other
  1. Check local subject headings against authority file. Update to LC (Sears, MLM, etc.) if any match. Create local authority records to ensure future consistency. I recommend doing only local authority records that either need x-refs, or are extremely unlikely to be established at the national level.