Acquiring MARC records from the NHU-PAC

This post talks about how to download MARC records from the NHU-PAC via a Z39.50 connection.  It is the second of several posts detailing workarounds for NHU-PAC Holdings Maintenance tasks.

Z39.50 is a protocol for searching and retrieving database information over a network.  It can be used to find and download MARC bibliographic records from the NHU-PAC.

If your library system includes Z39.50 capabilities, you can configure it to search the NHU-PAC.  Contractual restrictions prevent us posting the connection information on the blog but NHAIS members are welcome to send an e-mail to NHAIS Services requesting details.  You'll receive the address, port, database name, and other information needed to establish the connection.  The connection information is exclusively for use by NHAIS member libraries and should not be shared with non-NHAIS libraries.

Once connected, you can search the NHU-PAC and download records.  The downloaded records can be sent to NHAIS Services following guidelines referenced in a previous post as a way to add your holdings to the NHU-PAC.

 Z39.50 search results for subject "Lake Winnipesaukee" as seen in Koha

But what if your ILS doesn't include a Z39.50 client?  A workaround for that will be covered in another post.