Downloading MARC records with MarcEdit Z39.50/SRU Client

Many of today's integrated library systems have Z39.50 clients built-in, allowing you to search other databases (including the NHU-PAC) and directly pull MARC records into your catalog. For users who do not have a Z39.50 client as part of their ILS but would like to be able to obtain records from the NHU-PAC, Terry Reese's free MARC editing utility MarcEdit includes a Z39.50 client. This post covers installing and using the Z39.50 client included in version 7 of MarcEdit, which has a number of changes from the one in version 6 that was documented here in 2014.

Although MarcEdit can run on several operating systems, the following assumes you're running Windows 10. To obtain the correct download at http://marcedit.reeset.net/downloads, you'll need to know whether your operating system is 32- or 64-bit. If your computer was built in the last dozen years, chances are it's 64-bit but here's how to check: Start > Settings (gear icon) > System, then scroll to the bottom and click on About. It'll say whether your OS is 32- or 64-bit on the System (or System Type) line. Download the appropriate file and install it.

Once installed, open MarcEdit and click on the Z39.50/SRU Client icon. (If you don't see the icon, go to Tools > Preferences and make sure Z39.50/SRU Client is one of the selected default programs.) To add the NHU-PAC to the list of searchable databases, go to Actions > Add New Z39.50 Server. Enter NHU-PAC for the name, then enter the host (address/URL), database name, port number, username, and password (this information is at the top of the Options for Downloading MARC Records from NHU-PAC document). Choose MARC21 for syntax and make sure the Show Database box is checked. Click the Save button when done.

When you're back at the main Z39.50/SRU Client window, click Select Database and highlight the database(s) you want to search. Multiple search targets can be selected by holding down the control key while clicking on database names. Click the Select button when done.

Back on the main Z39.50/SRU Client window, you should see the target(s) you selected listed under Query Database. To specify a location to save downloaded records, go to Actions > Preferences. Under Save File Behavior, choose the Prompt to Append or overwrite file button, then click the folder icon next to the Default Save File path, browse to the desired location, and specify a filename. Click Save Settings when done.

Now you're ready to search. Enter your search term(s), choose the appropriate type of search (title, ISBN, etc.) from the drop-down list, and click the green arrow.

By default, the MarcEdit Z39.50/SRU Client displays the first 20 records for your search. You can change the number in the box under Records per page--or just click Get Next 20 near the bottom of the window to add the next 20 records to your search results list.

To see record details, double-click on a title. If the record matches what you're cataloging, you can download it from the list of search results (close the detail screen if it's open). Right-click on the desired entry and choose Download Selected Items. (If you'd like everything on the search results list, there's a Download All Items option at the bottom of the screen.)

When you download a second record you should see a "Would you like to append existing file" message--choose Yes and it should remember to append rather than overwrite your file for the rest of your session. If you choose No, the previously downloaded record(s) in the file will be deleted and replaced by the current record.

Once you've finished adding to your file of MARC records, you may import the file into your ILS so you'll have the records in your catalog. There you can add call numbers and other local information.

If your library is a union catalog participant in the NHAIS ILL System, you could use the file (either straight out of the MarcEdit Z39.50/SRU Client or as processed in your ILS) as a way to add your holdings to the union catalog. The How to send files to Update your NHU-PAC Holdings document covers this.

There are many more things you can do with MarcEdit but the focus of this post is obtaining records from the NHU-PAC. The MarcEdit Help page has links for information on other tasks. Be aware that many of the YouTube tutorials use older versions of MarcEdit.

[This post edited 1/16/24 to update links.]