Merging records
Often two or more duplicate bibliographic records will exist in the catalog that must be merged. Merging is accomplished by using record buckets. For more information on buckets, please see the Buckets section. Merging is done in the following steps.
Retrieve the first record to be merged
Under Actions for this Record, select Add to Bucket.
A new window will pop up in the top left corner. There are two options, first, you can add to an existing bucket by selecting the bucket from the list and clicking on Add to Selected Bucket. Alternately, you can create a new bucket by clicking on Add to New Bucket and then typing in a name for the new bucket and clicking on OK.
Now that the first record has been added to a bucket, you need to add the second record to the same bucket.
Retrieve the second record to be merged.
Under Actions for this Record, select Add to Bucket.
A new window will pop up in the top left corner. This time, you want to add the record to the same bucket you added the first record to. Select the correct bucket from the list and click on Add to Selected Bucket.
Now the records have been added to the bucket, you need to go through the process of merging them.
Click on the Cataloging menu and select Manage Record Buckets (or click on the Edit menu and select Record Buckets).
A record bucket screen appears in the Bucket View. Click on the Choose a bucket… drop-down. Select the bucket you put your records in.
The window will refresh with the bucket and the records in the bucket.
Click on the Merge All Records button in the lower right of the window.
A new tab will open with each record displayed in a split screen. [Note: more than 2 records can be merged.] This is where you will compare the records to make sure that they really are the same record and can be merged together. At the top of the screen, the system asks: “Merge these records? (Select the “lead record” first).” The lead record is the better record - the fabulous more complete record with most useful and correct information.
You can edit a MARC record by selecting Edit Bib. That will open and editable version of the MARC record and let you choose to edit it via the Flat-Text Editor, if you check the box next to that option. You can also Validate to check headings against your authority records, Save Record after you make any changes and if you click on the Help button, a box with the keyboard shortcuts for editing MARC records will pop up.
To remove a record from being merged, click on Remove from consideration? button for that record.
Select the lead record for merging by clicking on the button next to Lead Record?.
Click on the Merge button at the top left of the screen.
The window will refresh to display the new merged record.
After merging records, it is good practice to remove the records from the bucket so that the same bucket can be used for easy merging in the future. Click on the tab that has the record bucket. Highlight the records and click on the Remove Selected from Bucket button. Attention: DO NOT click on Delete all Records !!!! That will actually delete all records. Yes - I promise it will.
The window will refresh and the bucket will be empty.
With the two records merged, any items attached to either record will now be attached to the merged record.
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