Let BDS enhance your catalogue to improve access to the collections you hold and ensure that it is compliant with the latest standards. Retrospective Conversion 2.0 helps libraries move towards a Linked Data environment, the most important development in library catalogues for a generation.
Remove inconsistencies
Inconsistencies that have built up in your catalogue due to changes in standards in the last twenty years compromise retrieval and resource discovery. Retrospective Conversion 2.0 converts legacy records in your catalogue to comply with current standards.
If your catalogue was compiled from diverse sources with varying practices, Retrospective Conversion 2.0 can bring all your mainstream records into a catalogue that produces reliable search results and consistent classification.
Retrospective Conversion 2.0 will enrich the metadata that a library holds in its catalogue, but any fields, such as classification, can be protected if over-writing is not required and merged with our industry-standard metadata.
Merging Information
Retrospective Conversion 2.0 can also enhance catalogues through the addition of information such as table of contents (TOCs) and descriptions made available by publishers. By merging this information into the MARC record, resource discovery is improved over services that display extended content on the page with the cataloguing information, but do not allow indexing within the LMS.
Distinctive Features
Retrospective Conversion 2.0 offers several distinctive features:
- Auto RDA – while the full benefits associated with RDA can only be achieved by re-examination of the work, certain features can be applied retrospectively to make your records look more RDA-like, even if they were originally catalogued under AACR2. The BDS RDA Enhancement Service represents a significant step towards modernising library catalogues and improves the appearance and intelligibility of records for a non-specialist audience.
- Auto ISNI – ISNI is a name authority being employed by the British Library and other bodies throughout the book and entertainment industries that can build on NACO by adding identifiers, important in a Linked Data environment.
- FAST subject headings – FAST is being embraced by many libraries, including the British Library, as an alternative to LCSH. It is simpler to apply and is moving away from headings which are politically or socially unacceptable in LCSH. Most importantly, FAST headings contain identifiers, essential for creating Linked Data. FAST can co-exist alongside legacy LCSH to offer additional search terms. BDS will update its Retrospective Conversion 2.0 service to include FAST in the future.
Update Dewey
If you require assistance with updating to the latest edition of Dewey Decimal Classification, we can assist with this exercise.
The Ideal Complement to UniCat
Retrospective Conversion 2.0 is a valuable exercise to undertake to prepare for the supply of records through UniCat or can be undertaken post-implementation of UniCat to ensure that legacy records are as good as the new records supplied by this service.
Built for the Future
Retrospective Conversion 2.0 gets your catalogue in shape. It enables you to embrace new initiatives, to make your catalogue visible on the Web, and ensures that all the standards are present that are needed to function in a retrieval environment in the 21st century.
Training
Harness the expertise of our metadata and technical experts through one-day and short workshops run by BDS in order to take advantage of the improvements that our Catalogue Enhancement service offers. Courses will be designed and tailored to your needs.
Contact BDS now to find out more about Catalogue Enhancement.