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What is your favorite z39.50 server?
Up to Table of ContentsThis FAQ applies to: 3.0, 3.1, 3.2
If any happy Koha catalogers out there have a favorite Z39.50 source for good MARC records in a format that Koha can readily import, please would you share the site and settings that work best for you. I am finding Library of Congress is surprisingly not a good source, or maybe I have something wrong in the syntax and encoding settings. Any advice most gratefully accepted!
There are several recommendations:
- I have found that AMICUS from Canada is quite good, with MARC-21 records from LoC and the British Library system. It does you require that you register (free) every 6 months http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/amicus/006002-400-e.html
- Do you find that there's extensive French language content in the AMICUS records? We prefer to keep our records relatively "clean", so lots of French subject headings, etc. would be an issue for us.
- No, they have the same records as everyone else. Very English. One good thing about AMICUS is that they have taken the British Library's records which are NOT marc and converted them to marc21 and made them available via a z39.50 server.
- The ‡biblios.net open cataloging service's bibliographic records can be accessed via Z39.50. Connection settings are at https://bws.biblios.net/doku.php/searching_for_bibliographic_and_authority_records#advanced_searching_with_z39.50
- The sources include the Open Library, LC, the Talis Union Catalogue, contributions by several specialized libraries, and ‡biblios.net users.
- I always find that the big US publics (Boston, New York, etc) have great records.
see also:
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Z39.50 Servers
- Defines the Z39.50 servers you want Koha to search when finding catalog records to import directly into your catalog.
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Z39.50 Servers
- Defines the Z39.50 servers you want Koha to search when finding catalog records to import directly into your catalog.

