A c t i o n f o r L i b r a r i e s — J u n e 2 0 0 1

MFHD: Not Just More Alphabet Soup

By Mike Wright

Does the acronym MFHD mean anything to you? If it doesn't yet, it soon will. MFHD (MARC Format for Holdings Data) is the international standard for encoding serials holdings data (NISO Z39.71).

Why another standard? What will this do that would make its adoption worthwhile? For starters, a serials database using MFHD will be transferable from library system to library system, vendor to vendor. No more nightmarish messes from having holdings in a format incompatible with a new system. Even better, MFHD records eventually will be available in databases like OCLC; libraries will be able to export ready-made holdings records into their systems just as they now do with MARC bibliographic records. In addition, complete, viewable MFHD records will assist patrons in finding exact holdings and in resource sharing.

Many library systems now allow libraries to encode their serials holdings information using the MARC Format for Holdings Data (MFHD) and more will be offering it soon.

One problem: few people know how to use MFHD to its fullest, assuming they are familiar with it at all.

BCR's Mike Wright is now a Library of Congress certified trainer in MFHD, and BCR is prepared to begin offering workshops on MFHD if there is demand. If your library is interested in receiving such training, please contact Mike Wright (mwright@bcr.org) or Rosario Garza (rgarza@bcr.org). Once we have determined the level of interest, we will begin scheduling these workshops throughout the BCR region.

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