How to Use the Records of the Deutsche Bibliothek

[Adapted from RLIN Focus Issue 34, October 1998 (Karen Smith-Yoshimura, RLG Member Programs and Initiatives)]

With the successful completion of the first stage of RLG's Z39.50 Client Gateway, RLG has made this database available to all RLIN users without loading the records into the RLG bibliographic files. To search for records not represented in the RLG bibliographic files, just type select file dbd and use RLIN indexes and commands. The gateway handles all MARC-format and character-set conversion as records are retrieved, an "added value" advocated by the RLIN Strategy Focus Group.

The retrieved records look like RLIN records, and you can use these records just like any other RLIN bibliographic record—copy them, download them into your local system, or transfer them into RLIN ILL requests. No special sign up is needed; a search on either database is just deducted from your existing search block. RLG pays all license fees. Your invoices will list DBD search totals separately from other searching. In December 1998, RLG extended gateway access to Z39.50 clients who access the RLG bibliographic files through Zephyr, RLG's Z39.50 service (See http://www.rlg.org/useatt.html for the use attributes supported by the DBD.).

Die Deutsche Bibliothek Database contains 6.5 million records representing the holdings of the National Library of Germany, which, following the unification of Germany in October 1990, combines the Deutsche Bucherei Leipzig and the Deutsche Bibliothek Frankfurt am Main (including the Deutsches Musikarchiv Berlin). The library collects and catalogs all printed and electronic publications issued in Germany, published abroad in German, translated from German-language publications, and works in any language about Germany (Germanica). The records represent monographs, periodicals, microforms, dissertations, visual materials, maps, printed and recorded music, and electronic publications.

About 4,000 publishers participate in the library's Cataloging-in-Publication (CIP) service, producing about 40,000 titles per year. CIP records appear about four weeks in advance of publication. More than 80% of all titles of relevance to academic libraries issued annually by German publishers or published in German are represented. This is an important resource for collection development, bibliographers, and acquisitions staff, and is a target for the joint Association of American Universities and Association of Research Libraries German Resources Project. These records represent German-language cataloging following "Regeln für die alphabetische Katalogisierung," or RAK; subject headings are assigned from the Schlagwortnormdatei (SWD) or from a subject catalog at the Deutsche Bibliothek that preceded SWD.

The RLIN Show Files display now describes both new files. Type show file dbd to see a brief description.

Using the records retrieved

Any records retrieved can be passed or put for local use, just like any other RLG bibliographic record. Note that there is an additional charge for each record exported (see RLG's 1998-1999 Rates for User Services). You can copy records retrieved using the Transfer Derive or Transfer Create* command; be sure that you have your RLIN input file set for the correct file before you transfer a record!

General RLIN searching tips

You can select the DBD files at any point in your RLIN search session, either before or after you do a search on the RLG bibliographic files. ISBN and ISSN indexes work exactly the same on the DBD file and are the best indexes for resuming a search for a known item from an RLG bibliographic file. For example:

select file bks, dbd/find isbn 3860570374

will retrieve a "None in BKS" message, and the search will automatically resume to the DBD and retrieve the record in your default display format. (See the record retrieved in the accompanying illustration.) The same record could be retrieved by: select file bks/find isbn 3860570374/select file dbd/resume. Each search against DBD is counted as a search (ISBN or ISSN as half a search), even when it is resumed from another file.

The Title Word index also works exactly as in the RLIN bibliographic files. Note that results from word or name searches may be large. Use the qualifier also pd to narrow your result set or do an add-on search with another index. Right truncation (#) is also supported in the DBD.

If an RLIN index is not supported in DBD, you will see a result message with the file name in brackets; for example, "None in [DBD]" This means that you will need to use another index to search the file. Searches with unsupported indexes are not charged.

Differences in indexing

Although RLG tried hard to map RLIN indexes to the closest equivalents in the Deutsche Bibliothek Database, not all RLIN indexes are defined in the DBD, or they may work differently. The new show index dbd screens deal with these differences.

Die Deutsche Bibliothek database

RLIN Indexes Supported: ISBN, ISSN, PE, CW, TW, SW, ID

No phrase indexes are supported. You must use the PE index to search for authors (with or without forename). With PE, use either the full surname and forename or surname only.

find pe duerrenmatt, friedrich
find pe duerrenmatt

Replace umlauts that will appear in words with an "e".

find tw behaelterbau

Remember that all subject word searches must be in German!

find sw auslaender geschichte

40 Jahre "Gastarbeiter" : Deutschland auf dem Weg zur multikulturellen
   Gesellschaft? ; der Schreibwettbewerb des Süddeutschen Rundfunks / SDR,
   Süddeutscher Rundfunk. Karl-Heinz Meier-Braun ...(Hrsg.).
   --Tübingen : Stauffenburg-Verl., 1998.
  XVI, 232 S. ; 23 cm. - (Stauffenburg discussion ; Bd. 9)

  ISBN 3-86057-037-4 : kart. : DM 29.80, sfr 27.50, S 218.00

  1. Deutsch-Kurzepik-Ausländer-Geschichte 1996 Anthologie. I. Meier-Braun,
 Karl-Heinz Hrsg. II. Süddeutscher Rundfunk (Stuttgart) III. Title: Vierzig
 Jahre "Gastarbeiter" IV. Series.

  035: (GyFmDB)952442558
  ID: ZDBD952442558    CC: 9717        DCF: i