Mechanism to validate binary MARC record structure
There is currently no mechanism within Alma to ensure that exported or published binary MARC records have valid record structures. Even though Alma uses MARCXML and is not impacted internally by invalid binary MARC, libraries must still provide binary MARC records to external entities in the course of regular business (vendors, outsourcers, agencies, other stakeholders).
Structurally invalid binary MARC records significantly hamper data sharing for libraries. A third party application, MarcEdit, can be used to validate MARC record structure, but since our data is stored in Alma, there should be a mechanism native to Alma that validates binary MARC structure prior to export or publishing.
An internal job or process to validate the structure of single or files of binary MARC records should be added so that customers are not reliant on a third party application for this.
Erin Grant
shared this idea
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That's a good point, Luigi. I have a few cases open about publishing profiles, and will add that detail to one of them. In the past at a prior institution when we had a similar problem exporting bibs that exceeded the maximum MARC record file size, the case was closed and we were told that this would need to be an enhancement (link to idea: https://ideas.exlibrisgroup.com/forums/308173-alma/suggestions/18740719-add-validating-marc-field-and-record-character-lim).
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Luigi Siciliano
commented
Exporting structurally invalid binary MARC records sounds like more like an error that should be pointed out and fixed. Did anyone open a case about it?