Re: USMARC and postgresql?

On Tue, May 09, 2000 at 10:36:51AM +0100, kb2qzv@poczta.onet.pl wrote:
> Hi everybody,
> I am looking for some help on how to use postgresql to organize
> MARC bibliographic records. I am a beginner. Are there any sites
> or projects that have already been started?
>
> Perhaps anyone knows where to find a series of SQL statements
> to create an usable database for holding bibliographic records
> which would be USMARC compliant?

This is way hard.  The reason is simple: MARC allows all of the following:

1.    Multiple instances of the same field.
2.    Variable length of field.
3.    Unpredictable numbers of completed fields.

The commercial vendors of SQL-based library automation systems do this with
BLOBs.  It's a pain, though, because building the indices against the
catalogue is difficult.  I think, actually, that the PICK-based spproach is
better, but PICK is going away.  Anyway, you likely need to talk to someone
about BLOBs.  I can't help, sorry.

--
Andrew Sullivan                                      Computer Services
<sullivana@bpl.on.ca>                        Burlington Public Library
+1 905 639 3611 x158                                   2331 New Street
                                   Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7R 1J4