Metadata Requesting Training Manual

Creating Metadata Requests - FamilySearch Centers

When you identify books to scan and bib-check you should keep track of this work on a spreadsheet. Creating the metadata request will then just be a matter of compiling your tracking spreadsheet into a format specific for the metadata request.

See section 2 for instructions on creating metadata requests if you’re at a partner institution. The process for creating and submitting requests is slightly different for Family History Center/FamilySearch Libraries and partner institutions.

Books

• Open the template for book metadata requests
  
  • Note: metadata requests for serials must be submitted on a separate spreadsheet
• Save a copy
  
  • Go to File > Save As and save a new copy of the spreadsheet, named with the center (or center that owns the books you’ll be scanning), media type, and date
    
    • Example: Ogden_book_2018-01-11
• Fill in the information below the headers for the books you wish to scan:
  
  • Fhtitleno – this is the title number (TN) for your book as found in OLIB
  • Extension – there should only be an extension if your book is from a multivolume series, is split into multiple parts, or has an index, addendum, or supplement. Include the underscore (_) and leading zeros
    
    • Example: _02
    • Example: _13_pt02
    • Example: _supp
  • Title_extension – if your book has an extension because it is part of a multivolume series, etc., include a description of the extension
    
    • Example: v. 02
    • Example: v. 13 pt. 02
    • Example: supplement
  • Title – this is the book’s title
  • Call no – this is the book’s call number (don’t fill this in for Family History Library books)
  • Publication place – this is the location where the book was published
  • Publication date – this is the date the item was published and/or copyrighted
  • Permission code – include the contract code found in OLIB, if there is one (note that only J- K- codes should be submitted):
    
    • J1 K1
    • J1 K3
    • J1 K2j
  • US or INT – indicate whether the item was published in the United States or internationally
    
    • US – United States
    • INT – International
  • Copyright notation – you must provide a yes or no answer if the book has a copyright notation or not
    
    • Y – Yes, the book says “Copyright”, “Copyright Reserved”, “Copyr.”, or “©” on or near the title page
    • N – No, the book does not have an indication of copyright

• Do NOT fill in any of the other copyright fields with gray headers
• As a general rule, submit about 20 rows of books per metadata request. Note that if you submit requests with more books, it just may take longer to process your request
• If you are scanning books from multiple Family History Centers, please keep these lists separate and submit as separate metadata requests
• Please do not resubmit metadata requests unless you were asked to make corrections to a previous request

Serials

• Open the template for serial metadata requests

  • Note: metadata requests for books must be submitted on a separate spreadsheet

• Save a copy

  • Go to File > Save As and save a new copy of the spreadsheet, named with the center (or center that owns the serials you will be scanning), media type, and date

    • Example: FHL_serial_2017-12-20

• Fill in the information below the headers for the books you wish to scan:

  • Fhtitleno – this is the issue title number (TN) for your serial issue as found in OLIB

  • Title – this is the title, which should include the serial title and the issue title

    • Example: Clan Douglas Society of North America, v. 17 no. 3, (winter 1991/1992)
    • In this example, Clan Douglas Society of North America is the series title, while v. 17 no 3, (winter 1991/1992) is the issue title
  • Call no – include the serial’s call number (except for Family History Library books)
  • Publication place – this is the location where the serial was published
  • Publication date – this is the date the issue was published and/or copyrighted

  • Permission code – include the contract code found in OLIB, if there is one (note that only J- K- codes should be submitted. Do no submit anything with a J9 code). The contract codes are found in the serial’s parent title record and the code applies to all issues of that serial:

    • J1 K1
    • J1 K3
    • J1 K2j

  • US or INT – indicate whether the serial was published in the United States or internationally

    • US – United States
    • INT – International

  • Copyright notation – you must provide a yes or no answer whether the issue has a copyright notation

    • Y – Yes, the book says “Copyright”, “Copyright Reserved”, “All Rights Reserved”, “Copyr.”, or “©” on or near the title page
    • N – No, the book does not have an indication of copyright

• Do NOT fill in any of the other copyright fields with gray headers
• If you are scanning issues from multiple Family History Centers, please keep these lists separate and submit as separate metadata requests
• Please do not resubmit metadata requests unless you were asked to make corrections to a previous request

Creating Metadata Requests - Partner Libraries or Institutions

Metadata requests for partner institutions may include books that already have a record in FamilySearch’s catalog or that still need to be cataloged.

• Open the template for partner library metadata requests
• Save a copy
  
  • Go to File > Save As and save a new copy of the spreadsheet, named with the library, media type, and date
    
    • Example: ACPL_2017-12-20

• Fill in the information below the headers for the books you wish to scan:

  Depending on the information your library uses to track the books to be digitized, your metadata request may include slight variances to what’s listed below.
  

  • Fhtitleno – this is the title number (TN) for your book
  • If, when you bib-checked your books against the FamilySearch catalog (OLIB Web), you didn’t find your book, this field may be blank
  • OCLC# – if your book is not in the FamilySearch catalog and has no title number, include the book’s WorldCat OCLC number
  • Title – this is the book’s title
  • Volume – this is the book’s volume number if the book is part of a multivolume series
  • Author – this is the book’s author(s)
  • Pages – this is the number of pages or other physical description
  • Call no - this is your library’s call number for the book
  • Publisher and place – this is the item’s publisher and publish location
  • Publication date – this is the date the item was published and/or copyrighted
  • Permission Code – if you found a record for your book in the FamilySearch catalog, check for a contract code. Partner libraries may only scan books with the following codes:
    
    • J1 K1
    • J1 K3
  • US or INT – indicate whether the item was published in the United States or internationally
    
    • US – United States
    • INT – International
  • Copyright notation – you must provide a yes or no answer as to whether or not the item has a copyright notation
    
    • Y – Yes, the book says “Copyright”, “Copyright Reserved”, “All Rights Reserved”, “Copyr.”, or “©” on or near the title page
    • N – No, the book does not have an indication of copyright
• Do NOT fill in any of the fields with gray headers

Email the request

• Attach your saved spreadsheet to an email and send it to the metadata/cataloging team
  
  • Submit your requests to: metadatarequests@familysearch.org
  • If you are digitizing for a center or library other than your own, be sure to indicate whose materials you’re scanning
  • If you have permission forms that apply to any of the items on your metadata request, include digital copies of the permission form with your metadata request
• FamilySearch Centers may expect a response within 1-2 business days
• Partner libraries may expect a response within 2-6 business days
  

Feedback

• If there is a problem with your metadata request, you may get feedback and be asked to make corrections and resubmit your request
• When your metadata request has been processed, you should receive two emails
  
  • One email will automatically be sent from the book scanning Tracking Form Database and will include a spreadsheet with the metadata for all the books that have just be put into the system
  • Jeff or Ellen will send you an email letting you know they’ve processed your metadata request. If any of the books on your request were already in the book scanning Tracking Form Database, they will provide you the title numbers of books from your list that you don’t need to scan
• After metadata has been put into the book scanning Tracking Form Database, those title numbers will appear in your Ready to Scan list: