[Bug 37136] New: Google Books - catalog books using Google Books data
https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=37136 Bug ID: 37136 Summary: Google Books - catalog books using Google Books data Change sponsored?: --- Product: Koha Version: unspecified Hardware: All OS: All Status: NEW Severity: critical Priority: P5 - low Component: Cataloging Assignee: koha-bugs@lists.koha-community.org Reporter: antian770@gmail.com QA Contact: testopia@bugs.koha-community.org CC: m.de.rooy@rijksmuseum.nl Our library was using (still is until we safely move everything over to Koha) a hosted software solution that allowed us to catalogue books by searching the ISBN using a goole books dropdown option. Google Books would almost always find a result. When we started using Koha now and started cataloging books using the Z39 search, it searches just Library of Congress (did we not set up google books and that IS an option?) and it finds just half of all books. Is there a way already now in the system for us to enable Google Books? I noticed people mentioned Google Books in bug fixes but that was for the OPAC side suggestions etc. I am talking about when cataloging, the ability to find a record and automatically populate all the fields. Please contact me directly on email if this feature already exists as I would like to start using it if it is there already. -- You are receiving this mail because: You are the assignee for the bug. You are watching all bug changes.
https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=37136 --- Comment #1 from Katrin Fischer <katrin.fischer@bsz-bw.de> --- Google books doesn't provide MARC records, so the information that we could get from there is rather limited and would not be enough to create good MARC records. But you can add other bib library catalogs to your Z39.50 sources. There are some examples in the wiki: https://wiki.koha-community.org/wiki/Configure_Z39.50/SRU_targets https://wiki.koha-community.org/wiki/Koha_Open_Z39.50_Sources Or here: https://irspy.indexdata.com/ You could also try asking in chat what other libraries use/recommend. -- You are receiving this mail because: You are the assignee for the bug. You are watching all bug changes.
https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=37136 --- Comment #2 from antian770@gmail.com --- Thank you Katrin. I also wanted to ask kindly: What’s the rationale of limiting Koha to MARC records only? I mean, I understand that some libraries want their resources discoverable on Worldcat and to have library of congress call numbers etc. We want this too. But there also also the immediate utilities and needs of a library to be able to catalogue a book quickly so it can make it available to it’s users sooner, and if Google Books is providing such quick but incomplete records, at least the books can be used right away and additional info added later. Would adding a Google Books option require a completely different system? Is there an automatic clash with MARC and Z39 if an option like that is enabled? Like can’t I sometimes catalogue MARC and sometimes use a Google Books option knowing that it will give me a more basic record? -- You are receiving this mail because: You are the assignee for the bug. You are watching all bug changes.
https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=37136 --- Comment #3 from Katrin Fischer <katrin.fischer@bsz-bw.de> --- If a feature was added to pull information from Google Books it would still have to be transformed into a basic MARC record. It's possible. I was more trying to say you should try other options too as neither the LOC nor Google Books are the only ones. There are a lot of big library catalogs that might have nicer data already, saving you even more work. -- You are receiving this mail because: You are the assignee for the bug. You are watching all bug changes.
https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=37136 Phil Ringnalda <phil@chetcolibrary.org> changed: What |Removed |Added ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Severity|critical |enhancement -- You are receiving this mail because: You are the assignee for the bug. You are watching all bug changes.
https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=37136 --- Comment #4 from antian770@gmail.com --- After some more work I did cataloging in Koha I can now say I think it is indeed worth it and I would highly recommend adding google books, Katrin, even if it would mean that it would create just a basic MARC record. Here’s why: 1. I have added quite a few really good library sources to Koha using irspy, but even Library of Congress itself, and also Harvard etc not always have a really pristine Marc record for every book. Actually, LOC itself has many Marc records for books where even the title is missing! 2. Google books would at least give in most cases: ISBN, Title, Author, Publisher. It’s true that it would in most cases (I think) be missing the LOC call number, but just having Google Books as a “source” option would allow the librarian to choose their source. 3. We are finding that Google Books is getting results 70-80% or more for our books. Whereas Z39 search from current good sources we added are getting less than 50%. Just to add Google books as a source in z39 search or somewhere in Koha would increase our productivity tremendously. While we are a special library as we focus on Jewish subjects, however our books also include Medical, Ethics, Literature etc so I am sure that such a feature would benefit other small-medium libraries who need a fast cataloging option. 4. A google record could always later be enganced manually by the librarian searching for the LOC call number, page count etc and adding it. As I mentioned before, this data is anyways missing in many cases even in LOC records. -- You are receiving this mail because: You are watching all bug changes. You are the assignee for the bug.
https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=37136 --- Comment #5 from Katrin Fischer <katrin.fischer@bsz-bw.de> --- Not trying to be the bad guy here :) I was just trying to explain why Koha and other ILS don't support this. It would also require a fair amount of code to make it work as Google Books offers none of the standard protocols Koha already supports. I was suggesting adding other Z39.50 and SRU targets as the quickest fix for your issue. -- You are receiving this mail because: You are watching all bug changes. You are the assignee for the bug.
https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=37136 --- Comment #6 from antian770@gmail.com --- Thanks Katrin. I was wondering, I’m not sure how this works, but am I allowed to hire a programmer to write that code and make this improvement to Koha? (Adding Google Books source). Does it have to first get approved by you and a board of senior coders/project managers at Koha? -- You are receiving this mail because: You are watching all bug changes. You are the assignee for the bug.
https://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=37136 --- Comment #7 from Katrin Fischer <katrin.fischer@bsz-bw.de> --- (In reply to antian770 from comment #6)
Thanks Katrin. I was wondering, I’m not sure how this works, but am I allowed to hire a programmer to write that code and make this improvement to Koha? (Adding Google Books source). Does it have to first get approved by you and a board of senior coders/project managers at Koha?
You can develop code or have it developed. In order to make it into Koha it needs to follow our Coding guidelines and pass community review, but there is no board or similar to ultimately decide. Having some support in that others are also interested in the feature certainly helps. Maybe present your idea on the Mattermost chat? Sometimes it can also be a good idea to develop things relying on external APIs as a plugin. Have a look at the wiki, especially: https://wiki.koha-community.org/wiki/Coding_Guidelines https://wiki.koha-community.org/wiki/Development_workflow -- You are receiving this mail because: You are watching all bug changes. You are the assignee for the bug.
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