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Our librarys automation system can handle Unicode records. Can I still use BiblioFile?

April 26, 2017automation bibliofile library records system Unicode

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Our librarys automation system can handle Unicode records. Can I still use BiblioFile?

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Yes! Just make sure to save your records in MARC-8 format. The encoding format of a record is signaled by its Leader byte 9, which contains a space for MARC-8 records and an ‘a’ for Unicode records. This flag tells the system how to interpret the bits and bytes that make up the record. BiblioFile allows users to save MARC records in either traditional MARC-8 (“ASCII”) format, in which case BiblioFile will insert a space in this byte, or Unicode (BiblioFile will insert an ‘a’). A third option is also available: leave the encoding choice open, allowing the encoding format to be set by the cataloger using the Leader byte 9 flag. Be cautious using this last option, however. Not all systems can handle mixed files, and many systems cannot handle Unicode at all. If in doubt, save all records as MARC-8.