MARConvert™ is the easiest way to convert MARC records!

MARConvert handles special problems or unusual requirements in converting records into or out of MARC21, UNIMARC, or MARCXML bibliographic or authority formats. It will also convert MARC records from one character set to another.

"Thanks again for your continued guidance and excellent product support!" Unsolicited comment from a MARConvert client

MARConvert is available only in custom versions, guaranteed to work with your specialized or non-standard data. We and our clients have converted millions of records using this software.

Database Integration

MARConvert can read from and write to databases such as SQL Server. We have recently delivered three versions that do so.

One converts out of SQL Server. A web application receives a user's request and finds invoice data in SQL Server. MARConvert then uses the invoice items to generate MARC records on-the-fly for the user to download. The web interface is provided by our MWeb™ Online Catalog software.

The other two convert MARC records into relational data which is loaded into SQL Server. There are three ways the data can be loaded:

1. MARConvert converts MARC records to delimited-text files for you to load.
2. MARConvert produces delimited-text files and immediately loads them into the database using a third-party utility, such as BCP for SQL Server. One million MARC records can be converted and loaded in only 20 minutes.
3. MARConvert inserts directly into the database using ODBC without generating output files.

See client profiles below for details.

Formats

Since MARConvert is customized to your requirements, it can convert MARC records to or from any other format:

• Delimited ASCII files (using whatever delimiter you require)
• Tagged-text formats (in which each field is on a separate line preceded by the fieldname)
• Markup formats such as XML or HTML
• Relational tables or databases
• From MARC21 to UNIMARC or the reverse
• From MARC21 to MARCXML or the reverse

There is no limit to the number of records whether converting into or out of MARC. The size of the MARC file (whether converting into or out of MARC) is limited to 2 gigabytes (2,147,483,647 bytes, about 2 million average MARC records); if this is too small, multiple files can be converted in a single operation. Input files are unaffected by the conversion.

Character Encodings

Character encodings can be converted from anything to anything. Conversion can be based on the Leader byte 09 in each record (which indicates the MARC-8 or UTF-8 encoding) or another data element. MARConvert currently handles MARC-8, Latin-1, UTF-8, UNIMARC, and the character set used in the Library of Congress' MakrBrkr programs. Other conversions can be added to your requirements.

For both MARC-8 and UTF-8, conversions can include the entire MARC-8 repertoire of almost 17,000 characters, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, and Cyrillic. Both pre-composed and decomposed UTF-8 characters are converted.

Modes

MARConvert operates in two modes:

Main window showing interactive interface Click image for larger view

1. Interactive mode: An interactive Windows program in which you specify the file to convert and other options using a Windows interface. In this mode you also have all the features of MARCView™, so you can view, search, and print MARC21, UNIMARC, and MARCXML files.
2. Batch mode: MARConvert can be called from a batch program so you can integrate it with other programs. Or you can write a command file so numerous files can be converted quickly without having to select each one.

These two modes are combined into a single product.

Flexibility

For simpler conversions, MARConvert uses a plain-text Translation Table that specifies how records are converted. You can edit the table with Notepad to modify the conversion if your needs change. The Translation Tables provide flexibility to describe:

• How fields are combined and separated
• The separator used between the field label and the data, as well as the separator between records (separators may be more than one character and can include spaces, tabs, and line-feeds)
• How constant character strings are combined with record variables (data may be preceded, followed, or surrounded by any text)
• Subfields added to the MARC record either by default or only if a specified field is present in the source file

Complex conversions must be coded into the program and cannot be altered using the Translation Table.

Data Validation

We can validate or modify your data to your requirements, such as:

• Records combined or split during conversion
• Split output into multiple files
• Conversion that depends on relationships between records
• Values replaced or modified from authority files
• Code lookup and replacement
• Checking for invalid MARC record structure
• Checking for illegal characters in records
• Any other processing you can think of!

MARConvert is Fast!

MARCView typically converts 1,000 to 3,000 records per second, depending on the special processing required.

It Just Works!

We do the programming so you don't have to. You will not have to learn complex coding, write scripts, capture sequences of commands, download and install libraries, or anything like that. From the text-based Translation Tables to the easy interface, MARConvert is among the easiest MARC converters to use.

Clients

MARConvert has been used to convert 100 million records since its origins in 1993. Here are some of the current and past uses:

• The Galway Library (Ireland)

  Conversion of MARC records encoded in MARC-8 to UTF-8. Delivered November 2007.

• Anonymous client

  Conversion of MARC records into a specialized SQL Server database. MARConvert produces delimited-text files for the client to load in a separate process, as well as the option to load directly using ODBC. Character encoding is converted from MARC-8 to UTF-8. Delivered October 2007.

• King County [Washington] Library System

  Daily conversion of one million MARC records into a specialized SQL Server database. MARConvert produces delimited-text files and immediately loads them into the database using BCP (Microsoft's bulk-loading utility). MARConvert performs the conversion and loading of one million records in under 20 minutes. Data is loaded using the MARC-8 encoding. Delivered October 2007.

• Theodore Front Musical Literature, Inc.

  Real-time conversion of SQL Server data to MARC for downloading from a web application. Customers select from their open invoices the items for which they desire MARC records, then click "Download". MARConvert reads the database and delivers a file of all the items selected. The web interface is provided by our MWeb™ Online Catalog software. Delivered February 2007.

• LexisNexis

  Conversion of MARC21 records to a text format suitable for importing into a mainframe application. Delivered November 2006.

• Backstage Library Works

  Lossless round-tripping of MARC21 records from UTF-8 to MARC-8 and back again. The conversions handle the entire MARC repertoire of almost 17,000 characters, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, and Cyrillic. Both pre-composed and decomposed UTF-8 characters are converted. Delivered May 2006.

• Dawson Books

  Conversion of MARC21 records to UNIMARC. Delivered May 2006.

• Auto-Graphics Canada

  Conversion of MARC-8 records to UTF-8, and UTF-8 records to MARC-8, with customized error reporting. In both directions, the entire MARC-8 repertoire of almost 17,000 characters is handled, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, and Cyrillic. Both pre-composed and decomposed UTF-8 characters are converted. Delivered February, 2006.

• Seattle Children's Hospital

  Conversion of Medline OVID records into MARC bibliographic records. Delivered October, 2005.

• Caterpillar Inc.

  Conversion of BASIS TechLib records into MARC bibliographic and holdings records. Delivered April, 2005.

• The National Library of Medicine

  Conversion of MARC records from the UTF-8 character set to MARC-8. Delivered January, 2005.

• The Getty Research Institute

  Conversion of MARC records to three tab-delimited files, suitable for loading into a relational database. Some data modifications based on values in the MARC records. Delivered November, 2004.

• PastPerfect Software, Inc.

  Conversion of text records to MARC. Delivered October, 2004.

• The H.W. Wilson Company

  Conversion of MARC records to blocked files of segmented records. Delivered August, 2004.

• Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute

  Conversion of Amico records to MARC. Delivered August, 2004.

• ARTstor

  Conversion of MARC records from MARC-8 to UTF-8 character set. Delivered March, 2004.

• FDI Solutions

  Conversion of MARC records from MARC-8 to UTF-8 character set. This version of MARConvert runs as a command-line program only. Delivered January, 2004.

• The Getty Conservation Institute Library

  Export of MARC records to a unique format used by the Canadian Heritage Information Network. In addition to the format conversion, numerous fields have data transformations, such as date reformating, adding new fields based on certain values, and rearranging data from ISBD form to a different order. Extensive data validation is performed to check for mandatory fields, to check for correct values, and to check for correct relationships between values in different fields. Delivered May, 2003.

• The Getty Research Institute Library

  Extraction of authority data from the MARC bibliographic database in order to load it into the Union List of Artist Names. The program examined the data to determine its suitability for ULAN, since only artists' names were wanted. Used from 1999 through 2000.

• Thesaurus of Geographic Names

  Conversion of the TGN from tagged-text to MARC for international distribution (almost 1 million records). Used from 1999 through 2001.

• Art & Architecture Thesaurus

  Conversion of the AAT from tagged-text to MARC for international distribution. Used from 1999 through 2001.

Support

Pricing includes free email support for five years after delivery. We strive to correct problems within 24 hours, often the same day. We retain the download file on our server for five years so you can reinstall it as needed.

Ordering Information

Please see MARConvert Ordering Information.