Springer releases new web tool to increase quality of metadata

In order to increase the quality of metadata, Springer has released a new web tool that allows catalogers and librarians to easily download tailor-made batches of MARC records (Machine-Readable-Cataloging) or eBook title lists. This new tool is easy to use and allows librarians to download a batch of records to a library’s Springer eBook collections. The new tool is available through Springer’s MARC portal atwww.springer.com/marc.

Apart from MARC records, the tool also allows a librarian to download a full or tailored title list of Springer eBooks. Each record in such title lists contains the main bibliographic information, as well as a URL to the eBook on SpringerLink.

Springer is the largest STM eBook publisher, and disseminates its eBooks on SpringerLink. Various studies and online usage statistics have proven that cataloging of eBooks drives usage of eBooks substantially. In addition to the tool on its website, Springer can also deliver MARC records through FTP, directly to an institution’s ftp server.

“This is quite a versatile tool and the idea of being able to download everything into one smart file is a very appealing one. In general, this is an impressive improvement,” said Martin Kelleher, Electronic Resources/Bibliographic Services Librarian at Liverpool University in the UK.

 “Springer is continuously improving the quality of its metadata. In the past year, internal audits of the MARC records have proven that Springer managed to increase the quality. I am happy that Springer has released the tool, which is a major step forward in serving our customers,” said Arjan Grootenboer, Executive Vice President Production at Springer Science+Business Media