Andy, We find the marcedit 5 series z3950 client quick and reliable and you can feed it a txt file of isbns and get a marc record of results. But you are correct - at the moment you can only search one target at a time. You could use zoom perl, but it is pretty difficult to install on Windows XP. I managed by doing a manual install on Activeperl, but you do need to make sure you have the correct version of Yaz installed first and make some changes to the makefile (yaz version 2.1.50 change path to the yaz libraries as listed in the makefile). I found this method better than trying to use the activex yaz interface http://perl.z3950.org/support/windows.html. I found this messed up utf-8 marc records. HTH Alan -----Original Message----- From: Andy Kelly [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: 20 August 2010 02:06 Subject: Copy Cataloging & MARC record manipulation Greetings all, I am in a bit of a fix. I am working to get my library working up a more effective copy-cataloging workflow and was looking for some software suggestions. I'm more or less trapped on Windows XP and have so far been running Mercury Z39.50 client with some success. My search would end here if exporting one. record. at. a. time. wasn't so painful. I've been evaluating MarcEdit and it's associated Z39.50 Client. I've found it to be slow, buggy and always trapped in windows of fixed sizes. It can also only search one Z39.50 server at a time, so it replaces one bottleneck with another. I get the impression I'm sort of in the Dark Ages here in that we're not just OCLC copy-cataloging subscribers, but I can't seem to convince my superiors that that service is worth making room for in the budget, though perhaps this is a more common situation than I'm aware of. Ideally: I feed in a txt file or CSV of ISBNs and I get out one big MARC record to feed my [ancient, fussy] OPAC. This might be one of those "...why don't you do it with a Perl script?" problems that might get me to really dive into my copy of Introducing Perl. (I've looked at the ZOOM Perl Bindings and MARC module on CPAN, both look promising but far beyond my current limited abilities and likely even further beyond my boss, future replacements and/or student worker's ability to maintain or use.) Thanks for your help & suggestions. ~Andy ----------------------------------------------------------------- Why not visit our website www.bury.gov.uk ----------------------------------------------------------------- Incoming and outgoing e-mail messages are routinely monitored for compliance with our information security policy. The information contained in this e-mail and any files transmitted with it is for the intended recipient(s) alone. It may contain confidential information that is exempt from the disclosure under English law and may also be covered by legal,professional or other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by using the reply facility on your e-mail system. If this message is being transmitted over the Internet, be aware that it may be intercepted by third parties. As a public body, the Council may be required to disclose this e-mail or any response to it under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 unless the information in it is covered by one of the exemptions in the Act. Electronic service accepted only at [log in to unmask] and on fax number 0161 253 5119 . *************************************************************