Library of Congress
Cataloging Distribution Service
Customer Services Section
Washington, DC 20541-4912 USA
(800) 255-3666 (Toll-free US only) or (202) 707-6100
Fax: (202) 707-1334
Telex: TWX 710 822-0185 ANSWER-BACK LIBCON USA
Email: cdsinfo@loc.gov
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (EST), Monday-Friday, except holidays
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To order a MARC Distribution Service, complete this FTP Registration/Order form.
See attached listing of the MARC Distribution Services that CDS currently offers. Indicate which service(s)
you desire in the box labelled Service(s) Desired.
The Registration/Order form asks for information about your host computer. All the information requested
is required. If you have previously registered for MDS via Internet FTP and all information concerning the host
computer is the same, please designate your customer number and host Internet address.
Technical notices and further communications will be emailed to all contact person(s) designated on the Registration
Form above.
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Internet FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a method of transferring files
directly from one computer to another using the Internet network.
CDS currently offers a "Pick-Up" service for customers to retrieve
files by directly accessing the files on the CDS Server.
What are the benefits of Internet FTP?
Speed of Delivery.
Customers will have MDS files resident on their own computer
shortly after the file is created in CDS.
Convenience and Efficiency.
Customers avoid tape handling and mail delivery.
What are the requirements for using Internet FTP?
- You must have access to the Internet.
- You must have sufficient disk space to receive the MDS file from CDS.
- You must have an assigned Server logon ID and password.
How does Internet FTP work?
Initial Set Up:
- The customer completes the CDS FTP Registration
/ Order Form and sends or e-mails it to the address at the top
of the form.
- CDS contacts the customer to test the FTP transfer. CDS provides
FTP instructions with an Internet address, user ID, and password.
- During the test, CDS makes available via FTP transfer a copy of
an MDS subscription issue for those existing tape subscribers a comparison
of the tape and FTP files can be made. MDS tape service stop when
a customer begins Internet FTP for the same product.
- When the customer advises CDS that the test has completed successfully,
a mutually agreeable date to begin the Internet FTP service is set.
Routine Operation:
- CDS mounts each subscription file on the CDS computer shortly after
the file is created.
- The customer views or queries the online list of CDS files available
for FTP (those for which payment has been made).
- The customer executes the FTP retrieval of the files.
- If the transfer fails, or if the file is somehow corrupted during
processing, the customer may retrieve a replacement copy of the file
from CDS. MDS issues are returned on the CDS server for up to 90 days.
Retrieval Instructions:
- Connect to the CDS mainframe. Connection will close if idle for
more than 5 minutes. All commands should be in lowercase.
- Follow the prompted logon procedure using assigned Logon ID and
Password. Type "?" or "help" at any time to display a list of commands.
Note: Some commands are restricted.
- Change to desired product directoryEx. cd /emds/books/eng
Note: /emds is the default signon directory.
- Change to binary mode
Ex. bin
List the files on the product directory
Ex. dir
- Retrieve the appropriate 'label' file
Ex. get v23i01.label
- Retrieve the appropriate 'records' file
Ex. get d010123.records
- Change to text or ASCII mode
Ex. ascii
- Retrieve the appropriate 'report' file
Ex. get v25.i01.report
- Retrieve a 'notice' file, if available
Ex. get v25.i01.notice
- Exit the system
Ex. bye
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All currently available MDS files (i.e., test, retrospective, subscription,
and replacement) are available via Internet FTP. Larger files, those
exceeding 500 MB and most notably the retrospective files are segmented
for FTP. Segment size is dependent on receipt system's capabilities.
Contact CDS to arrange for the FTP of large files.
Record, Report, Label, and Notice Files
Three files are issued for each subscription issue. A 'label' file
identifies the file and adheres to the standard for FTP File Label Specifications
for MARC21 Records. The 'record' file contains the 21 data. The 'report'
file contains a listing of the records in the issue and a totals/statistics
report. Because of their size, no report files accompany retrospective
files.
The 'record' file has a file name of:
/<product directory>.<volume>.<issue or date>.records
Ex. /emds/books/eng.v23.i01.records
/emds/bkall/daily.d010223.records
Note: The Books Daily file does not carry the volume and issue numbering
but instead contains the date the file was created in a yy mm dd configuration.
The 'report' file has a file name of:
/<product directory>.<volume>.<issue or date>.report
Ex. /emds/books/eng.v23.i01.report
/emds/bkall/daily.d010223.report
The 'label' file has a file name of:
/<product directory>.<volume>.<issue or date>.label
Ex. /emds/books/eng.v23.i01.label
/emds/bkall/daily.d010223.label
Note : Appendix A to this document gives
the full specifications and an example of the label file used by CDS.
Periodically, CDS will issue technical notices and announcements that
contain important information for MDS subscribers. They typically include
details about new or changed MARC data elements, LC practice, or new
programs. Notices are also emailed to the technical services contact
person as designated in the FTP registration /Order form. All CDS notices
will be available via FTP with a file name of:
/<product directory>.notice.d<issue or date>
Ex. /emds/books/eng.notice.d011001
The preceding file name format reflects the naming conventions used
to store the files on the CDS FTP Server. This is the file name that
the customer will retrieve from the CDS host. It is possible because
of system problems, workflow issues or holidays that a given distribution
issue may not contain any records. In such cases null record, label,
and report files are produced.
Pricing and Frequency
The daily, weekly, and monthly MDS files are available via FTP. The
price designated for each MDS.
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CDS will work with each customer individually to set up and test FTP.
During normal working hours, CDS Technical support will be available
to answer questions about system access, and to respond if or whenever
an FTP transfer fails.
Library of Congress
Cataloging Distribution Service
Washington, D.C. 20541-4912 USA
Telephone (Customer Support): 202-707-6100
Toll-free within the U.S.: 800-255-3666
Fax (Customer Support): 202-707-1334
Email: cdsinfo@loc.gov
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The full specifiations for the standard for Electronic Transfer Label Files can be found on pages 55 through 58 of
MARC21 Specifications for Record Structure, Character Sets, and Exchange Media available
by purchase from the Cataloging Distribution Service. Below is a brief
description and example of the label file used by CDS in the FTP of
the MARC Distribution Services.
Structure
The label file is written using only ASCII Latin characters. Each field
in a label file begins with a three-character tag followed by two blanks
(ASCII character 20(hex)). The field's data content follows the two
blanks. Each field ends with an end-of-field marker (ASCII control character
1E(hex)) immediately following the data in the field.
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Tags/Fields
DAT |
(Date compiled): This is the date and time the originating system
completed the compilation of the file of records; the data is constructed
in a YYYYMMDDHHMMSSF configuration |
RBF |
(Number of records in file): Includes the number of logical records contained in the file |
DSN |
(Data Set Name): The file name of the record file
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ORS |
(Originating System ID): The name of the system that compiled the file |
DTS |
(Dates Sent): The date of transmission of the file; the data is constructed in a YYYYMMDDHHMMSSF configuration |
DTR |
(Dates of records): Includes inclusive dates-of-last-transaction
of the records in the file, i.e. the first and last date recorded
in the 005 fields of the file of records; the data is constructed in a YYYYMMDDYYYYMMDD configuration |
FOR |
(Format): Designates the format of the records. M is for MARC |
DES |
(Description of records): Describes the records, includes the product name |
VOL |
(Volume): Gives the volume number of the subscription year |
ISS |
(Issue): Gives the issue number of a volume |
REP |
(Reply to): Contains the phone number and email address to contact
in the event of problems or questions in transmission |
NOT |
(Note): Contains textual information or messages about the file |
Example of CDS Label File
DATbb19960321124009/7%
RBF0003934%
DSN = EMDS/MUSIC/V 13/I03/RECORDS%
ORSLC Cataloging Distribution Service%
DTS199603211240097%
DTR1996022219960320%
FORM%
DESMDS-MUSIC%
VOL = 13%
ISS = 03%
REPbbHELPDESK PH: 202-707-1260
NOT bb FAX : 202-707-7259 EMAIL: CDSTECH@MAIL/LOC/GOV
b = blank % = end-of-field character
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Available from the Cataloging
Distribution Service, Library of Congress |
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