Presentation on using SQL with Sierra for CPSLD statistics for the 2015 Code4Lib BC (#c4lbc) un-conference

1. CPSLD + SQL
=
Positive fun
or
…my own private hell

2. CPSLD + SQL = Positive Fun
• The scenario
• The problem
• The idea
• The solution
• The next step

3. The Scenario

4. The Scenario
• Post-secondary instiutions in BC submit yearly stats on the
collection, ref desk transactions, employees, budgets, etc
• CPSLD
• Good snapshot about your library
• Good comparison tool to others
• As TS librarian, I handled the collection

5. The Problem

6. The Problem
• Only do the stats once a year
• Did we do them the same as last year?
• CPSLD stats are text descriptions
• How do you translate them through your ILS?

7. The Problem
• Volumes: items that are barcoded separately or intended to be circulated as one unit, (e.g.
a 20-volume set of encyclopedias = 20 units, 2 CDs plus booklet in one package = 1 unit,
book + CD = 1 unit, set of slides in abinder or folio = 1 unit).
• a. Monographs:
• a volume is a physical unit of any printed or processed work contained in one binding, encasement or
other clear distinction, which has been catalogued as part of the collection and given an individual
barcode;
• include titles in microform or CD (not individual cards of fiche except when 1 card = 1 title);
• include annuals;
• excluded periodicals;
• use explanatory notes for any unusual inclusions (e.g. documents, technical reports, individually
catalogued maps).
• b. Videos & Films:
• count all video & film formats
• count physical items (e.g. 2 film reels = 2 unites, series of 24 videos = 24 units);
• c. Other Audio formats:
• count all sound recordings (e.g. LP records, cassette tapes, compact discs);
• count items intended to be used together as one unit (e.g. opera on 2 CDs = 1 unit);
• if two or more media are included (e.g. print and cassette tape), count as a single unit all items meant
to be used in conjunction with each other.

8. The Problem
• This is how it was done

9. The Problem
• We had instructions ….
• c. Other Audio Formats. Count the number of items with
location codes lmavc OR lmava OR lmavr OR lmavo. Search
within this result for items with status = f OR w. Subtract to find
the total active other audio items.
• Report the total for category 5.1.c. Also use this number in the
calculation of 5.1.a. monographs.

10. The Problem
• Instructions were hard to follow and we mixed counting bibs
and items at different times
• Each step required:
• A “list” query
• Export to excel
• Parse the data
• Manipulate it then count it all
• Transfer results to worksheet
• Took me about 3 days to work through it

11. The Problem
http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/012/073/7686178464_fdc8ea66c7.jpg

12. The Idea

13. The idea
• Innovative Interfaces (iii) finally opened up SQL access with
latest ILS, Sierra
• Took the training
• No idea what to do with it
• No more “lists” – Time for direct queries!

14. The Solution

15. The Solution
• iii “lists” are just queries in a GUI
• Why not take the steps and translate them into SQL

16. The Solution

17. The Solution
• Shared this at the WIUG
• Anything you think of …..
Brent Searle at Langara has already done it
• Langara has already been doing this … for a few years
• Brent offered to share his code with me

18. The Solution

19. The Solution
What you
know
What
you’ve
been given
WTF do I
start???

20. The Solution
• Review other commands in SQL
• Case
• Cast
• Renaming tables
• Joins galore

21. The Solution
• Where to begin???

22. The Solution
• I wanted to get Capilano using the same code
• Thankfully similar location code taxonomy
• Moved to Douglas College
• Totally different location taxonomy

23. The Solution

24. The Solution
• a. Monographs 157,580
• b. Videos & Films 12,746
• c. Other Audio Formats 5,592
• d. Other Visual Formats 1,332
• z. Other 14,056

25. The Next Steps

26. The Next Steps
• Share with the CPSLD community
• Document the file so anyone with SQL training knows how to
adapt it to their system
• Share on github/bitbucket

27. The Next Steps
• @trevordsmith100
• smitht7@douglascollege.ca
• Github/Bitbucket: tdsmithCapU
• Again my profound thanks to everyone
who helped me get this far.
• Thank you, George, Glen, and Brent