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14.3. Uploading Electronic Resource Records with Secure File Transfer

Last Updated 03/09/2026

How to Upload Electronic Resource Records

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NC Cardinal's electronic resources upload software automatically makes all the necessary edits for records to be searchable and accessible in the catalog. Using a Secure File Transfer (SFTP), catalogers can upload records for e-Resources purchased directly by their library into Evergreen, with automatic deduplication. This process requires intial set-up of WinScp or Filezilla.

Great news! The new electronic resources upload software automatically makes all the necessary best practice edits for records to be searchable and accessible in the catalog. You may find more information about best practices on this page. The NC Cardinal staff will still be responsible for uploading consortium purchased records, including NCKids, NCKids Level Up, NCDL, and E-INC records. The records systems will upload are those that they purchase outside of these programs, including but not limited to Advantage Overdrive, Freading, Bibliotheca, Baker & Taylor, and Gale Group.

To find more information about retrieving your MARC records, you may refer to the Retrieving E-Resource Advantage MARC Files from Overdrive knowledge book page.  

File Upload Instructions

1. 1. Retrieve the records from vendors or from NC Cardinal directly.
      1. Make sure to let the NC Cardinal admin know which vendor folders you need to have set up for uploads.
      2. Indicate which staff members, with their email addresses, will need to receive results reports from your uploads. 
   2. You do not need to make any MarcEdit updates to the file before loading! You do not need to make any edits before uploading, unless you notice issues in fields not covered in the following, which are done by the software:
      1. Assigns the correct 856 $9
      2. Replaces 008 position 23 with “o”
      3. Removes 856 $3 that are junk (thumbnail image, summary, table of contents)
      4. Adds a 856 $7 to indicate system(s) and vendor(s)
      5. Adds a consistent 856 $y to allow visual ease of access for patrons
   3. Upload the file onto the server using Secure File Transfer Process (FTP)
      1. Detailed set up and upload instructions are below
      2. Make sure you upload your .mrc file into the correct vendor folder. The folders are named with the following convention: systemname_vendor
         1. By including your system name in the file so that just in case a file is added to the incorrect folder, it may be successfully tracked down and removed in the proper fashion.
         2. File names can have spaces now. However, other characters such as quotation marks, tick marks, apostrophe marks are discouraged. Files that have these characters may not be processed. 

Note: Secure file transfer replaces the Batch Import process. 

Secure File Transfer Set Up (one-time setup)

Step 1:

Generate both Private and Public Keys and share with NC Cardinal admin

• Download PuTTYgen for Windows, Mac, or Linux- https://www.puttygen.com/download-putty
  • You can find a simplified version of download options here: https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/latest.html
• Open program and “Generate a public/private key pair”- Move mouse over blank area in program to generate key
• Save private key without passphrase

Step 2:

• Share the public key file with NC Cardinal admin (nccardinalprojectmngr@gmail.com) and keep your private key file in a place that can be referenced in a later step
• Make sure to let the NC Cardinal admin know which vendor folders you need to have set up for uploads
• Once the NC Cardinal admin confirms key has been received and set up, continue to the next step

Step 3:

Download SFTP software

• Download WinSCP: https://winscp.net/eng/download.php

         OR

• Download Filezilla for Windows, Mac, or Linux: https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?show_all=1
• Open program from downloads to install 

Step 4:

Setup SFTP connection in your software of choice once you have received confirmation that your public key has been set up. 

• Once program is open, go to File- Site Manager- click “new site” and choose the following settings

• • File Protocol- Click SFTP
  • Host: 52.23.227.84
  • port: 22
  • user name: externaldata
• Filezilla users will want to make sure "Logon Type- Key File" is selected. 
• Click Advanced settings and fill out the following information:

Under Environment > Directories 

• • Enter a default local directory
    • Select the three dots to browse your computer and select the folder from which you will use to share MARC files. (setting up a folder on your computer just for this purpose is advised)
  • Enter a default remote directory- Enter this file path information:
    • path: /home/externaldata/uploads/electronic_imports/

Under SSH > Authentication

• • • Private Key file: Browse and choose the private key file you saved earlier
    • Click Ok. 

Once all of the information is correctly entered, click Login. The program will connect and open with your files on the left and the upload Evergreen folders on the right.

Uploading Files: Tips and Tricks

1. Open WinSCP or Filezilla
2. Drag and drop your MARC files from the left screen into the proper folder on the right. They will upload and process automatically into Evergreen from there

Deletion Files

To upload deletion files, simply edit the marc file name to include either "weed" or "remove" before uploading. Either word will tell the software that it is a deletion file. 

Deduplication Criteria

The new software merges and deduplicates records based on the following fields: 001, 007, 100a, 110a, 110b, 245a, 245b, 245h, 245n, 245p, 250. 

Best Practices

These are actions the software automatically takes on ingestion after you drag and drop your files into the secure file transfer process.  

Modifications of the 856 field: 

• Addition of a $9 so that the record is viewable in your system's OPAC. 
• Bibliographic records for electronic resources (i.e. e-books, e-audiobooks, e-videos) that require authentication through another website should never have physical holdings attached
  • The software will add an 856 field with an $y external link for patron access of the e-resources. 
• Never delete 856 fields that include a link to an actual e-resource (e.g. e-book, e-audiobook, e-video) or other complete version of item. Remember that bibliographic records belong to the consortium, so the link may not be for your library system.
  
  • The software deduplicates electronic resource records from physical materials. 
  • NOTE: some bibliographical records for physical holdings may have 856 links to full digital pdf versions of the print resource, in which case, do not delete these 856 field(s). Also, do not delete digitization request links for bibliographic records that include Government and Heritage Library holdings.
• The software will delete 856 fields that are not a link to the actual resource, but only to supplemental material (e.g. table of contents, cover image, excerpt). 

Results Reports

Once you have uploaded your files, the staff members you previously provided to NC Cardinal admin will receive the results report emails that the software generates.