Importing CSV Data

Describes how to create records in the Metadata Management System (MMS) by importing a comma-separated values (CSV) file

Table of contents

  1. Overview
  2. Steps
  3. CSV Data Preparation Guidelines
    1. Item Number
    2. Captures
    3. Identifier
    4. Title
    5. Location
    6. Type of Resource
    7. Date
    8. Extent
    9. Abstract
    10. Note
    11. Parent Record

Overview

  • Metadata can be created or prepared in a spreadsheet and imported into MMS using CSV import to support bulk metadata creation where source metadata does not exist in a MARC record, finding aid, or TMS record

Steps

  1. Download the relevant CSV template file:
    1. Template based on number of captures per item (most commonly used template)
    2. Template based on identifier associated with each capture (one capture per row)
  2. Open the CSV template file in your preferred CSV or spreadsheet editor
    1. Prepare your data according to the CSV data preparation guidelines
    2. Save your new CSV file using UTF encoding
      1. Do not use UTF-8 encoding as doing so can result in a no method error during upload
  3. Navigate to the Descriptive metadata import from CSV page in MMS:
    1. Via the menu bar: Imports › CSV Import
    2. Alternately, navigate to the record for the collection or container where the item should be located › Overview tab › bottom of page › Import Via › CSV
  4. Under Step 2: Upload file, select Choose File and select your CSV file
  5. Under Step 3: Enter Parent UUID, enter the UUID of the parent collection or container record where your new records should be located
    1. Parent records must already exist within MMS before the CSV import
    2. If you would like to import items within your CSV file to different parent records, leave the text box blank and instead follow the guidelines in Parent Record when preparing your CSV data
  6. Click Import
    1. A banner will display the message CSV file is processing. You will receive an email notification when completed.
  7. Monitor the email address associated with your MMS account for a message titled CSV file import completed successfully!
    1. Once you receive it, click the View your import link
  8. Review and restructure your new record(s) as needed
  9. Proceed with next steps according to the relevant digitization or remediation workflow

CSV Data Preparation Guidelines

The requirements indicated here refer to the technical requirements for your CSV file. For more general guidelines on ensuring the records created by CSV import adhere to local standards, consult Minimum Metadata Requirements and By Element.

  • Required fields must be present in your CSV file to be imported
  • Required if Not Inherited fields must be present in your CSV file if the field is not set to be inherited from the parent collection or container record where your new records will be located
    • If you include a field that is already set to be inherited from a parent collection or container, an additional element will be created based on the data from the CSV, and you will need to deduplicate the elements after import
  • Required if Not Specified in CSV Import Form fields must be present in your CSV file if the field is not input directly into the CSV import form under Step 3: Enter Parent UUID

Item Number

Required

Guidelines

  • Populate an item_number column with a unique, sequential number for each item
    • Enter 1 for the first row
    • Add additional rows containing sequential numbers (1, 2, 3, 4…) to correspond to the number of items you wish to create
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
Item number item_number  

Captures

Required

Guidelines

  • Populate a captures column with the header that corresponds to the method appropriate for your needs:
    • By number of captures per item:
      • Start with the template based on number of captures per item
      • Populate the cap_num column with the number of captures for each item in the corresponding row
        • The cap_num value can be zero if you do not wish to add any captures to the item
      • The item_number column should increase by an increment of one for each row (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4…) as each row represents a single item
    • By identifier associated with each capture:
      • Start with the template based on identifier associated with each capture (one capture per row)
      • Populate a cap_iden column to add each capture identifier to its own row
        • Enter capture identifiers in sequence
      • Adjust the item_number column to indicate how captures are grouped together by repeating numbers for captures that correspond to a single item
        • For example, three items with two captures each can be configured with six rows, with the item numbers 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3
        • Enter values for additional fields in the first row that corresponds to a particular item number as the data does not need to be repeated for each capture
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
Capture number cap_num Number of captures you would like the item in the record row to create
Capture identifier cap_iden Identifier for associated capture

Identifier

Required if Not Inherited

View Full MSU Documentation for Element →

Guidelines

  • Populate an identifier column with the header that corresponds to the type of identifier you wish to add for each item
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
NYPL catalog ID (B-number) identifier_bnumber  
Barcode identifier_barcode  
MSS Unit ID identifier_mss  
Repository Image ID identifier_imageid  
NYPL Exhibition ID identifier_exhibition  
Other local Identifier identifier_other If this column is used, add a identifier_typeother column specifying the type of identifier being supplied
Other local identifier type identifier_typeother Specifies type of identifier if identifier_other is used
Library of Congress Control Number identifier_lccn  
International Standard Book Number identifier_isbn  
International Standard Recording Code identifier_isrc  
International Standard Audiovisual Number identifier_isan  
Sound recording issue number identifier_issue-number  
Sound recording matrix number identifier_matrix-number  
Publisher-assigned videorecording number identifier_videorecording-identifier  
International Standard Music Number identifier_ismn  
International Standard Musical Work Code identifier_iswc  
Publisher’s music plate number identifier_music-plate  
Publisher-assigned music number identifier_music-publisher  
International Standard Serial Number identifier_issn  
Linking International Standard Serial Number identifier_issn-l  
Serial Item and Contribution Identifier identifier_sici  
International Standard Text Code identifier_istc  
U.S. National Gazetteer Feature Name Identifier identifier_natgazfid  
Standard Technical Report Number identifier_strn  
Uniform Resource Identifier identifier_uri  
Archive EAD ID identifier_archives_ead  
Preservica ID identifier_preservica_id  
TMS ID identifier_tms_id  
TMS Object Number identifier_tms_object_number  
Photo Order identifier_photo_order  
RLIN/OCLC identifier_oclc  
AMI Identifier identifier_mss_av  
CMS Collection identifier_cms_collection  
CMS Identifier identifier_cms  
Uniform Resource Name identifier_urn  

Title

Required

View Full MSU Documentation for Element →

Guidelines

  • Populate a titleInfo_title column with the title for each item
    • Add additional columns as needed to provide additional title fields, such as subtitle (titleInfo_subTitle), part number (titleInfo_partNumber), and part name (titleInfo_partName)
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
Title titleInfo_title  
Subtitle titleInfo_subTitle  
Part number titleInfo_partNumber  
Part name titleInfo_partName  

Location

Required if Not Inherited

View Full MSU Documentation for Element →

Guidelines

  • Populate a location_division column with the Library division that owns each item
    • Use the division’s three-letter code from the Organizational Unit code list, e.g. THE for the Billy Rose Theatre Division
    • If the Location element is set to be inherited from a parent record, you do not need to include a location_division column in the CSV file
    • If no location_division is provided and the item does not inherit its Location from a parent record, the item will be imported with the location UNK
  • Populate a location_shelfLocator column with the call number or shelf locator information for the item
    • location_division is required in order to use location_shelfLocator
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
Division location_division The Organizational Unit code 🔒 for an NYPL division or collection
Shelf locator/call Number location_shelfLocator Requires location_division

Type of Resource

Required if Not Inherited

View Full MSU Documentation for Element →

Guidelines

  • Populate a typeOfResource_value column with the type of resource for each item
    • Add additional columns as needed to indicate attributes, such as whether the type of resource should be marked as primary (typeOfResource_usage)
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
Value typeOfResource_value  
Primary? typeOfResource_usage If this type of resource should be set to primary usage, the value for this column should be true, otherwise leave blank
Manuscript? typeOfResource_manuscript This attribute is not in use at the present time
Collection? typeOfResource_collection This attribute is not in use at the present time

Date

Required if Not Inherited

View Full MSU Documentation for Subelement →

Guidelines

  • Populate the appropriate date columns for each item
    • Columns containing date fields must be grouped together
    • The first column in the group must be originInfo_datetype
    • Each instance of originInfo_datetype triggers the creation of a new date
    • Columns relevant to a single date or a date range should follow originInfo_datetype
    • Each date must include a year
    • If the date is not a valid date, the information will import as free text rather than encoded
      • Examples of invalid dates include dates that are in the future (e.g., the year 2026) and dates that do not exist in the calendar (e.g., 1876-02-31)
  • If you are working with items that have multiple dates, discuss with the Manager, Metadata Services, before proceeding further
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
Date type originInfo_datetype Valid values for this field are dateCreated or dateIssued, the use of other values will result in the date not being imported
  • Select from the single fields if you know the point in time a resource was created or issued
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
Single date: year originInfo_datesingleyear  
Single date: month originInfo_datesinglemonth  
Single date: day originInfo_datesingleday  
Single date: BCE originInfo_datesinglebcyear Use this field for BCE dates
Single date: qualifier originInfo_datesinglequalifier  
Single date: key date? originInfo_datesinglekeydate Any non-blank value will indicate a date as the key date, and only one key date can be indicated per item
  • Select from the start date and end date fields if the date of a resource is provided as range or you are uncertain about the point in time a resource was created or issued
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
Start date: year originInfo_datestartyear  
Start date: month originInfo_datestartmonth  
Start date: day originInfo_datestartday  
Start date: BCE originInfo_datestartbcyear Use this field for BCE dates
Start date: qualifier originInfo_datestartqualifier  
Start date: key date? originInfo_datestartkeydate Any non-blank value will indicate a date as the key date, and only one key date can be indicated per item
End date: year originInfo_dateendyear  
End date: month originInfo_dateendmonth  
End date: day originInfo_dateendday  
End date: BCE originInfo_dateendbcyear Use this field for BCE dates
End date: qualifier originInfo_dateendqualifier  
End date: key date? originInfo_dateendkeydate Any non-blank value will indicate a date as the key date, and only one key date can be indicated per item

Extent

View Full MSU Documentation for Subelement →

Guidelines

  • Populate a physicalDescription_extent column for for each item
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
Extent physicalDescription_extent  

Abstract

View Full MSU Documentation for Element →

Guidelines

  • Populate a abstract column for for each item
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
Abstract abstract  

Note

View Full MSU Documentation for Element →

Guidelines

  • Populate a note and note_type column for each item
    • See the Note Type attribute for a link to a list of note types
    • Only one note can be added during a CSV import
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
Note note Note content
Note type note_type Value for note type selected from types specified in MMS

Parent Record

Required if Not Specified in CSV Import Form

Guidelines

  • Populate a parent_uuid column to indicate the UUID of the parent collection or container record where each item should be located
    • Providing parent records in the CSV is required when importing items into different locations, such as different containers within a parent collection
    • Parent records must already exist within MMS before the CSV import
  • If there is no parent_uuid column in your CSV file, you must enter the UUID of the parent collection or container record in the upload form under Step 3: Enter Parent UUID
Data to Be Imported Column Header Usage Note
Parent record parent_uuid The UUID of the parent collection or container record where your new records should be located