melvyl my workspace

foggybreeze
I have successfully added Melvyl items, but only when I choose to display them in MARC format. I am not sure if this corresponds with what others have experienced. In addition, although Zotero displays the call number, it does not specify the library which is a problem since call numbers are not unified across the UC system (although generally similar).

The larger problem is that I have been using Melvyl's "My Workspace" function to save hundreds of sources. I cannot figure out how to import these into Zotero without simply searching for each record, then displaying it in MARC, and then adding it to Zotero.

I can choose to email the records to myself in MARC format saved as .txt file. I have saved the .txt file in box ASCII and Unicode formats and neither one will import. I continue to get an error, "No translator could be found for the given file."

It seems from my searches in the forums that .txt format may not import. Is there any other way to get the records?
  • Tjowens
    I had no trouble grabbing items from individual pages and search results pages in both of Melvyl's interfaces. The most straightforward way for you to get those items out of the saved items set up on Melvyl is going to be to just click open the full view option in a bunch of new tabs and just go through and grab the items.
  • foggybreeze
    Thanks for your response, Tjowens. I have triple checked and I am, in fact, have trouble adding items from the Workspace, Melvyl interface. Just to be sure, you have a list with hyperlink numbered items, correct? When I click to open the record (and it doesn't matter whether I display in "Full" or "MARC" format) it shows the file icon for zotero not the book icon (as it does when I do a search in melvyl). When I hover over the icon it does list "melvyl" which I read indicates that the translator should be recognizing the texts correctly. I continue to receive the error message though and the book does not add from this step.

    Incidentally, presuming that I can get zotero to add the items with some minor tweaking from this step, I would still have to add 500+ items by opening each "saved item"? Call me cranky, but this doesn't seem to be a great solution.

    There is still also the problem of the call numbers not being listed as "UCLA" or "UCB" once imported.

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