Mackin will take your MARC record export and match it by ISBN against our internal master genre lists for Fiction titles to identify possible matches. We will then provide you with an Excel spreadsheet of your Fiction collection with a column indicating the Primary Genre that we have assigned to that book. We will also include columns showing possible alternate genres and/or BISAC* subject headings when available.
*BISAC Subject Headings are a standard used by the book industry to categorize books based on topical content.
There is no guarantee of the number of titles matched as many out of print books or less popular books have not been assigned a genre. Matches are dependent upon the age of the collection, but unless your collection is very dated, we typically find we will match 75% or more of your fiction collection. Your Genre Match will include your barcode number so that, depending upon your system, you can do a batch import for each individual genre to update your MARC records.
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The following fiction genres are used in our designations. Your Excel spreadsheet may include all of these, even if you do not currently use that genre in your library. We do not provide customized genre categories for this service. You can change the spreadsheet and assign different genres as desired. Please note that MARC records and call numbers are not altered by Mackin. We do not provide genres for picture books.
Animals
Action / Adventure
Classics
Fantasy
Dystopian
Historical
Horror/Scary
Humor
Mystery
Realistic
Romance
Science Fiction
Sports
Supernatural / Paranormal
Western
- Login to Mackin.com > Click on My Account > Click Collection Analysis > Click Send Records.
- Next, click the big, red Export Instructions button. This will give you a list of circulation systems to choose from. Click on yours, and instructions will pop up for exporting.
- Lastly, click the ‘back’ button and you may easily send it to us by way of Online File Transfer; you simply upload it right there and choose Genre Match in the dropdown box provided.
Why Didn’t It Find a Genre For Every Title?
Not every book will have a matching genre. If many of the titles in your collection are out of print or dated, we likely won’t have genres assigned to those older items as we only assign genres to items that are currently available. If an item is not frequently ordered, we may not have preassigned a genre. If the book came from a Scholastic Book Fair or sole-source publisher, it will carry an ISBN that we cannot match since we don’t have those items in our database. We match on ISBN, so if your record lacks an ISBN we will not be able to match the book.
Determine How You Want to Identify Genre On the Book
Options for identifying include:
- Mackin Designed Genre Label
- Other Genre Label or Colored Dot
- Colored Label Protector
- Altering the Spine Label
Please note: Mackin does not alter or change your MARC records at any time during the Genre Match process.
Ordering Genre Labels
Mackin now sells our specially-designed genre labels. These attractive, cost effective labels are printed in full color on durable, 4 mil vinyl and are available in sheets of 64 labels. We offer designs for both elementary and secondary, but they can be mixed and matched as well. You only need to purchase the labels you want. We can estimate how many labels you would need for your collection and the total cost. Just check the box in the above form telling us you would like an estimate. There is no obligation to purchase.
Editing Your Records After Genrefying
If you are planning to shelve your collection in genre order and/or change your call number, you will want to edit your MARC records to show the new location or call number. If you have Destiny or Alexandria, these software systems allow you to take the barcode data from your Excel spreadsheet and import it in batches. So, you could, for example, sort your spreadsheet by genre and then select all the “Classics” barcodes. You can import them into your software and do a batch change of your location code or your call number, or even add a subject heading or other designation. Please check with your software company to find out about available options and best practices for your specific software.
Printing New Spine Labels
If you have decided to alter your spine labels, Mackin can print new spine labels for you after you have edited your MARC records to your desired designations. New labels can be printed for $.12 each plus shipping. You can send the export of just your Fiction records to us for printing and they are printed on the same printer and label stock as when you order books from Mackin. Label protectors, if desired, can be purchased in rolls of 2,000 for $80.00. Please send request for Spine Label Printing order form to genre@mackin.com.