«Home is behind us, the world before us»: from UNIMARC to MARC21 at the University of Milano-Bicocca

Abstract

A library management system is the hub of all library activities, from cataloging, to acquisitions, to circulation, and the lack of an ERM (Electronic Resource Module) takes a heavy toll on day-to-day work. On the other hand, the choice of a new LSP (Library Service Platform) may present both advantages and challenges, such as switching to a different cataloging format. In 2021, the Milano-Bicocca University Library chose to adopt the Worldshare Management Services (WMS) LSP by OCLC, which meant facing a migration from a different management system, and also from UNIMARC to MARC21. The aim of this article is to share the pivotal decisions and moments in this transition from a cataloger’s point of view: in particular, it focuses on moving from a local to a shared environment, and on the ways the new format influenced cataloging choices.