Connecting to the VCU Libraries Catalog with Z39.50
The VCU Libraries Catalog uses Ex Libris' ALEPH 500 software. The ALEPH software allows users to connect to the VCU Libraries Catalog with any Z39.50 client.
Here are the connection settings:
- Server: catalog.library.vcu.edu
- Port: 9991
- Database: vcu01pub
- Recordtype: USMARC
The Library of Congress serves as the Official Z39.50 Maintenance Agency. There you can find documentation on the Z39.50 protocol, a Z39.50 Web gateway page and other relevant information. For help with connecting to the VCU Libraries Catalog through Z39.50, contact us through Ask a Librarian.
Unicode support and Z39.50 Clients
VCU Libraries catalog records are stored in Unicode. However, most Z39.50 clients cannot display Unicode characters. For this reason, the catalog records sent to Z39.50 clients are "downgraded" so they can be displayed by non-Unicode character sets. Unicode diacritics, depending on your Z39.50 client, will either not show, or they will rendered as a * or other special character.
To eliminate excess, unreadable characters as much as possible, we suggest you set your Windows PC Z39.50 client software to use ANSEL (e.g. EndNote's Connection Settings, Text field) or ALA (e.g. Bookwhere 2000's Database Properties, Character Set). No changes are nessary for Web based Z39.50 clients.
Z39.50 BIB-1 Use Attributes
The following use attributes are helpful in setting up a connection file for EndNote, Reference Manager, or other bibliographic citation tool that supports Z39.50 searching.
For Keyword Searches:
| Index Field | Use-value |
| All Keywords | 1016 |
| All Keywords | 1017 |
| Authors | 1 |
| Authors | 1003 |
| Authors | 1004 |
| Corporate Keyword | 1005 |
| Conference Keyword | 1006 |
| Title | 4 |
| Subject | 21 |
| Year | 30 |
| Year | 31 |
| ISBN | 7 |
| ISSN | 8 |
| OCLC number | 12 |
| Series | 5 |
For Browse or Phrase Searches:
| Index Field | Use-value |
| ISSN | 8 |
| OCLC number | 12 |
| Author | 1 |
| Author | 1003 |
| Author | 1004 |
| Title | 4 |
| Subject | 21 |
| Library of Congress Subject Headings | 27 |
| Medical Subject Headings | 25 |
Sort Options:
| Sort | |||
| sort | 02 | 1 | Author |
| sort | 03 | 4 | Title |
| sort | 01 | 30 | Year |
| sort | 02 | 1003 | Author |